Chai Banana Cinnamon Rolls are soft, pillowy cinnamon rolls made with a mashed banana dough, layered with a bold chai spice filling, and finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Here is the honest truth: I did not set out to make these. I had overripe bananas on the counter doing their usual guilt trip, and a chai spice blend I had been putting on everything for weeks. At some point it occurred to me that chai and banana are genuinely good together. Banana is sweet and a little floral. Chai is warm and just aggressive enough. They balance each other in a way that feels obvious in hindsight and completely accidental in practice. So I made Chai Banana Cinnamon Rolls, they were good, and now they are a permanent part of my life.

If you love the flavors here, you might also want to check out my Chai Cinnamon Rolls, my Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls, and my Chai Caramel Cake. All three are a good time.

Why you'll love these chai banana cinnamon rolls

The banana dough is genuinely soft. Not in a vague, recipe-writer way. The banana adds moisture and a subtle sweetness that keeps the rolls tender even after a day or two.
The chai spice brown sugar filling hits every warm note. Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, cloves, allspice, nutmeg. It sounds like a lot. It is not too much.
The cream poured over before baking. This step seems fussy but it is the thing that makes the rolls rich and pull-apart soft rather than just bread with frosting on top.
The cream cheese frosting is simple and balanced. Not too sweet, a little tangy, and it goes on while the rolls are still warm so it melts into every layer.
These are a project, not a weeknight whim. That is a feature, not a bug. You will be proud of them.

Ingredient overview

Here is a quick look at the key players before you get started.

Bread flour: higher protein gluten than all-purpose, which means more structure and a chewier crumb. Worth using here.
Mashed banana: ripe is better. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful the dough.
Instant dry yeast: no proofing required, just mix it in. If yours has been sitting in the back of the pantry for a year, test it first.
Unsalted butter: used in the dough, the filling, and the frosting. Yes, all three. Buy enough.
Brown sugar: packed, for the filling. It melts into the butter and spices and becomes something very good.
Cream cheese: the frosting base. Full fat, softened to room temperature so it actually mixes smoothly.
Heavy whipping cream: poured over the rolls before baking. Do not skip it.
Chai spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, cloves. Mixed together for the filling and a little in the frosting too.

How to make homemade chai spice

Making your own chai spice blend takes about two minutes and is better than anything pre-made. Here is how it works for this recipe.

Measure out your spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. The amounts are listed in the recipe card.
Stir them together in a small bowl until evenly combined.
That is it. Use it immediately in the filling, or store it in a small jar for up to six months.
A note on cardamom: it is the backbone of chai flavor. Do not reduce it. Do not swap it for more cinnamon. Trust the recipe.
The black pepper is not a typo. It adds a subtle warmth that rounds out the whole blend. You will not taste it as pepper.

Instructions for banana dough for cinnamon rolls

Combine the milk, two teaspoons of sugar, and the yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk and let it sit for 10 minutes. It should look foamy. If it does not, your yeast is probably dead.
Add the remaining sugar, mashed banana, eggs, bread flour, butter, and salt. Mix on medium with the dough hook for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. It will not be perfectly neat. That is fine.
Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The dough will not double, but it should look clearly puffed and alive.
Roll the dough out to a 12x16 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Try to keep the edges even so the rolls bake uniformly.
Spread the filling all the way to the edges. Cut the dough into 12 strips, about 1.5 inches wide. Roll each strip into a tight spiral, pinch the seam, and place cut-side up in your prepared pan.
Let the rolls proof for 60 to 75 minutes until puffy. Then pour the cream over the top before baking.

What are some common mistakes when making cinnamon rolls?

Killing the yeast with milk that is too hot. Lukewarm means around 110°F. If it is too hot to hold your finger in comfortably, it is too hot for yeast.
Under-kneading the dough. Six to seven minutes on medium speed is the minimum. The dough should pass the windowpane test before you stop.
Rushing the first rise. The dough needs time. A cold kitchen means a longer rise. Do not shortcut it by putting the dough somewhere too warm or the texture suffers.
Skipping the cream pour before baking. It feels like an unnecessary step. It is not. It is what makes these rolls soft all the way through instead of just on top.
Frosting them straight out of the oven. Let the rolls cool for at least 20 minutes first. Hot rolls will melt the frosting into a puddle and you will be sad about it.
Not using room temperature butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Cold cream cheese does not mix smoothly. Take the extra time. Your frosting will thank you.

Frequently asked questions - Chai Banana Cinnamon Rolls

A few things people usually ask about chai banana cinnamon rolls before they make them.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour? Yes, but the rolls will be a little less chewy and structured. Bread flour is worth it if you can find it.
My dough is really sticky. Is that normal? Yes. The banana adds moisture. As long as the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and passing the windowpane test, you are fine.
Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant? Yes. You will need to proof it in the warm milk for about 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients. Same amount.
Do I have to use bread flour? No, but yes. See above.
How ripe should the bananas be? Very. Brown and spotty. The riper they are, the better the flavor and the more natural sweetness they bring to the dough.
Can I halve the recipe? Technically yes, but you will end up with six rolls and that is never enough.

Storing and freezing

Leftover chai banana cinnamon rolls store well at room temperature for up to two days, covered tightly. After that, move them to the refrigerator where they will keep for up to five days. To reheat, pop one in the microwave for 10 seconds. They come back to life almost completely. If yours are already frosted, that is fine. The frosting warms up too and gets a little melty in a good way.

To freeze, let the rolls cool completely and leave them unfrosted. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep for up to two months. When you are ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a couple of hours, then warm in a low oven or microwave. Make a fresh batch of cream cheese frosting to put on top. It takes five minutes and it is worth doing properly

FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS ONE.. HERE ARE MY FAVORITE!

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Recipe

Chai Banana Cinnamon Rolls

Molly Murphy

are soft, pillowy rolls made with a mashed banana dough, bold chai spice filling, and tangy cream cheese frosting.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings rolls

Ingredients

For The Dough

1 cup lukewarm milk 240g
¾ cup mashed banana
2 ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast 7g
½ cup + 2 teaspoon granulated sugar 120g
3 large eggs room temp
6 cups bread flour 755
½ cup unsalted butter softened 113g
2¼ teaspoon salt 14g

To pour on before baking

½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ ground cardamon

Filling

1 cup packed brown sugar 220g
¾ cup unsalted butter softened to touch 170g
1 teaspoon salt 6g
1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 teaspoon fine black pepper

Frosting

4 oz cream cheese 113g
½ cup unsalted butter softened -113g
3 cups powdered sugar 360g
½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2g
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3g
1-2 tablespoon milk or heavy cream 15-30g
¼ teaspoon salt 2g

Instructions

For the dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, 2 teaspoons of the sugar, and 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast. Whisk together and let sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture looks foamy.
1 cup lukewarm milk 240g, 2 ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast 7g
Add the remaining sugar, mashed bananas, eggs, bread flour, butter, and salt to the bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for 6-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough might be sticky, and thats normal!!
¾ cup mashed banana, ½ cup + 2 teaspoon granulated sugar 120g, 3 large eggs room temp, 6 cups bread flour 755, ½ cup unsalted butter softened, 2¼ teaspoon salt 14g
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until visibly puffy and lighter in texture, about 1½-2½ hours. The dough will not double, but it should clearly look alive and expanded.

Filling and Shaping Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together brown sugar, homemade chai mix, salt, (yes at the end of the day, these are cinnamon rolls) and unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
1 cup packed brown sugar 220g, ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to touch 170g, 1 teaspoon salt 6g, 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, 3 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 3 teaspoon fine black pepper
Lightly flour a clean work surface. Roll the chilled dough into a large rectangle, about 12x16 inches in size. Try to keep the edges as even as possible so the rolls bake uniformly.
Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to get it all the way to the edges.
Starting with the long edge farthest from you, cut the dough into 12 even strips using a sharp pizza cutter. Each piece should be about 1⅓ inches wide. Take your time to keep the cuts straight so the rolls bake up evenly.
Working one at a time, roll each strip into a tight spiral, starting from the bottom edge and rolling upward until you reach the top. As you roll, gently tuck in any filling that tries to escape and keep light, even pressure so each roll stays compact and uniform. Once rolled, pinch the end seam lightly so it stays closed.
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy lifting later. Lightly spray the sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange the rolls cut-side up in the prepared pan. 3 across and 4 down. They should have a little space between them - they'll puff and rise into each other during proofing and baking.
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise for 60-75 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled in size.

Baking Instructions

Once the rolls have finished their second rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Warm the heavy whipping cream, cinnamon and cardamom just until it loses its chill (microwave for about 15-20 seconds). Mix with a fork. Gently pour the cream evenly over the tops of the risen rolls, letting it soak down into the layers.
½ cup heavy whipping cream, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ ground cardamon
Place the pan in the oven and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 30-35 minutes, until the rolls are deep golden brown on top. These rolls take a long time to bake because they need to absorb the cream.
If the rolls begin to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool for at least 20 minutes before frosting.
While the rolls are cooling making the cream cheese frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then beat for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.
4 oz cream cheese 113g, ½ cup unsalted butter softened -113g
With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar, then vanilla, cinnamon, heavy cream and salt. Mix until combined.
3 cups powdered sugar 360g, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2g, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3g, 1-2 tablespoon milk or heavy cream 15-30g, ¼ teaspoon salt 2g
Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2-3 more minutes until light and fluffy. If too soft to pipe, chill for 10-15 minutes.

Assembly

Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly, spread the cream cheese buttercream evenly over the tops of the rolls. I did dollops with a piping bag for a pretty look, but you can do whatever you like!
Serve warm or at room temperature. When eating leftovers, pop in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving!

Keyword cinnamon rolls, banana, chai

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The Best Chai Banana Cinnamon Rolls