Banana Pudding Cinnamon Rolls 🍌🌀

Soft, gooey cinnamon rolls filled with fresh bananas and crushed Nilla wafers, then topped with a creamy banana pudding cream cheese frosting.

I love a good cinnamon roll and banana pudding, so I decided to bring the two together.

This recipe started as a little experiment in my kitchen. I wanted the cinnamon rolls to have all the flavors that make banana pudding so good—not just banana flavor, but the combination of bananas, creamy pudding, and Nilla wafers.

So I added sliced bananas and crushed Nilla wafers to the cinnamon-sugar filling and made a banana pudding-inspired cream cheese frosting using instant banana pudding mix.

The result is a soft, gooey cinnamon roll with a delicious banana pudding twist.

What Makes These Banana Pudding Cinnamon Rolls Special?

These aren’t your traditional cinnamon rolls.

• Fresh bananas are tucked into the filling for real banana flavor.

• Crushed Nilla wafers add that classic banana pudding taste and a little texture.

• Banana pudding mix is blended into the cream cheese frosting for an extra boost of banana flavor.

• Cream cheese frosting adds the perfect tanginess to balance the sweetness.

• Fresh bananas and Nilla wafers finish the rolls for the full banana pudding experience.

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Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 cup (250 ml) warm milk, about 110–115°F

• 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• ⅓ cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar

• 7 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 4¼ cups (510 g) bread flour

• 1¼ teaspoons salt

For the Filling

• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, softened

• ⅔ cup light or dark brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

• Sliced bananas

• ¾ cup finely crushed Nilla wafers

For the Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Frosting

• 5 oz (140 g) cream cheese, softened

• 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, softened

• 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream

• 2–3 tablespoons instant banana pudding mix

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup powdered sugar, or more to taste

• Pinch of salt

• Milk, as needed to thin the frosting

For the Topping

• 1 banana, sliced

• Nilla wafers

How to Make Banana Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

1. Make the Dough

Warm the milk to about 110–115°F. The milk should be warm to the touch but not hot.

Add the active dry yeast and granulated sugar to the warm milk. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for about 5–10 minutes, until the yeast becomes foamy.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, brown sugar, and salt.

Add the softened butter, egg, vanilla extract, and yeast mixture. Mix until the ingredients come together and a dough forms.

Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1–1½ hours, or until it has doubled in size.

2. Make the Cinnamon Filling

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling.

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until well combined.

Set aside the sliced bananas and crushed Nilla wafers for assembly.

3. Roll Out the Dough

Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 16×12 inches.

Spread the cinnamon-butter mixture evenly over the dough.

Add the sliced bananas evenly across the filling, followed by the finely crushed Nilla wafers.

4. Roll and Cut

Starting from the long side, carefully roll the dough into a tight log.

Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal rolls.

Place the rolls into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan, leaving a little space between each roll.

Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again for about 30–45 minutes, or until they look puffy.

5. Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Bake the cinnamon rolls for approximately 25–30 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and cooked through.

Be careful not to overbake them—you want the centers to stay soft and gooey.

6. Make the Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the frosting.

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, instant banana pudding mix, and a pinch of salt.

Mix until combined.

Add the heavy cream gradually and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

If the frosting is too thick, add a small amount of milk until you reach your desired consistency.

Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.

7. Finish the Cinnamon Rolls

Once the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, let them cool slightly.

Spread the banana pudding cream cheese frosting generously over the warm rolls.

Top with fresh banana slices and Nilla wafers.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Baker’s Tips

Don’t rush the dough rise. Letting the dough properly rise helps create soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls.

Use ripe but firm bananas. You want plenty of banana flavor without the slices becoming too mushy before they go into the rolls.

Don’t skip the Nilla wafers. They help bring that classic banana pudding flavor into the cinnamon rolls.

Add the frosting while the rolls are warm. The warmth helps the frosting soften and melt slightly into the rolls.

Adjust the frosting to your preference. Start with 2 tablespoons of banana pudding mix and add more if you want a stronger banana pudding flavor.

How to Store

Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting and fresh banana topping.

For the best texture, warm individual rolls before serving.

Final Thoughts

What started as an experiment turned into one of my favorite dessert combinations.

Banana pudding and cinnamon rolls are both classics on their own, but putting them together makes something completely different. The soft cinnamon roll, brown sugar and cinnamon filling, fresh bananas, crunchy Nilla wafers, and creamy banana pudding frosting all come together in one bite.

If you love banana pudding and cinnamon rolls, this one is definitely worth trying.

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