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Banana Cinnamon Rolls

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close up of raw vegan gluten free Banana Cinnamon Rolls

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free ~

Well, blow me into next Wednesday. These little morsels were downright insanely delicious.  I quadrupled this recipe a few weeks ago when I was preparing our Annual Halloween Party Menu. And I can safely say that I could have even made more.

If you are looking for a crowd pleaser that goes together easily… then these must be added to your recipe arsenal.  There are a few steps, but this method allowed me to tend to them over a few days of work.

To start off with, I sliced the bananas and popped them into the dehydrator.  This isn’t one of those times that you can allow time to escape you. Set a timer for roughly four hours and check to see how they are doing. You don’t want them 100% dry. They need to retain some moisture that you can easily bite into them and also so you can form them into “cinnamon roll” shapes.

The dry time will always vary on how thick the banana slices are… and that will depend on the size of bananas that were selected.  The size of the banana isn’t the key factor here. The ripeness and the health of the banana are. Do not use bananas that are bruised. The bruised areas will leave mushy moist pockets in the dessert and has a creepy mouth-feel that I would want to avoid.

These “cinnamon rolls” can be dressed up however you see fit. Add nuts and/or raisins while rolling them up, sprinkle the tops with cinnamon or pumpkin spice, and so forth.

While the bananas are dehydrating, make the frosting and place it in the freezer to firm up.  That is the prep time put into this recipe.  Whereas it may seem like it takes a while to make them, the actual labor is minimal. Plus, while the bananas and frosting are doing their thing, you can be doing yours; cleaning up dishes, taking a nap, read a book, take a bubble bath, you know… multitasking at its best.

When it comes to rolling them, you can control how big or small you want. If taste testers, use one slice of banana, for a small serving, roll up two banana slices together (end to end). If you go any larger it not only will be a pretty sweet dessert, it will be a tad hard to eat with your hands.  I shared some tips and tricks on how to slice the bananas down below so be sure to read over it once… just in case, I can shed some new light on things.

Banana-Cinnamon-Rolls served in a baking panIngredients:

yields 12 (one bite-sized dessert)

Preparation:

  1. Slice each banana lengthwise into 3 strips each.
    • Look for bananas that are lightly spotted, no bruises, and straight as possible.
    • Cut WITH the curve of the banana, not against it. See photos below.
  2. Place the banana slices on the mesh sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
  3. Dehydrate at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F)  until they are dry on the outside, yet limp enough to bend.
    • This can take 6+ hours. Set a timer and check in on them periodically.
    • If you get 3-4 slices per banana the outer slices will most likely dry faster, so you may need to pull them out sooner then the center slices.
  4. Once the bananas are done, it’s time to spread some date paste on the inner side of the banana slice. You can do this one of two ways:
    • Option #1  – Piping bag. Fit a piping bag with a flat or medium sized circular tip. Load the bag with date paste. With steady and even pressure, deposit date paste all the banana slice. Do this to each banana. This method was my preference as it was simple and clean.
    • Option #2  – Spread about 1 tablespoon of date paste down the length of a banana slice with a knife or other handy tool.
  5. Sprinkle with cinnamon, add raisins and crushed nuts on top of the date paste and roll.
    • If you wish to make larger cinnamon rolls, after rolling the first banana slice, line up the second banana slice to the end of the first banana slice and just keep rolling.  The date paste helps the slices stick together.
  6. Prepare another piping bag that is fitted with a decorative tip and load the bag with frosting.
    • The frosting should be thick but will start to soften due to the warmth of your hands.
    • If it gets too soft, place the bag in the fridge or freezer (depending on the timing of things) and let it firm back up.
  7. Once you have piped the frosting on, sprinkle crushed nuts on top.
  8. You can now do any of the following:
    • Enjoy them right away!
    • Place in the fridge to enjoy later… will keep for about 5-7 days in the fridge.
    • Place in the freezer for a future function. Be sure they are well protected. Freeze for up to a month. They do get a little softer feeling once thawed, but they are still yummy.
    • If you wish to enjoy them warm, hold off on the frosting and pop them in the dehydrator for a few hours. Once warm, pipe the frosting on top and enjoy immediately.

Culinary Explanations:

  • Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)?  Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
  • When working with fresh ingredients, it is important to taste test as you build a recipe.  Learn why (here).
  • Don’t own a dehydrator? Learn how to use your oven (here). I do however truly believe that it is a worthwhile investment. Click (here) to learn what I use.

2 thoughts on “Banana Cinnamon Rolls

  1. Jenarihealth says:

    Oh what a great idea!! Amazing and so creative. In making these today. I just happened to get a bunch of bananas last week for .20 a pound and now I have a great use for them. Which icing recipe did you use? I didn’t see a link for that.
    Merry Christmas Amie Sue. May God bless you for all you do.

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Jenarihealth,

      So wonderful to hear from you. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

      Twenty cents a pound on bananas? Gret deal! This recipe will be perfect for that. :) I added a link to the frosting recipe that I used for this treat. Feel free to about any frosting recipe on the site to mix things up. Many blessings to you. hugs, amie sue

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