It's the week of mother's day! What better to give the woman in your life other than a nice prepared pan of banana bread cinnamon rolls? Skinny, and just under 200 calories at that!
Or heck, even treat yourself! These are a great make-ahead treat to have ready when you wake up for mothers day breakfast or brunch!
These are soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls that taste like banana bread and are topped with a drizzling of a light cinnamon vanilla frosting. Indulgent and blissful without the guilt!
I know that 'boxed' mixes are not everyone's favorite (and clearly not the most healthy of things in the world), but I've got to be honest... making cinnamon rolls with cake mix creates the softest, fluffiest, cinnamon rolls that you will ever eat!
Plus, I've tried to 'healthify' these a bit by adding in some whole wheat flour and of course bananas! The sugar is also reduced greatly by swapping out granulated sugar with Stevia in the Raw. But really, any sweetener that measures like sugar would work - if you have another preference.
Skinny Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
TheSkinnyFork.com
The Skinny:
Servings: 16 • Size: 1 Cinnamon Roll • Calories: 199.6 • Fat: 2.7 g • Carb: 41.7 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Protein: 3.8 g • Sugar: 12 g • Sodium: 187.6 mg
Ingredients:
Cinnamon Rolls:
1 1/4 C. Hot Water
2 Medium Bananas, Over-Ripe
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
1 1/4 C. Yellow Cake Mix, Dry
1 1/4 C. Whole Wheat White Flour
1 1/4 C. Bread Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 1/4 Tsp. Active Dry Yeast
Filling:
1/4 C. Light Butter, Softened
1/4 C. Brown Sugar, Packed
1/4 C. Stevia in the Raw (Or other sweetener that measures like sugar.)
1/4 C. Yellow Cake Mix, Dry
1 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)
Frosting Drizzle:
1 Tbsp. Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt
3/4 C. Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp. Yellow Cake Mix, Dry
1/4 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Tbsp. Fat Free Milk
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)
Directions:
Bread Machine:
Place the ingredients for the cinnamon rolls into a bread machine in the order listed and set it to the 'dough cycle' setting.
No Bread Machine:
If you do not have a bread machine, you can combine the hot water and yeast into a bowl and allow the yeast to activate and foam up. Once the yeast is active you can combine the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment or knead by hand. Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for an hour until doubled in size.
Once the dough cycle has ended or the dough has risen for it's first time. Punch it down and allow to rise for another hour or until doubled in size once more.
While your waiting, lightly spray the insides of two rounded 8 inch cake pans or a 13x9 with non-stick cooking or baking spray.
Set butter out to soften and go ahead and mix up the dry ingredients for the filling. Set aside.
After the second rise, remove the dough to a floured surface and roll out into a large rectangle.
Yes, the dough is very soft.
Add butter. Spread the butter over the rectangle of dough.
Sprinkle the filling mixture atop the dough. Roll it up into a tight, long, skinny log. Lengthwise.
Cut into 16 equal pieces. I use floss to do this! Yes. Floss. Place the floss around and under the dough and cross over the top (as seen in the picture), and pull opposite directions to cut. Wa-la!
Only have mint floss? That's fine too! The flavor doesn't transfer.
Place the cinnamon rolls into the prepared pan(s). Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
If you're making these ahead for the next day, you can toss them into the fridge rather than letting them rise for the remaining 30 minutes. In the morning, set them out for the final 30 minute rise prior to baking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once ready, remove the plastic wrap and bake the cinnamon rolls for 15-20 minutes. In the mean time, combine the frosting ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth and creamy.
Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow to cool slightly before drizzling the frosting over the top.
Top with a some nuts if desired and indulge!
