Cream Cheese Cinnamon Banana Bread (Printable Version)

Moist banana bread with cream cheese filling and cinnamon swirl. Soft, aromatic, and perfectly sweet.

# Ingredient List:

→ Banana Bread

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3/4 cup brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Cream Cheese Filling

10 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 large egg
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

14 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into banana mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Beat softened cream cheese with granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
06 - In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
07 - Pour half of banana bread batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
08 - Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining banana bread batter and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar on top.
09 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs acceptable.
10 - Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift out using parchment overhang and transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese layer adds a tangy richness that keeps every bite interesting instead of one-note sweet.
  • It uses up those bananas you feel guilty about wasting and transforms them into something bakery-worthy.
  • The cinnamon swirl gives it that warm, cozy flavor without any extra effort or fancy techniques.
  • It stays incredibly moist for days, so you can bake it once and enjoy it all week long.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't fully softened, you'll end up with lumps that won't smooth out no matter how much you beat it.
  • Don't skip the parchment paper overhang—trying to flip a hot loaf out of the pan without it is a recipe for disaster.
  • Overmixing the batter once you add the flour will make the bread tough and dense instead of tender and fluffy.
  • Let the loaf cool completely before slicing or the cream cheese layer will smear and the slices will fall apart.
03 -
  • Use bananas that are so ripe they're almost black—the darker they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
  • Let the cream cheese sit out for at least 30 minutes before mixing so it blends smoothly without lumps.
  • Don't open the oven door for the first 40 minutes or the bread might sink in the middle from the temperature drop.
  • Run a knife under hot water before slicing to get clean, bakery-perfect slices every time.
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