Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll Bake (Printable Version)

Overnight casserole with banana, cinnamon rolls, cream cheese swirl—perfect for brunch and special mornings.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1.5 cups whole milk
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
06 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar
07 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping

16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
17 - 0.33 cup light brown sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half of the cubed bread evenly in the prepared dish.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour half of the custard mixture over the bread cubes and press gently to ensure even soaking.
05 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
06 - Dollop the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls over the soaked bread layer.
07 - Top with remaining bread cubes and pour the remaining custard over the entire casserole. Gently press to ensure all bread is thoroughly moistened.
08 - Mix melted butter with brown sugar and cinnamon, then drizzle or dot evenly over the casserole surface.
09 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight, minimum 6 hours, ideally 8 hours.
10 - Preheat oven to 350°F when ready to bake. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven reaches temperature.
11 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and golden brown, with a knife inserted in the center coming out clean.
12 - Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • You do all the work the night before, so morning is just about pouring coffee and waiting for the timer.
  • The banana adds natural sweetness and keeps every bite soft, almost custardy in the center.
  • Cream cheese swirls through like frosting, turning this into something that feels more like dessert than breakfast.
  • It feeds a crowd without you standing over a griddle flipping one piece at a time.
02 -
  • If you skip the overnight soak, the bread won't absorb enough custard and you'll end up with dry spots and a runny center.
  • Don't use fresh, soft bread—it turns to mush; stale or day-old bread holds its structure and creates the right texture.
  • Let the cream cheese come to full room temperature or it won't beat smooth, and you'll have chunks instead of swirls.
03 -
  • Press the bread down into the custard a few times during the soaking process if you remember—it helps everything absorb evenly.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice it cleanly, and wipe the blade between cuts for neat squares.
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