Fried Banana Cheesecake Rolls

Name: Fried Banana Cheesecake Rolls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 34 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 package phyllo dough sheets, thawed; 4 tbsp cream cheese softened; 2 tbsp powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 heaping tbsp mascarpone cheese softened; 3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced into 3/4 inch rounds; Vegetable oil for frying; Melted coconut oil or butter for brushing; Honey for drizzling; Fresh berries for serving; Vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 10 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Golden crispy rolls stuffed with creamy cheesecake and ripe banana, fried to bubbly perfection. A crisp exterior with warm, sweet, melty insides. Serve with honey drizzle, fresh berries, and a cold vanilla scoop.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 14 min

Total: 34 min

Servings: 4 servings

#dessert #fried dessert #banana #phyllo #cheesecake #freezer friendly

Before You Start

The journey begins with simple curls of phyllo. Slathered buttery sheets layered thick enough to hold but thin enough to shatter crisp. I slam dollops of cheesecake mix, dense and sweet but flowing. Stand banana slices upright, like soldiers. Roll tight, fold edges like egg rolls — no leaking chaos in the oil. Freeze solid to conquer stubborn filling spills. Oil sizzles and crackles at 325°F, not a degree more — phyllo burns, smoke alerts immediately. Fry two at a time, patient turn, watch golden bloom like burnt amber. Drain excess oil, no soggy traps. Slice with snap, sweet steam rains up; gooey bananas embrace tangy cheese. Honey drizzled wild, berries, cold ice cream crowns it. Textures collide. This one’s a late-night kitchen symphony — chaos tamed by layering precision, timing, and a greedy bite at the end.

Ingredients

1 package phyllo dough sheets, thawed
4 tbsp cream cheese softened
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaping tbsp mascarpone cheese softened
3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced into 3/4 inch rounds
Vegetable oil for frying
Melted coconut oil or butter for brushing
Honey for drizzling
Fresh berries for serving
Vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream

About the ingredients

Phyllo dough demands respect — keep it covered under damp cloth to stop drying and cracking. Swap butter for coconut oil when brushing; coconut oil resists burn and deepens aroma. Cream cheese usually fine, but adding mascarpone brings balance — velvety without collapse. Bananas must be ripe but firm; too soft means leaks and soggy crust. Frozen banana slices can help control moisture burst during frying. Vegetable oil, not olive or butter oils — high smoking point keeps phyllo crisp and oil fresh. Honey drizzle plays double role: flavor punch and sticky moisture contrast with crunchy shell. Fresh berries cut heavy sweetness. Ice cream, vanilla bean preferred for aromatic punch and cold creaminess. Store unfinished rolls frozen – freezer time firms up all components before hot bath.

Method

1. Cheesecake mix assembly

Whip softened cream cheese with mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy but slightly loose. Keeps spreadable but not watery. Sets the stage for creamy pockets inside the roll.

2. Rolling the phyllo layers

Stack 3 phyllo sheets on clean surface, gently layered, no drying edges. Brush each sheet with melted coconut oil; coconut adds subtle depth and higher smoke point than butter, prevents soggy results.
At lower center, dollop a tablespoon of cheesecake mix, plop an upright banana slice on top. Repeat twice more along horizontal line—three sets total, spaced evenly about finger width apart.
Roll once forward tightly, fold short edges inward snugly to avoid leaking, then roll tight all the way to the end. Seal edge with more coconut oil. Think tighter roll means fewer oily drips during frying.
Cut roll into about 4 pieces, each roughly 1.5-2 inches thick and 4-5 inches long. Bigger makes frying tricky; smaller rolls crisp better and cook evenly.

3. Freeze until firm

Lay each roll in a shallow airtight container, separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking. Freeze minimum 2 hours to solidify filling—no point frying gooey wet rolls, they fall apart.

4. Preheat oil

Twenty minutes before frying, fill deep-sided saucepan with 2 inches vegetable oil. Heat slowly to 320-325°F. Too hot and phyllo burns mid-fry; too cool means greasy, soggy rolls.

5. Fry patiently

Using metal tongs or spider, carefully lower 2 frozen rolls at a time—crowding ruins heat recovery, leaves limp greasy spots.
Turn gently every 20 seconds, listen to faint pop and crunch start. Gold develops evenly all sides in roughly 2 minutes total. Watch closely; color is your best doneness guide.
Remove to paper towels or wire rack to drain excess oil. Resist squeezing, which squashes crispy layers.
Repeat with remainder.

6. Serve

Slice each roll cleanly in half with a quick, confident chop. The knife should slide through the crispy shell, revealing creamy, melty pockets holding warm bananas.
Drizzle honey right after plating, topping with fresh berries, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. The contrast is critical—hot rolls meet cold ice cream, fragrance hits you immediately.

7. Notes

If dairy not an option, swap mascarpone and cream cheese for vegan cream cheese and plant-based mascarpone alternative. Texture slightly changed but flavor still rich.
Bananas should be ripe but not mushy—too soft will ooze banana liquid and ruin phyllo crispness. A trick is to freeze banana slices ahead to firm them up, easy handling.
Phyllo work slows down if it dries out; keep covered with a damp towel while assembling to avoid brittle sheets cracking or tearing.
Over-frying burns fragile layers; color changes fast once golden starts. Leave immediately when even golden. Residual heat finishes cooking inside.
For variation, try adding a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg into cheesecake mix for warmth. Crunchy chopped pecans or walnuts inside add surprise texture.
Store rolls frozen up to 3 weeks. Fry straight from freezer, no thaw. If your oil smokes quickly, change it; burnt oil kills flavor and texture.

Cooking tips

Unroll phyllo in one layered pile, brush every sheet with melted coconut oil or butter — oil creates seal, aids golden color. Dollop cheesecake mix in a neat line near bottom center; banana slices placed upright give bite shape and cream-cheese pockets more texture contrast. Roll tightly, fold edges to keep filling in. Cuts evenly, about 4 egg-roll sized portions to manage frying and ensure crispness throughout. Freeze minimum two hours so rolls don’t collapse or fist out cheese in oil. Fry at 320-325°F—visual gold color, light bubbles, and faint popping sound guide doneness better than clock. Turn consistently for even color. Remove promptly; let excess oil drip but avoid squeezy mistakes. Cut rolls carefully to avoid gunpowder dust of crust shattering everywhere. Finish plating with honey drizzle and cold sides for vivid contrast. Timing and texture key; watch for cracks, dryness, or sogginess as early warning.

Chef's notes

💡 Freeze rolls minimum two hours, firm filling stops leaks and soggy crust. No shortcuts here or phyllo collapses when frying. Use parchment between layers, keeps neat and easy handling. Dough needs moisture control; uncovered dries brittle fast and cracks mid-roll. Coconut oil brushing works better than butter for frying; higher smoke point, less burn risk but adds subtle aroma.
💡 Oil temp critical. Heat slow to 320–325°F. Too hot burns thin phyllo instantly, too cool drags oil inside, soggy mess. Use thick-bottom pan for steady heat, never crowd pan; fewer rolls keep temp steady. Watch skin bubble gently, faint popping sound; signals crisp forming. Color shift to light golden, not dark brown, means done.
💡 Bananas must be ripe but solid. Overripe sappy slices release liquid, kills roll texture. Freeze sliced bananas ahead if needed, helps keep shape and moisture trapped. Cheesecake blend thick but slightly loose, spreads easily but won’t run out during frying. Mascarpone with cream cheese balances texture; mascarpone is softer, cream cheese adds tang. Powdered sugar dissolves clean, no gritty bits.
💡 Cut rolls with sharp knife right after frying, not later. Cool too much and rim shells snap unevenly. Clean confident chop keeps shape; flaky phyllo shatters less. Drizzle honey immediately. Not before frying or it burns, after plating only. Fresh berries cut sweetness, acid balance. Cold vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream contrast hot interior, texture clash important to note.
💡 Keep phyllo covered in damp cloth while working. Dry edges tear ripping layers, slows prepping. Roll tight; loose rolls leak filling, fry messy. Fold edges inward snugly to seal filling hold. Thicker rolls take longer, smaller ones crisp faster and cook through evenly. Store frozen up to three weeks, fry direct from freezer. If oil smoke rises fast, swap oil; burnt oil kills flavor fast, not reusable.

Common questions

Can I use other fruits?

Strawberries or apples might work but texture changes. Firm bananas hold filling better. Wet fruits add moisture; tricky. Maybe dry fruit first or freeze chunks.

What if rolls fall apart frying?

Usually filling too soft or roll loose. Freeze longer. Roll tighter. Oil temp off? If low temp, sloppy soggy rolls happen. High temp burns outer shell, too fast. Balance needed. Layer brush matters also.

How to store leftovers?

Freeze best option. Airtight container, parchment separator. Keeps crispness longer. Reheat by frying again briefly or oven. Microwave ruins texture instant. Don’t thaw before frying, fries better frozen solid.

Substitutions for dairy?

Vegan cream cheese and plant-based mascarpone swap fine but texture changes slightly. Less tang, somewhat different mouthfeel. Coconut oil remains best brush. Nut butters add risks of burning. Adjust sweetness to taste.