Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
My cinnamon roll pancakes are super fluffy with rich cinnamon swirl, and a decadent cream cheese glaze. Enjoy the flavor of cinnamon rolls for breakfast without all the work!
I love making fun pancake varieties for breakfast or brunch like cake batter, and oreo. You have to try these cinnamon roll pancakes next. They combine the texture of fluffy pancakes with the flavor of cinnamon rolls. They are wonderful for holidays like Christmas, or Easter, but also perfect for a regular old Saturday morning. If you like cinnamon rolls, you are going to love this recipe. It is way easier to make: no rising, kneading, or rolling required. They're ready in just about 20 minutes instead of hours. No syrup needed, but we won't judge you for adding some anyways. Serve with a cinnamon latte for the perfect dessert for breakfast treat.
Why This Recipe Works
- Fluffy Hotcakes Every Time: Buttermilk has acid that helps baking powder rise for sky high fluffy pancakes.
- Rested Batter: Letting the mixed batter sit for 5–10 minutes hydrates the flour’s starches and helps the gluten network result. This helps them rise and be able to support the cinnamon topping.
- Less Work, More Flavor: Enjoy the deliciousness of cinnamon rolls without the hassle.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Baking Powder: Make sure your baking powder is fresh. It tends to lose its potency after around 6-8 months even if its still in date. Don’t swap for baking soda unless you also add cream of tartar.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk has chemical reaction with the baking soda to help the pancakes become light and airy. Use real buttermilk (not a homemade version) if possible. The tangy flavor and thicker consistency really matters in a recipe like pancakes. If you cannot find it you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of acid like lemon juice to one cup of milk.
- Flour: Spoon into the measuring cup and level off with a knife. Dipping your cup into the flour will likely result in over measuring and dry pancakes.
- Oil: You can also fry in butter if you prefer, but it tends to burn more quickly due to its lower smoke point.
- Buttermilk and Eggs: Bring to room temp to help everything mix together smoothly.
Krystle's Tips
- Don't Over Mix: Mix until the flour just disappears. The batter will still be a little bit lumpy and that is okay! Overmixing leads to a tough rubbery pancake. This will lead to a tough pancake.
- Rest the Batter: Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes before you start cooking. This helps the flour hydrate and the leavening agents do their work leading to higher hotcakes.
- Uniform Size: Use an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup for uniform pancakes that cook at the same rate.
- Don't Crank Up the Heat: Cook over medium low so the outside doesn't burn before the inside is set.
- Flip At the Right Time: Flip when the bubbles form and then burst on the first side. If you flip too early the pancake may stick or fall apart.
Mistake We Made When Testing This Recipe
Not Wiping Out the Skillet Between Batches: Be sure to remove any extra cinnamon sugar residue with a lightly oiled cloth to avoid sticking and burning future batches.
FAQs
You can mix up the batter the night before. However, I suggest adding the baking powder in the morning around 10 minutes before you want to cook them.
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📖 Recipe
Fluffy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
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Ingredients
For the Pancakes
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
For the Cinnamon Filling
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- ⅓ Cup Brown Sugar
- ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 Tablespoons Butter Melted
- 2 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened
- ¾ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
For the Pancakes
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in oil, milk, and egg. Allow batter to sit for a few minutes.
- Spray skillet or griddle with non stick cooking spray. Add about ½ cup of batter per pancake. Watch as bubbles form, and then swirl in cinnamon filling (see recipe below). Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
For the Cinnamon Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Place into a plastic baggie, and snip off the corner.
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Drizzle over warm pancakes.
Video
Notes
- Baking Soda: Make sure your baking soda is fresh and in date. It tends to lose its potency after around 6-8 months even if the date is still okay.
- Buttermilk: Use real buttermilk (not a homemade version) if possible.
- Nonstick Cooking Spray: You can also fry in butter if you prefer, but I find it tends to burn quicker.
How to Make Pancakes Fluffy
- Don't Over Mix: The batter will still be a little bit lumpy and that is okay! Do not try to get all the lumps out, which could overmix the batter.
- Rest the Batter: Let the batter sit for 10-15 before you start cooking.
- Use a Whisk: Mix with a whisk for best results.
- Use an Ice Cream Scoop: Use an ice cream scoop to make pancakes that are uniform in size. This also helps them cook at the same rate.
- Use a nonstick skillet for easy flipping.
- Wipe out the skillet between batches to avoid sticking and burning from the cinnamon sugar swirl.
- Keep warm: Keep warm in a 250-degree oven while you cook the remaining batches.
Nutrition
I made these with a family brunch and everyone loved them! They were amazing! The cinnamom swirl and glaze on top really make this recipe!
I love love love cinnamon rolls and these were beyond amazing. Will be added to my weekly breakfast menu for the kiddos.
My family absolutely loved these and they were a huge hit!
the recipe doesn't say anything about when to put in the cinnamon swirl
Hey Vern!
Thanks for stopping by! Please refer to step 2 in the instructions. 🙂
My family loved this!
These were so delicious. Even my picky 11 year old loved them!
Yummy! These were a hit at breakfast time. And even though you give instructions for leftovers... we didn't have any! Every last one was gone. Loved the cinnamon roll flavor in such an easy to make breakfast!