These cinnamon roll pancakes feature a fluffy batter, a rich cinnamon swirl, and a decadent cream cheese glaze. These taste like a cinnamon roll in pancake form.
Looking for a delicious breakfast or brunch recipe? I love making fun pancake varieties like cake batter and pumpkin. You have to try these cinnamon roll pancakes! 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 easy to make and the taste is out of this world!
Why I Love These Pancakes
- Fluffy Batter: Follow my tips for light and tender pancakes every time.
- Cinnamon Swirl: This tastes just like the inside of a cinnamon roll.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: Take your pancakes over the top with icing. Who doesn’t love frosting?!
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- 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: Buttermilk not only creates a delicious flavor but also it creates a chemical reaction with the baking soda to help the pancakes become light and airy. This leads to wonderful light and fluffy texture. Use real buttermilk (not a homemade version) if possible. The flavor/consistency really matters in a recipe like pancakes.
- Nonstick Cooking Spray: You can also fry in butter if you prefer, but I find it tends to burn quicker.
- Cream Cheese: If you don’t like cream cheese you could leave it out.
How To Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Place into a plastic baggie.
- Make the Batter: Combine dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients.
- Cook: Preheat the skillet, and add about ½ cup of batter. When pancake bubbles begin to burst, pipe a swirl of cinnamon filling, and flip. Cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until cooked through.
- Make the Glaze: Combine all ingredients. Drizzle over pancakes before serving.
Make-Ahead Idea
Not a morning person like me? Make the batter the night before. Bring to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cooking.
When to Flip Pancakes
When you are making pancakes, it can be hard to know when to flip them. Too early, and you’ll have raw batter in the center. Too late, and they’ll be charred.
Here is my method: After you put the pancake batter on the griddle or it in the skillet, it will start to bubble. Don’t flip just yet!
Watch as the bubbles burst and new ones form. When most of the bubbles have burst and holes are left in their place it is time to flip the pancakes. This ensures that the pancakes are cooked through without being overcooked.
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. This will lead to a tough pancake.
- Rest the Batter: Let the batter sit for 10-15 before you start cooking. This leads to a nice airy, pancake. If you start cooking immediately, they may turn out too dense. Make your time productive by mixing up scrambled eggs, frying bacon, or just reading a book.
- Use Buttermilk: I also like to use buttermilk as mentioned above. It gives a perfect flavor and texture because it reacts with the baking soda.
More Tips and Tricks
- 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.
- Feed a Crowd: Use a griddle to make more pancakes at a time for a crowd.
- 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.
Leftovers
- Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: If you are trying to plan ahead for easy breakfast ideas or just have leftovers, you can easily freeze pancakes before adding the glaze. Freeze the pancakes with wax paper or parchment paper between them so the pancakes do not stick together. This lets you take a single pancake out without having to use the entire batch. This is perfect for quick breakfasts. I like to use a freezer bag. This takes up less room and lets you easily write the item and date on the outside. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serve With
French Toast Muffins: Great for a crowd.
Breakfast Quesadilla: So crispy!
Cinnamon Coffee Cake: My favorite!
Mexican Breakfast Casserole: Spicy and cheesy.
Blueberry Coffee Cake: With a mile high streusel.
Strawberry Mimosas: Great for brunch.
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Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
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
- 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.
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.
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!