Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (Printable)

Fluffy pancakes with cinnamon swirls topped by smooth cream cheese glaze for a sweet brunch treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pancake Batter

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/4 cups milk
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Swirl

09 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
11 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

→ Cream Cheese Glaze

12 - 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
14 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - 2 tablespoons milk

# How To Make It:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Allow batter to rest.
03 - Combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Transfer mixture into a piping or zip-top bag, trimming a small corner for piping.
04 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, then milk, whisking to a pourable consistency.
05 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly grease. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the surface.
06 - Pipe cinnamon mixture onto each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip carefully and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
07 - Serve pancakes warm with a generous drizzle of cream cheese glaze.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like cinnamon rolls but come together faster than proofing dough ever could.
  • The cream cheese glaze makes people think you woke up hours early, even if you didn't.
  • That cinnamon swirl creates pockets of caramelized sweetness that regular pancakes can't compete with.
02 -
  • Don't overmix your batter—lumps are your friend because they keep pancakes fluffy and tender instead of rubbery.
  • The cinnamon swirl needs to be piped onto the batter as soon as it hits the skillet, not poured on top of cooked pancakes, so it bakes into the pancake and creates that signature swirl texture.
03 -
  • A pinch of nutmeg in the cinnamon swirl adds a subtle spice note that makes people pause mid-bite trying to figure out what makes them so good.
  • If you don't have a piping bag, a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off works just as well and costs nothing.
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