Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (Print Version)

Fluffy pancakes swirled with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with cream cheese icing for a comforting breakfast.

# What You Need:

→ Pancake Batter

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 ¼ cups milk
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 3 tablespoons melted butter
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Swirl

09 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 - ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

→ Cream Cheese Icing

12 - 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
14 - ½ cup powdered sugar
15 - 2 tablespoons milk
16 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
03 - Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small zip-top bag and snip off a tiny corner for piping.
04 - Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, then mix until creamy and well combined. Set aside.
05 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or nonstick spray. Pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the hot surface.
06 - Once bubbles begin to form on the pancake surface but before it fully sets, pipe a spiral of the cinnamon mixture onto each pancake.
07 - Cook until bubbles appear across the surface, then carefully flip and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Wipe the skillet clean between batches as needed.
08 - Serve the pancakes warm, drizzled generously with the cream cheese icing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers every cozy cinnamon roll feeling without waiting for dough to rise
  • The cream cheese icing makes people forget they are eating pancakes
02 -
  • Piping the swirl too early makes it sink through the batter and stick to the pan which creates a burned sugary mess
  • The filling stays molten hot right off the griddle so let the pancakes rest a full minute before anyone takes a bite
03 -
  • Wipe the skillet completely clean between every single batch or the brown sugar drips will burn and flavor every subsequent pancake with bitterness
  • Keep the heat at medium or just below because these cook faster than regular pancakes due to the sugar filling caramelizing quickly