Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (Print Version)

Fluffy pancakes with a cinnamon sugar swirl and creamy 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

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
03 - Combine the melted butter, packed brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small zip-top bag and snip 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 - Preheat 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 heated surface.
06 - Once bubbles begin forming on the batter surface but before it fully sets, pipe a tight spiral of the cinnamon mixture onto each pancake.
07 - Cook until bubbles appear across the surface, then carefully flip each pancake. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side. Wipe the skillet clean between batches as needed.
08 - Stack the warm pancakes and drizzle generously with the cream cheese icing. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes exactly like a warm cinnamon roll but comes together in half the time with zero yeast anxiety
  • The cream cheese icing drizzle makes every single bite feel like a weekend morning even on a Tuesday
02 -
  • If you pipe the cinnamon swirl too early the filling will sink straight through the raw batter and fuse to the pan making a sticky mess
  • Wiping the skillet between every single batch is nonnegotiable because leftover cinnamon sugar will burn and flavor every subsequent pancake with bitterness
03 -
  • Use the back of a spoon to gently tap the piped spiral into the pancake surface just enough that it makes contact without sinking through
  • Let the skillet come back to full temperature between batches because a cooler pan will not set the bottom before you flip

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