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A stack of Cinnamon Roll Pancakes drizzled with white icing on a white plate, with a cup of coffee in the background.
Layla

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Fluffy pancakes swirled with cinnamon-sugar filling and drizzled with cream cheese glaze for the ultimate breakfast mashup.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485

Ingredients
  

For the Pancakes
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1.25 cups whole milk
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled, plus more for cooking
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Filling
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter very soft
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
  • 2 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.75 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tbsp whole milk plus more as needed
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Large nonstick skillet or griddle
  • Piping bag or zip-top bag
  • Small saucepan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Stir together the soft butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until it forms a thick, spreadable paste. Scoop into a piping bag or zip-top bag and snip a small corner. Set aside at room temperature - if it gets too firm, it won't pipe properly.
  2. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until pourable but not runny. Add more milk by the teaspoon if needed. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined - a few lumps are fine. Let rest for 5 minutes while you heat the pan.
Cook
  1. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and brush lightly with butter. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Immediately pipe a tight spiral of cinnamon filling starting from the center, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and edges look set, about 2-3 minutes. Flip carefully and cook until the bottom is golden, 1-2 minutes more. Wipe the pan clean between batches - the sugar will caramelize and burn.
Serve
  1. Stack the pancakes and drizzle generously with the cream cheese glaze. Serve immediately while the cinnamon swirl is still warm and gooey.

Notes

Keep the heat on the lower side - medium-low prevents the sugar filling from burning before the pancake cooks through. The cinnamon filling can be made the night before and left at room temperature; just knead the bag briefly to soften before using. For extra indulgence, warm the glaze slightly so it really soaks into the stack.