Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (Printable Version)

Fluffy pancakes with a cinnamon swirl and creamy glaze, perfect for a cozy 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 whole 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 whole milk

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until just combined. Allow batter to rest as preparations for swirl and glaze begin.
03 - Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture into a piping or zip-top bag and snip a small corner for piping.
04 - Beat softened cream cheese with softened butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then whisk in milk to achieve a pourable consistency.
05 - Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and lightly grease. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto the surface per pancake.
06 - Pipe a cinnamon swirl onto each pancake immediately after pouring batter. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes until golden brown.
07 - Plate pancakes warm and generously drizzle with the cream cheese glaze before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a cinnamon roll and a pancake had the most delicious brunch baby together.
  • The cream cheese glaze is ridiculously easy to whip up and transforms ordinary pancakes into something that feels restaurant-worthy.
  • You can have these ready in under 45 minutes, which means you can sleep in and still impress people.
02 -
  • If you use a piping bag for the cinnamon swirl, make sure the corner is small enough that the mixture comes out slowly—a big opening creates one thick stripe instead of a beautiful swirl, and the texture gets weird.
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable for the glaze because cold cream cheese refuses to beat smooth and leaves little grainy bits that feel gritty on your tongue.
  • Medium-low heat prevents the outside from burning before the inside cooks through, which is the most common mistake people make with these.
03 -
  • Brown butter your cinnamon swirl mixture if you have an extra five minutes—the nutty depth it adds is subtle but genuinely changes the flavor profile.
  • If the cream cheese glaze breaks or separates when you're beating it, stop, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, and start again with a clean bowl and fresh cream cheese rather than fighting with the broken batch.
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