There’s something magical about the swirl of cinnamon and sugar melting right into fluffy pancakes. This Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe takes your ordinary pancake breakfast and transforms it into a warm, comforting treat that tastes like fresh cinnamon rolls – without all the fuss.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
From my first try, I was hooked on these pancakes. They’re like having cinnamon rolls for breakfast, but way quicker and less messy. Plus, the cream cheese glaze on top is the perfect finishing touch – sweet and tangy in all the right ways.
- Easy Cinnamon Swirl: The cinnamon-sugar swirl is piped right onto the pancake, creating that iconic cinnamon roll look and flavor in every bite.
- Fluffy Pancakes: Light and tender pancakes that cook through perfectly thanks to the low heat and covered cooking method.
- Cream Cheese Glaze: A luscious glaze that brings a dreamy richness, cutting through the cinnamon sweetness with a smooth finish.
- Great for Special Mornings: Whether it’s a weekend brunch or a holiday breakfast, these pancakes make any morning feel a little more special.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient here has a role in building that tender, flavorful pancake and the irresistible cinnamon roll swirl. Shopping for fresh butter and room-temperature dairy makes a surprising difference in texture and taste.
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted lets you control the salt level better and gives a rich buttery flavor, especially in the cinnamon swirl and glaze.
- Light Brown Sugar: Provides deep molasses notes essential for the classic cinnamon roll taste in the swirl.
- Ground Cinnamon: Freshly ground or high-quality cinnamon makes that warm, spicy aroma pop.
- Cream Cheese: Offers tang and creaminess in the glaze that balances the sweet cinnamon sugar.
- Powdered Sugar: Creates a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth icing for the glaze without graininess.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the pancakes structure while keeping them light and fluffy.
- Baking Powder: Helps the pancakes rise beautifully and become tender.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds slight sweetness to the pancake batter itself, complementing the cinnamon swirl.
- Whole Milk: Keeps the batter rich and smooth, so your pancakes come out moist.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and add richness; room temperature eggs mix better with the batter.
- Oil for frying: Keeps the pancakes from sticking without overpowering the taste.
Make It Your Way
I love to add a little chopped pecans to the cinnamon swirl sometimes for crunch, but you can easily make this recipe your own by switching up the spices or toppings. Don’t be shy to experiment!
- Nutty Twist: Once, I tossed in some toasted pecans right into the cinnamon swirl — it added a lovely crunch that everyone enjoyed.
- Vegan Adjustment: Swap milk for almond or oat milk and use dairy-free cream cheese and butter alternatives; just watch your cooking time closely as plant-based milks behave differently.
- Seasonal Flavor: Try adding a pinch of pumpkin pie spice in fall or a little cardamom for a fresh twist in winter.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe
Step 1: Whip Up the Cinnamon Swirl
First, melt your butter and mix it with brown sugar and cinnamon until it’s smooth and combined — this is the heart of that cinnamon roll flavor. I like to put the mixture into a pastry bag, but a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped works just as well. This makes swirling the cinnamon filling onto each pancake effortless and neat.
Step 2: Prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze
In another bowl, beat softened butter and cream cheese until silky smooth — no lumps here! Then, slowly stir in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. I often make this the night before and refrigerate it, then bring it out while cooking pancakes so it’s just the right consistency for drizzling.
Step 3: Mix the Pancake Batter
Combine the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt — in a big bowl. Then stir in melted butter, room temperature milk, and beaten eggs. The batter should be smooth and slightly thick but still pourable. Make sure your eggs and milk aren’t cold; I learned the hard way that cold ingredients can make your batter lumpy.
Step 4: Cooking the Pancakes and Adding the Swirl
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low and lightly grease it with oil. Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Then, pipe a beautiful cinnamon swirl right onto the raw surface. Since the sugar can burn quickly, I keep the heat low and cover the pan with a lid to hold in warmth and steam the pancakes through. After 3-5 minutes, they’re cooked perfectly without flipping.
Step 5: Serve Warm with Cream Cheese Glaze
Once your pancakes are ready, stack them up and get generous with that cream cheese glaze drizzled over the top. Serve them warm, and enjoy bites that feel like a comforting cinnamon roll transformed.
Top Tip
From making this recipe many times, I’ve found a few little tricks that make all the difference for the perfect cinnamon roll pancakes every time.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Cooking over low heat with a lid helps cook pancakes through without burning the cinnamon sugar swirl.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your milk and eggs are at room temp for smoother, more consistent batter.
- Piping the Swirl: Snip a very small corner of your bag or use a piping tip for a neat spiral that looks just like a cinnamon roll.
- Glaze Consistency: Beat glaze well and if it thickens after chilling, just let it sit at room temp a bit before drizzling for easier pouring.
How to Serve Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe
Garnishes
I often finish these pancakes with a little extra cinnamon dusted on top and a few sliced fresh strawberries for a burst of color and freshness. Chopped pecans or walnuts also add a delightful crunch if you want a textural contrast.
Side Dishes
Pair these pancakes with crispy bacon or sausage links for a balanced breakfast. A side of fresh fruit or a light yogurt parfait complements the richness of the cinnamon roll flavors really well.
Creative Ways to Present
For a special brunch, try stacking the pancakes in mini towers on cute plates with extra glaze drizzled artistically. Add edible flowers, powdered sugar dusting, and serve with small side bowls of maple syrup or honey to elevate the experience.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftovers, I recommend wrapping pancakes tightly in plastic wrap and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. They keep well for about 2 days and taste great reheated.
Freezing
I freeze my leftover pancakes by layering them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag. This way, you can pop out individual pancakes to reheat for quick, indulgent breakfasts later on.
Reheating
To reheat, I prefer the toaster oven or regular oven to keep the edges crisp. Microwave works in a pinch but sometimes makes them a bit soggy. Warm glaze separately and drizzle fresh before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! You can prepare the cinnamon swirl mixture a day in advance and keep it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before piping onto the pancakes to ensure it flows smoothly.
Flipping the pancakes risks burning the cinnamon sugar swirl since it contains sugar which caramelizes quickly on high heat. Cooking them covered on low heat ensures the pancakes cook through without burning the swirl.
You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix. Just be mindful that texture and cooking times might vary slightly, so watch the pancakes closely and adjust the heat if necessary.
Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze them separated by parchment paper. Reheat in the toaster oven or regular oven for best texture; microwave heating can be used if you're short on time but may soften them.
Final Thoughts
This Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe reminds me of cozy weekend mornings at home, filling the kitchen with that sweet cinnamon aroma. It feels like a little hug on a plate and is such a rewarding recipe to make. I hope you enjoy creating and sharing these as much as I do — trust me, your mornings will thank you!
Print
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delicious Cinnamon Roll Pancakes feature a swirled cinnamon-sugar butter inside fluffy pancakes, topped with a smooth cream cheese glaze that makes breakfast feel like a special treat.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten and room temperature
- Canola or vegetable oil, for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Make the cinnamon swirl: In a bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag or a zip-top plastic bag, snip a small corner for piping.
- Prepare the cream cheese glaze: In a separate bowl, beat unsalted butter and cream cheese together until smooth and free of lumps. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside; refrigerate if making ahead, and bring to room temperature before use.
- Mix the pancake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter, milk, and beaten eggs until just combined to form a smooth batter.
- Cook the pancakes with cinnamon swirl: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly grease with canola or vegetable oil. Pour ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Pipe the cinnamon-sugar butter swirl onto the surface of each pancake immediately after pouring the batter.
- Cook pancakes gently: Lower the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid to prevent burning and allow the pancakes to cook through thoroughly. Cooking takes approximately 3 to 5 minutes per pancake. Avoid flipping pancakes as the cinnamon sugar can burn.
- Repeat cooking: Continue this process with the remaining batter, ensuring the pan is re-greased as needed to prevent sticking.
- Serve: Drizzle the warm pancakes with the cream cheese glaze and serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for better batter consistency and fluffier pancakes.
- If you don’t have a pastry bag, a plastic zip-top bag works well for piping the cinnamon swirl—just cut a small hole in a corner.
- Cooking on low heat and covering the pan helps cook pancakes thoroughly without burning the cinnamon sugar swirl.
- Make the cream cheese glaze a day ahead and keep refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving for easy drizzling.
- Can substitute whole milk with a plant-based milk for a dairy-free version if desired, but this recipe is not strictly vegan due to eggs and cream cheese glaze.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg

Leave a Reply