Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
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These decadent Cinnamon Roll Pancakes are tender and fluffy, generously cinnamon spiced and feature a sweet and rich cream cheese icing swirl atop. They taste just like a cinnamon roll and are so easy to make!
Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? But who loves all the work it takes to make a typical cinnamon roll?
That’s where these mouthwatering cinnamon roll pancakes make a big difference. All the flavor without all the hassle!
When I initially started to make this recipe I tested along the lines of a cinnamon roll pancake featuring a cinnamon sugar swirl cooked right into the center, which is common. But I found it was a mess, a hassle, and they burned quite easy.
So, instead I switched things up and when with this easier, less messy option. Creating a generously cinnamon infused pancake finished with a cream cheese icing atop – which can either be swirled in over in a decorative pattern to mimic a cinnamon roll or it can simply be spread over for ease. The taste will be just the same.
Save this over-the-top delicious cinnamon roll pancake recipe for your next weekend breakfast or holiday brunch. People of all ages will love them!
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: What’s a dessert-like pancake without a fair inclusion of butter? Here it’s added for richness to both pancake batter as well as the icing.
- Cream cheese: These creates the flavor of a typical cinnamon roll icing.
- Powdered sugar: Use for a smooth, non-gritty, sweet icing.
- Vanilla extract: Added for flavor to the topping and pancakes.
- Dark brown sugar: Light brown sugar will work too if that’s what you have on hand. This mimics the traditional flavor of a cinnamon roll filling.
- All-purpose flour: This builds up the structure of the pancake, see notes for a gluten-free option.
- Cinnamon: I found a fair 4 teaspoons was needed for a nicely noticeable cinnamon flavor. If possible I recommend Saigon cinnamon for its superior flavor.
- Baking powder: Added for fluffy pancakes. For best results use an aluminum free baking powder so it doesn’t leave a metallic taste.
- Salt: Used to balance the sweetness and bring out the flavors of the pancakes.
- Milk: Typical ingredient to pancakes for moisture and creating a good consistency to the batter.
- Eggs: These bind the pancake batter ingredients together and also add lift to the pancakes as they cook.
How to Make Icing for Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Cream fats: In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip together 4 Tbsp softened butter and the cream cheese until smooth. 
Add sweetener: Add powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla and whip until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Thin with cream: Pour in cream and mix until creamy, about 30 seconds. Set mixture aside while you prepare the pancakes.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pancake Batter
Heat griddle: Preheat and electric griddle to 325 to 350 degrees. You could also use a stovetop griddle heated over medium-low heat.
Whisk dry ingredients together: In a large mixing bowl break up brown sugar, even very small clumps with your fingertips. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and whisk until evenly combined, make a well in center of mixture.
Whisk wet ingredients together: In a separate medium mixing bowl whisk together milk, eggs and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until well blended. Pour in 5 Tbsp melted butter and whisk to blend (it may clump and that’s okay).
Combined mixture: Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and whisk just until evenly combined (small lumps are fine). Let mixture rest for about 30 seconds to fluff up slightly and thicken.
How to Cook Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Pour portions of batter onto griddle: Scoop batter out a slightly heaped 1/3 cup at a time and drop onto buttered griddle (just butter each area right before adding pancake batter), spread batter out slightly if needed (using the measuring cup or back of a spoon).
Cook each side, flipping halfway: Let cook until pancake batter appears slightly bubbly and fluffy, and bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn to opposite side and cook until golden brown on bottom and cooked through.
Transfer pancakes to a wire rack. Repeat until all of the batter is used up.
Top with icing: Serve warm with vanilla icing or let cool until just lightly warm and pipe a swirl of cream cheese icing over pancake (using a resealable bag with the corner cut).
How to Store and Reheat the Pancakes
Storage: Let pancakes cool on a wire rack then transfer to an airtight container.
Chilling: Keep pancakes in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat pancakes in the microwave for about 20+ seconds on a microwave safe plate, or heat in a toaster oven for a crispier exterior.
Possible Variations
Gluten free: These are also equally as delicious with a 1:1 substitute of gluten free flour in place of regular all-purpose flour. I recommend using King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Ensure all other ingredients a packaged in gluten free facilities.
Whole wheat: For a whole grain alternative you could make these with a 1:1 replacement of white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour in place of all purpose flour. You may want to include a few extra tablespoons of milk to thin the batter.
Dairy free: To make these dairy free use a dairy free milk alternative, increase flour by a few tablespoons since the milk is thinner, use vegan butter or coconut oil in place of butter, and vegan cream cheese in place of regular cream cheese. Also swap the heavy cream for coconut cream.
Topping: In place of cream cheese icing you can serve these as cinnamon pancakes with maple syrup, blueberry syrup, or fried apples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the pancake batter be made ahead?
While you could make pancake batter ahead of time I recommend preparing it shortly before cooking into pancakes for the best results. This will offer a batter that spreads out evenly (and isn’t overly thick), as well as fluffier pancakes as the leaving agents will be at the maximum strength.
Why are my pancakes flat, dense or tough?
This usually occurs when pancake batter is over-stirred. For the fluffiest pancakes whisk the wet and dry ingredients until they are just evenly combined with some small lumps. This also makes for more tender pancakes as well (in doing the least stirring possible) as over-stirred batter creates overly chewy pancakes with more gluten formation.
How can you tell when it’s time to flip pancakes?
Small bubbles should appear on the top of the pancake within the batter and the bottom should be golden brown when you lift the pancake with a spatula and peak underneath.
More Tempting Pancake Recipes to Try
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Eggnog Pancakes
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Sheet Pan Pancakes
Follow Cooking Classy
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 Tbsp (56g) butter, softened
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
Cinnamon Pancakes
- 6 1/2 Tbsp (80g) packed dark brown sugar
- 2 cups (283g) all purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 4 tsp (9g) cinnamon
- 4 tsp (17g) aluminum free baking powder
- 3/4 tsp (4g) salt
- 2 cups (470ml) milk (low fat or whole)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for griddle (or non-stick cooking spray)
Instructions
- For the icing: In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip together 4 Tbsp softened butter and the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla and whip until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in heavy cream and mix until creamy, about 30 seconds. Set mixture aside while you cook the pancakes.
- For the pancakes: Preheat an electric griddle to 325 to 350 degrees. You could also use a stovetop griddle set over medium-low heat.
- In a large mixing bowl break up brown sugar, even very small clumps with your fingertips. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and whisk until evenly combined, make a well in center of mixture.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl whisk together milk, eggs and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until well blended. Pour in 5 Tbsp melted butter and whisk to blend (it may clump and that's okay).
- Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and whisk until just evenly combined (small lumps are fine). Let mixture rest for about 30 seconds to fluff up slightly and thicken.
- Scoop batter out a slightly heaped 1/3 cup at a time and drop onto buttered griddle (just butter each area right before adding pancake batter), spread batter out slightly if needed (using the measuring cup or back of a spoon).
- Let cook until pancake batter appears slightly bubbly and fluffy, and bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn to opposite side and cook until golden brown on bottom and cooked through.
- Transfer pancakes to a wire rack. Repeat until all of the batter is used up, turn griddle down if needed if pancakes are browning too quickly.
- Serve warm with vanilla icing or let cool until just lightly warm and pipe a swirl of cream cheese icing over pancake (using a resealable bag with the corner cut).