Cinnamon roll pancakes combine fluffy buttermilk pancakes with a gooey brown sugar swirl and a thick cream cheese glaze.
The cinnamon filling gets drizzled over the batter as it cooks, so you get the look and flavor of a bakery roll without any dough or rising time. Eight pancakes take about 30 minutes, and the glaze comes together while the first batch cooks.
Table of Contents
Why This Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe Works
A soft butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon paste melts into ribbons the moment it touches the hot batter. Flipping the pancake swirl side down caramelizes the sugar slightly, which adds the sticky, roll style flavor.
Buttermilk keeps the pancakes tender and gives a mild tang that balances the sweet topping. A short rest before cooking lets the baking powder start working, so the pancakes rise evenly on the griddle.
The cream cheese glaze is thick enough to hold its shape on the stack and thin enough to run down the sides, just like frosting on a warm roll.
Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, for the swirl
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened, for the glaze
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the glaze
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the griddle
Cinnamon swirl. Use truly soft butter so the paste spreads and drizzles smoothly. If it is stiff, warm the bowl in your hands for 20 seconds.
Buttermilk. Room temperature buttermilk blends better with the melted butter and keeps the batter smooth.
Cream cheese glaze. Soften the cream cheese for 30 minutes before beating so the glaze has no lumps.
Powdered sugar. Sift it if it looks clumpy, then add milk a teaspoon at a time until the glaze falls in thick ribbons.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
1. Mix the swirl. Stir the 1/4 cup softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth, then spoon it into a zip top bag and snip off a small corner.
2. Beat the glaze. Beat the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter until fluffy, then beat in the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and pinch of salt until thick and smooth.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
4. Whisk the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.
5. Combine and rest. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold gently until just moistened. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
6. Heat the griddle. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and brush it lightly with butter. Warm the oven to 200 degrees F for holding finished pancakes.
7. Pour and swirl. Pour 1/3 cup of batter per pancake. Immediately pipe a spiral of the cinnamon mixture over the top, then cook about 2 1/2 minutes until bubbles form.
8. Flip and finish. Flip each pancake swirl side down and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the swirl caramelizes and the center is set. Stack, then spread with the glaze.
How to Serve Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Stack two pancakes per plate and spread the glaze while they are still warm so it softens into the swirl. For a bigger brunch, add biscuits and gravy, air fryer asparagus, air fryer broccoli with Parmesan, or honey garlic salmon on the side.
How to Store and Reheat Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Keep the pancakes and glaze separate. Refrigerate the cooled pancakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and the glaze for up to 3 days as well. For longer storage, freeze the pancakes without glaze for up to 2 months. Reheat the pancakes in a toaster oven at 350 degrees F for 3 to 5 minutes, and warm the glaze for 15 seconds in the microwave.
Tips and Variations for Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Keep the heat at medium. The brown sugar in the swirl scorches quickly. If it darkens in under a minute, lower the heat.
Do not overmix. Stop folding when the flour disappears. Small lumps cook out and keep the pancakes tender.
Use a bag, not a spoon. A snipped corner gives thin, even ribbons that spread and caramelize instead of sinking into one thick spot.
Add a pinch of nutmeg. A small pinch in the swirl adds a warm bakery note.
Warm the glaze. If the glaze firms up while you cook, microwave it for 10 seconds and stir.
Cook small. Pancakes about 4 inches wide flip more easily and give each bite a good amount of swirl.
Try a milk substitute. If you have no buttermilk, stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of white vinegar into 1 1/2 cups of milk and wait 5 minutes.
Handle eggs safely. Cook the pancakes until the center is firm and no wet batter shows, and see the Montana State University Extension egg fact sheet for safe handling tips.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
How do I get the swirl on cinnamon roll pancakes?
Pipe the cinnamon mixture from a snipped zip top bag in a spiral right after pouring the batter. Then flip the pancake swirl side down so the sugar caramelizes.
Can I make cinnamon roll pancakes ahead of time?
Cook the pancakes up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them, then reheat and glaze just before serving. The glaze can be made 3 days ahead.
Why does the swirl burn on cinnamon roll pancakes?
The griddle is usually too hot. Brown sugar caramelizes fast, so use medium heat and flip once the bubbles break.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups of milk and let it stand for 5 minutes.
How thick should the glaze be?
It should fall from a spoon in thick ribbons. Add milk a teaspoon at a time to thin it, or powdered sugar to thicken it.
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Equipment
- Griddle or large skillet
- Zip top bag
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened, for the swirl
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 oz cream cheese softened, for the glaze
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened, for the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract for the glaze
- 1 pinch salt for the glaze
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter for the griddle
Instructions
Cooking
- Make the swirl. Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then load into a bag with a small corner cut. Make the glaze. Beat cream cheese and butter, then add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until thick.
- Combine the dry. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Combine the wet. Whisk buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla.
- Fold and rest. Mix just until moistened and rest 5 minutes.
- Preheat. Warm a buttered griddle over medium heat and the oven to 200 degrees F.
- Pour and pipe. Pour 1/3 cup batter, pipe a spiral on top, and cook 2 1/2 minutes until bubbles appear.
- Flip and glaze. Flip swirl side down, cook 1 to 2 minutes, then stack and spread with glaze.
