Recipe

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These cinnamon roll pancakes are soft, fluffy, and swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar goodness. And the iconic cream cheese icing? That's here too!

Follow this simple cinnamon roll pancake recipe and the tips below to get that perfect swirl without burning the cinnamon.

stack of three cinnamon roll pancakes topped with icing

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Cinnamon Bun Pancakes
What Makes Them Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (So Fluffy!)

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

These cinnamon bun pancakes have the soft and fluffy texture from my best pancake recipe, making the perfect base for that swirl of cinnamon sugar we all love.

Instead of mixing the cinnamon into the pancake batter, it’s cooked right into them, just like those Cinnabon buns from the mall. Here, I share my tips so you can achieve the perfect stack too!

What Makes Them Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

The perfect pancake is just the base for placing that irresistible cinnamon sugar swirl. And while you can serve these with syrup, if you want to go all out you can mix up a simple cream cheese glaze with cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar.

stack of cinnamon roll pancakes with one bite cut out

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

When making these, I like to prepare the cinnamon swirl mixture first and transfer it to a zip bag, so it’s ready when I start cooking. You’ll snip a tiny end of the bag and make a swirl on top of the batter, right after you pour it on the pan. Then, cook them for about 2 minutes per side, same as always.

The cream cheese glaze is prepared in about a minute by microwaving the cream cheese and butter and then adding the powdered sugar and vanilla. And when you’re ready, drizzle it over your stack.

Getting the Perfect Swirl

Cut just the tip of the bag, since a smaller line is better than too much pouring out over the batter. Worst case, transfer it to another bag and snip it smaller. When swirling it over the batter already on the pan, start in the middle and swirl out, making sure you don’t swirl over the edge.

TIP: Wipe down the griddle with a damp cloth or quickly rinse the pan between batches to remove any leftover cinnamon sugar. If you don’t, the residue will burn the next batch.

More Cinnamon Breakfast Ideas

If cinnamon is the spice that warms your heart, try these coffee cake muffins, these cinnamon roll overnight oats, this cinnamon apple bread, this cinnamon French toast, or these cinnamon toast crunch pancakes.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes (So Fluffy!)

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

These cinnamon roll pancakes are soft, fluffy, and swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar goodness. And the iconic cream cheese icing? That's here too!

5 from 55 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

Pancake batter:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1 ¼ cups milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Filling:

⅓ cup melted butter
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze:

4 tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the cinnamon filling:

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Transfer the cinnamon mixture into a zip bag and set aside.

Make the pancake batter:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Use a fork to whisk the egg into the milk, then combine the other ingredients. Mix the batter from the outside of the bowl in, until it’s just combined.

Make the cream cheese glaze:

In a microwave-safe bowl, place the cream cheese and butter. Microwave for 30 seconds to melt them, adding more time (if needed) in 15-second increments, mixing to combine each time. Once melted, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and set aside.

Cook the pancakes:

Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, grease it and immediately pour ⅓ to ½ cup of batter per pancake, using the back of the scoop to spread it out.
Snip the tip of the cinnamon filling bag (make a very small hole) and squeeze the cinnamon in a spiral swirl on top of the pancake. Cook the first side for 2 minutes, and when the edges are defined and some bubbles have formed, flip the pancakes over and cook the second side for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove them from the pan onto a plate.
Wipe down the griddle with a damp cloth or quickly rinse the pan between batches to remove any leftover cinnamon sugar. If you don’t, the residue will burn the next batch. Repeat the process with the remaining batter and cinnamon roll filling.