These cinnamon roll pancakes are soft, fluffy, and swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar, then finished with a rich cream cheese glaze. They taste just like a warm cinnamon bun, only faster and made on the griddle.

Cinnamon roll pancake with a cinnamon sugar swirl and cream cheese glaze on a white plate.

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Fluffy Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

These cinnamon roll pancakes give you the same cozy flavor of my overnight cinnamon rolls or cinnamon bites, but they come together quickly on the griddle making them perfect for slow weekend mornings. They’re a fun change from my homemade pancakes and always feel restaurant-worthy.

The cream cheese glaze really makes these pancakes taste like a true cinnamon bun, but you can easily swap it for maple syrup if you prefer. You might also enjoy the cream cheese frosting I use on my cinnamon roll banana bread for a decadent option.

XO - Jamielyn

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon in a bowl. Transfer to a small Ziploc ‘piping’ bag and snip 1/4″ off the tip. Set aside.

Ingredients for the cinnamon sugar swirl in a cinnamon bun pancake, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon

Combine the cream cheese and butter in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth, then mix in the vanilla and powdered sugar, adding a little milk to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken as needed.

Cream cheese glaze dripping off a spoon above a bowl.

Preheat a griddle or skillet. Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the milk and cooled butter, stirring to combine, then mix in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Lightly coat the griddle or skillet with butter before cooking.

Pancake butter on the griddle with a cinnamon sugar swirl to make a cinnamon roll pancake.

Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop and pour the batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles start to form on the surface, then pipe the cinnamon swirl filling in a circular motion over the top of each pancake.

Carefully flip and cook the other side until lightly browned, then repeat with the remaining batter. Drizzle with the cream cheese glaze before serving and enjoy.

Stack of fluffy cinnamon roll pancakes topped with cream cheese glaze on a white plate.

Recipe Tips

  • Cinnamon swirl: Make sure the filling is thick and wait until bubbles form on the pancakes before swirling. Pipe the swirl slightly away from the edges so it doesn’t drip onto the griddle.
  • Sticky batter: Butter the skillet well and wipe off any burnt bits between pancakes to prevent sticking.
  • Shortcuts: A boxed pancake mix works great if you’re short on time. Krusteaz is a favorite, or use homemade pancake mix.
  • IHOP-style option: For cinnamon roll pancakes like IHOP Cinn-A-Stacks, cook the pancakes plain, then spoon the warm cinnamon swirl mixture over the top instead of swirling it into the batter.
  • Keeping warm & toppings: Keep pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 175°F oven. Skip the glaze if you like and serve with cinnamon syrup, powdered sugar, or whipped cream.
Stack of cinnamon roll pancakes sliced open to show the cinnamon swirl, drizzled with cream cheese glaze.

Need more pancake recipes? A few other favorites include banana pancakes, apple cinnamon pancakes and homemade buttermilk pancakes!

More Delicious Pancake Recipes

cinnamon roll pancakes on plate

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

4.80 from 5 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12
These cinnamon roll pancakes are soft, fluffy, and swirled with gooey cinnamon sugar, then finished with a rich cream cheese glaze. They taste just like a warm cinnamon bun!
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Ingredients 

Pancakes

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (more for the griddle)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 ¾ cups milk (more if needed to thin it out)
  • 2 large eggs (whisked)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon filling

  • ½ cup butter (melted)
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream cheese glaze

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter (softened)
  • 3 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • ¾ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare cinnamon filling

  • Prepare the cinnamon mixture in a small bowl. Mix together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then place in a small zip top bag (with the top 1/4" snipped off) or piping bag.

Prepare cream cheese glaze

  • Combine the cream cheese and butter in a small bowl. Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk until smooth. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Add a Tablespoon of milk if needed to thin out or more powdered sugar to thicken.

Make pancakes

  • Preheat a griddle to 325°F, or a skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the microwave and set aside to cool for 3 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then add in the milk and butter and stir just until combined. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla, just until most the lumps are gone and the batter is smooth.
  • Coat the griddle (or skillet) with butter and then pour 1/4 cup batter onto the heated griddle. Take the cinnamon sugar filling and make a swirl on top of the pancake. Cook the pancakes until bubbles appear, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side for 1 minute, or just until lightly browned. 
  • Serve with the cinnamon swirl facing up. Then drizzle the cream cheese glaze over top.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Make it easy: If running low on time, make the pancakes from a pancake mix (Krusteaz is our favorite in a pinch) or keep some of my homemade pancake mix on hand.
Store: Store without the glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To freeze, cool completely, then stack with parchment paper between each pancake and store in a freezer-safe bag up to 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave for about 30 seconds per pancake from frozen, or reheat in a toaster or on a baking sheet in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 2pancakes, Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 406mg, Potassium: 185mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 803IU, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.