Cinnamon Roll Pancake Casserole (Printable)

Fluffy pancakes with cinnamon swirls topped by a luscious cream cheese glaze for a delightful brunch dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pancake Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Swirl

10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

→ Cream Cheese Glaze

13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix to avoid developing gluten.
05 - Pour the pancake batter evenly into the prepared 9x13-inch baking dish.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, packed light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
07 - Transfer the cinnamon mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe swirls or zig-zag patterns over the pancake batter.
08 - Use a knife or skewer to gently drag through the cinnamon mixture and batter, creating a marbled effect.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
10 - While the casserole bakes, beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Add additional milk if needed to achieve desired consistency.
11 - Remove the casserole from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze evenly over the warm casserole.
12 - Slice the casserole into portions and serve while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You make it once and serve eight people without standing over a hot skillet the entire time.
  • It tastes like a cinnamon roll and a pancake had the most delicious breakfast baby together.
  • Assemble it the night before and just pop it in the oven while you're still in your pajamas.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the pancake batter or you'll end up with tough, dense pancakes instead of fluffy ones, and no amount of glaze can fix that.
  • Softening your cream cheese for the glaze actually matters because cold cream cheese won't blend smoothly no matter how long you beat it.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly together, so pull your eggs, buttermilk, and cream cheese out of the fridge about thirty minutes before you start.
  • The cream cheese glaze should be thick enough to coat a spoon but thin enough to drizzle, so add milk very gradually and stop as soon as you reach that sweet spot.
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