I always want to make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning and then I get too busy and can’t pull it off.  Let me tell you, these pancakes taste like a cinnamon roll, are WAY easier, and much healthier!  My family goes totally crazy for them and hubs has declared, “these are the best pancakes ever!”  Use whatever pancake batter you like (I have provided a homemade batter recipe below) and you can even make them really fortified with added flax meal or hemp seeds.  I like to make my pancake batter the day before and refrigerate it for a really easy morning!

Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

• A more nutritious and easy spin on cinnamon rolls;
• A perfect Christmas morning breakfast for the whole family!
• Super versatile – you can use any pancake batter you like;
• A great base to add additional nutritious ingredients (flax meal, hemp seeds, collagen powder, etc.);
• Easy to prep in advance;
• Sweet, but too sweet!

Ingredients

• Buttermilk – preferably at room temp
• Eggs – 2 large eggs
• Butter – melted and unsalted. Plant butter works here as well!
• Extract & spices – vanilla extract and ground cinnamon = the perfect ingredients for that cinnamon roll flavor
• Flour – all-purpose, oat, whole wheat pastry or a GF flour blend
• Oil – I use coconut oil to brush the griddle or pan because I think it adds a nice flavor, but you can also use butter, ghee, or plant butter here.
• Nut butter – a creamy almond butter, cashew butter, or granola butter (a nut-free version made with flax)
• Sugar – brown sugar, maple sugar or coconut sugar if nut butter is drizzly, OR use maple syrup if nut butter is thick or use a combo of dry and wet sweetener. Plus extra maple syrup for the drizzle.
• Cream cheese – unsweetened (any kind) at room temperature or strained Greek yogurt (check out the notes section below for instructions on how to strain yogurt)
• Nuts – optional chopped pecans for serving. Looks beautiful and adds a nice crunch!

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

1. Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. 
2. To make pancakes, blend buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a blender until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix wet mixture into dry and don’t overmix. Pancake batter can be made a day in advance and stored covered in the fridge. 
3. To make the cinnamon swirl, whisk together the almond butter, sweetener, and cinnamon until it makes a smooth paste. Transfer mixture to a Ziploc bag and snip a tiny bit off the corner of the bag.
4. Make the cream cheese drizzle by whisking together the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. You can use a food processor to blend if you prefer. Depending on the consistency you like, you can add a few drops of milk to thin it out. If you prefer a thick drizzle, you can transfer the cream cheese mixture into a Ziploc, snip the corner, and squeeze it through the bag for serving. 
5. Melt a little coconut oil on the griddle or skillet. Raise the heat to medium. Form pancakes and immediately squeeze the cinnamon mixture in a swirl over the pancakes.  Flip when they start to bubble at the top and cook until set.
6. Drizzle with cream cheese either with a spoon or a Ziploc bag.
7. Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.

Tips

• The pancake batter can be made the day before and stored covered in the refrigerator.
• To make the cream cheese drizzle, you can use an electric whisk or food processor to mix the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. 
• Topping the pancakes with chopped pecans is optional, but they are a delicious addition.

Substitutions

• All-purpose flour – oat, whole wheat pastry or a GF flour blend
• Coconut oil – butter, plant butter, or ghee 
• Chopped pecans – shaved almonds or chopped cashews
• Almond butter – granola butter or cashew butter
• Brown sugar – maple sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup (depending on the consistency of your nut butter…a maple syrup will help to thin out the nut butter)
• Cream cheese – strained Greek yogurt or store-bought labneh

Other recipes you may like:

Grainless Banana Pancakes

Gingerbread Pancakes

Grain-Free Sweet Potato Pancakes

Whole Grain and Almond Pulp Pancakes

Baked Cinnamon Cake Doughnuts

If you give these Cinnamon Roll Pancakes a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, I taught it last year in my online class. Check out my online class here!  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!