3 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter or plant butter
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour, such as all-purpose, oat, whole wheat pastry or a GF flour blend
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
Unrefined coconut oil for brushing griddle or pan
Cinnamon swirl:
½ cup creamy almond butter, cashew butter, or granola butter
½ cup brown sugar, maple sugar or coconut sugar if nut butter is drizzly, OR use ½ cup maple syrup if nut butter is thick or use a combo of dry and wet sweetener
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream cheese or Greek yogurt drizzle:
4 ounces (6 Tablespoons) plain, unsweetened cream cheese (any kind) at room temperature or strained Greek yogurt (strain overnight)*
¼ cup pure maple syrup
Optional: can add a little bit of milk to thin out further
Optional: chopped pecans for serving
Instructions
Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium-low heat.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Drizzle with cream cheese either with a spoon or a Ziploc bag.
Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.
Notes
*to strain Greek yogurt, line a colander with a layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Pour yogurt into towel-lined colander and cover the top with any excess towel hanging off the sides. Place colander over a bowl or plate and store in the fridge. The towel will absorb excess moisture and will give you a cream cheese-like result after a couple hours.
Make ahead: pancake batter can be made the day before and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/cinnamon-roll-pancakes-recipe/