Cinnamon Roll Pancake Casserole (Printable Version)

Fluffy pancakes layered with cinnamon swirls and finished with a smooth cream cheese glaze.

# What You 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 whole milk
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make:

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 and fully combined.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb structure.
05 - Pour the pancake batter evenly into the prepared baking dish, spreading to the edges.
06 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, packed brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until well blended.
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 - Using a knife or skewer, gently drag through the cinnamon swirls to create a marbled effect throughout the batter.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
10 - While baking, beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth and pourable. Add additional milk as needed for desired consistency.
11 - Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the cream cheese glaze evenly over the top.
12 - Slice into portions and serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh berries or chopped pecans.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No griddle hovering required, which means you can actually sit down and talk to your guests instead of standing there like a short-order cook.
  • The cream cheese glaze transforms ordinary pancakes into something that tastes like you spent way more time than you actually did.
  • It comes together the night before, so morning stress gets replaced with simply sliding it into the oven and smelling cinnamon magic happen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling time before adding glaze, because pouring it on boiling hot casserole means watching it melt right off and pool sadly at the bottom of the dish.
  • If you assemble this the night before, keep the glaze separate and add it right after baking, because glazed casserole sitting in the fridge overnight becomes soggy instead of delightfully moist.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable for a smooth glaze, so plan ahead or run the package under warm water for a minute.
  • The difference between good and great is using real vanilla extract and fresh cinnamon, because those two ingredients are the soul of this dish.
Go Back