Cinnamon Roll Pancake Casserole (Printable View)

Baked fluffy pancakes with cinnamon swirls and a smooth cream cheese glaze, ideal for breakfast or brunch.

# 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 milk
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat 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 until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Add wet ingredient mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Pour pancake batter evenly into the prepared baking dish, spreading to cover the bottom completely.
06 - In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon to create the swirl filling.
07 - Transfer cinnamon mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off. Pipe decorative swirls or zig-zag patterns across the pancake batter surface.
08 - Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cinnamon mixture into the batter, creating marble-like patterns throughout.
09 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
10 - While baking, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and pourable, adding additional milk as needed for desired consistency.
11 - Remove casserole from oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle prepared cream cheese glaze evenly over the casserole surface.
12 - Slice into portions and serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh berries or chopped pecans.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a one-dish wonder that frees you from pancake griddle duty and lets you actually sit with your guests.
  • The cream cheese glaze takes something homey and makes it feel fancy enough for a special occasion.
  • You can assemble it the night before, which means you're genuinely relaxing in the morning instead of stress-cooking.
02 -
  • If you overmix the pancake batter, you'll end up with something dense and rubbery instead of light and tender—some lumps are your friends here.
  • Cold cream cheese is the enemy of a smooth glaze; if you beat it cold, no amount of milk will make it silky, so plan ahead.
03 -
  • If your cream cheese glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time while beating, and if it's too thin, sift in a bit more powdered sugar.
  • Let the casserole cool slightly before glazing so the glaze sets on the surface instead of running straight through to the bottom of the dish.
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