Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Who Says Fall Has to Wait? Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes to Rescue Your Summer!

I have a confession to make. While everyone else is out here worshipping 90-degree days, beach traffic, and melting ice cream, my brain is already living in October.

I am obsessed with fall. There is just something about the crisp shift in the air, the gorgeous changing leaves, the cozy sweaters, and—of course—the glorious countdown to Halloween! The fall season brings me pure, unfiltered joy. It’s the official kickoff to holiday season anticipation, and honestly? Waiting until September to start celebrating feels like a missed opportunity.

So, I did what any rational, autumn-obsessed person would do in the middle of summer: I brought the cozy vibes to me.

Enter: Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes.

The Secret to Flawless Swirls (No Burnt Cinnamon Here!)

If you’ve ever tried making cinnamon roll pancakes before, you know the tragedy. You pipe that beautiful, picture-perfect spiral of cinnamon sugar, flip the pancake over, and… BAM. Burnt, blackened sugar stuck to your pan, and a ruined swirl.

I was determined not to let that ruin my indoor autumn festival. So, I tried a game-changing hack: Steaming instead of flipping.

By keeping the heat super low and popping a lid (or foil) right over the pan, you cook the pancake low and slow. The steam cooks the batter all the way through, keeping the pancake ultra-fluffy while leaving your beautiful cinnamon swirl fully intact, un-burnt, and gooey.Pure autumn bliss in every single bite. The pancake is fluffy and spiced, the swirl is rich and gooey, and the cream cheese icing ties it all together like a cozy morning hug.

Who cares what the calendar says? Turn up the AC, put on a spooky movie, and make yourself a stack!

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Created by Sue Mun

Serves about 6

Ingredients:

For the Pumpkin Pancake Batter:

• 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (38g) brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup (227g) pure pumpkin puree
• 1 3/4 cups (410g) buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons (30gl) vegetable oil

For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, semi-melted
• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the Cream Cheese Icing:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

1. Make the Cream Cheese Icing: In a small bowl, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Once smooth and combined, add in the milk a little at a time until you get the consistency that you like. Set aside.
2. Make the Cinnamon Butter: In a small bowl, mix together the semi-melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. You want the cinnamon butter to be a pipable consistency. You may have to place it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up a bit to get the right consistency. Transfer the cinnamon butter filling to a piping bag and cut a small hole off the tip of the piping bag.
3. Make the Pumpkin Pancake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, egg, oil, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and vanilla extract.
4. Then add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix the batter until smooth and combined.
5. Grease your pan with pam spray and turn on the heat to low. Add about 1/4-1/3 cup of batter to the pan for each pancake.
6. Quickly pipe the cinnamon swirl on top of the pancake in a swirl design.
7. Cover the pan with foil or with a lid and cook on low heat for about 4 minutes to steam the pancakes
8. Plate up the cooked pancakes and top with the cream cheese icing and enjoy!