Christmas traditions have always been close to my heart. When our oldest son was a year old, my husband and I started a new holiday ritual for our family, serving Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with special snowman plates and matching mugs used only on Christmas morning. Twenty-seven years later, those same plates still come out for our favorite Christmas breakfast, filling our home with love, laughter, and warm memories.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Filling:
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pancakes (or substitute a boxed mix):
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
Directions
Cinnamon Filling:
- Combine the melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl
- Scoop the cinnamon mixture into a Ziplock bag and set aside
Glaze:
- In a small pan, melt butter over low heat
- Whisk in cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract
- Take the glaze off of the heat and set aside until ready to use on pancakes
Pancakes:
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl
- Whisk in milk, egg, and canola or vegetable oil.
Heat skillet to medium low. Once preheated, spray with non-stick spray. Add about ½ cup of the batter to the skillet and wait until bubbles start to form.
Open the bag with the cinnamon filling and re-stir to make sure that the butter is fully incorporated.
Snip the corner of the bag and create a swirl pattern of cinnamon filling in the center of the pancake. Be careful not to get it too close to the edge.
With a wide metal spatula, flip the pancake over and continue cooking for an additional one to two minutes until golden brown. Wipe out the pan each time and repeat with the remaining batter.
Warm the glaze if needed and drizzle over pancakes.