Description
These Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes are a decadent breakfast inspired by classic cinnamon rolls. Fluffy buttermilk pancakes are filled with buttery, caramelized cinnamon swirls, making every bite warm, cozy, and slightly gooey. Perfect for weekend brunch, holidays, or any time you want to treat yourself and your loved ones to a memorable, crowd-pleasing morning meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pancake Batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk (or DIY substitute: ¾ cup milk + 2 teaspoons lemon juice, rested 5 minutes)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Swirl Filling:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until well combined.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until fully blended.
- Make the Pancake Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or spoon until just combined; the batter should be a little lumpy. Take care not to overmix as this can toughen the pancakes.
- Prepare the Cinnamon Swirl: In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, dark brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Pour this mixture into a small piping bag or a zip-top bag and snip a tiny corner off for piping.
- Heat the Pan: Warm a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease it with butter or oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Pancakes: Pour about ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the prepared skillet for each pancake. When bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancakes (about 1–2 minutes), pipe a spiral of the cinnamon filling on top of each pancake.
- Flip and Finish Cooking: Carefully flip each pancake with a wide spatula. Cook for about 1 more minute, until the other side is golden brown and the center is set. The cinnamon swirl mixture will create a gooey caramelized effect.
- Repeat and Serve: Wipe the skillet between batches to avoid burning any leftover sugar. Serve the pancakes warm, stacked and drizzled with maple syrup or a cream cheese glaze if desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, use the easy homemade substitute: mix ¾ cup milk with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Be sure to use a small snip in the bag when piping the cinnamon swirl to control the flow and avoid making the lines too thick.
- Wipe down your pan between batches to prevent burnt sugar from sticking to fresh pancakes.
- Try topping with cream cheese glaze for a true cinnamon roll experience.
- Pancakes are best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave or toaster.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 50mg