Featured Recipe
Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes
By Kate
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Fluffy pancakes with a gooey cinnamon-sugar ribbon inside. Cream cheese glaze adds tang and sweetness. Use light brown sugar instead of dark for a subtler molasses hint. Swap neutral oil for melted coconut oil, lends a whisper of tropical aroma. Milk can be swapped for buttermilk, ups tang and tender crumb. Butter browned for cinnamon swirl gets nuttier, richer flavor. Watching bubbles—not time—guides the perfect flip. Cinnamon mix piped inside, stops it from running off. The glaze is thick but workable, blend or whisk till silky smooth. Wiping skillet keeps pancakes from burning, keep heat moderate, avoiding gray, tough edges.
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Prep:
17 min
Cook:
27 min
Total:
44 min
Serves:
10 servings
pancakes
breakfast
brunch
American cuisine
comfort food
Introduction
Sometimes, pancakes need more than syrup. Swirling cinnamon sugar inside keeps sticky mess contained and gives that caramelized滋味 in every bite. Browned butter as base for the swirl? Adds toasted notes, deeper than plain melted butter. Swapping neutral oil for coconut oil wakes the nose. Buttermilk instead of milk tightens crumb structure and adds just enough tang without fussing over sour cream or yogurt extras. This balances the sugar in the cinnamon swirl and glaze. On cook, don’t guess by clock—watch bubbles form, edges dry. Flip too early, and you get wet batter/mud. Too late, dry gnawing bites. Skillet cleanliness, moderate heat, these are underrated heroes. Wipe burnt sugar every batch. The glaze feels thick but trust blending to reach right viscosity. Never dump it — spoon, ripple, each pancake deserves more than a wash of glaze. Stack, drizzle, eat—quick before they cool into heavy bricks.
Ingredients
Make the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Make the Cream Cheese Glaze
Make the Pancakes
About the ingredients
Browned butter? Avoid burnt bits, swirl will taste bitter. Watch color closely—amber is your signal. Light brown sugar mellower than dark; dark tends to overpower or add bitterness when heated. Coconut oil solidifies easily at room temp. Keep warm or melt freshly. Buttermilk can be substituted with milk and a splash of vinegar or lemon juice (1 tbsp per cup milk), let curdle for 5 mins. Vanilla extract uplifts both glaze and batter. Powdered sugar in glaze smooths texture better than granulated. Flour: all-purpose works best for fluffy pancake lift but cake flour yields even more tender crumb. Adjust liquid slightly if flour looks dry or batter too thick.
Method
Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Swirl
- Brown butter gently in a small pan over medium-low, watch the foam settle, color shift to a pale hazelnut. Remove from heat, let cool slightly. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon thoroughly until no clumps remain. Transfer this to a piping bag or sturdy plastic bag. Seal well to avoid drying out. Set aside near your griddle station.
- In a blender or bowl, mix softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. This glaze is thick, do not skimp on blending — achieve a velvety texture that falls slowly but holds shape after spooning. Refrigerate or keep at room temp until pancakes finish.
- Whisk dry mix: sift or combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt thoroughly. Aerating here prevents dense lumps in the final batter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted coconut oil until uniform. The coconut oil solidifies quickly so ensure warm milk or room temp ingredients to keep it liquid.
- Combine wet into dry gently with a spatula. Do not overmix — lumps or small gluey spots here save you from tough pancakes. Stop when the batter looks just combined.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or heavy griddle to medium-low (about 320°F). Brush lightly with butter or non-flavored oil for an even non-stick layer. Too hot, pancakes brown on the outside but raw inside.
- Scoop 1/4 cup batter onto skillet. Quickly snip corner of the cinnamon sugar bag. Squeeze a tight swirl of cinnamon mix on top. Immediately spoon another 2 tablespoons batter on top of the sugar swirl to seal it in. This prevents burning or leaking sugar.
- Cook until the surface bubbles appear, edges dry, and the pancake easily lifts from the pan. Listen for a faint sizzle instead of loud crackle — that means too hot.
- Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more. Pancakes should be fluffy with a soft center, cinnamon swirl visible but not leaking syrup.
- After flipping, reduce heat if the pan darkens or smoke starts. Wipe the skillet clean between batches with a damp cloth to avoid burnt sugar buildup. Re-butter each new batch.
- Repeat until batter is gone. Stack warm pancakes. Drizzle or dollop cream cheese glaze on top just before serving.
- Store leftover pancakes in sealed container. Reheat gently on pan or microwave to keep them tender.
Cream Cheese Glaze
Pancakes Start
Technique Tips
Pancake batter sensitive to overmixing. Mix till combined, stop. Batter lumps hide lightness. Griddle temp critical—too hot scorches outside, raw center; too low, pancakes spread thin and turn leathery. Use butter or neutral spray, not olive oil — thicker fats are better for both flavor and browning. Dabbing a paper towel between cataloes to wipe skillet removes burnt sugar and old bits, keeps pancakes from tasting bitter. Cinnamon swirl sealed inside with extra pancake batter prevents leaking sugar sludge and messy pan. Flip when bubbles pop and edges matte, test lift with spatula. Cooling in stacked plate traps steam, keeps warm and moist. Glaze thickens when cold; thin with milk if necessary. Store leftovers in airtight container, reheat gently.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Browned butter matters. Swirl till it’s amber, not burnt—bitter taste if too dark. Cool slightly before mixing with sugar and cinnamon.
- 💡 Use a piping bag for the cinnamon mix. A sturdy plastic bag works too. Keeping it airtight prevents it from drying out.
- 💡 Don't skimp on mixing glaze. Blending adequately ensures velvet texture. Adjust thickness with more milk if needed.
- 💡 Watch the skillet temp. Too hot, pancakes brown too fast outside—raw inside. Too low, they spread thin. Low and slow is key.
- 💡 Reheat leftover pancakes gently. Microwave, yes but take care not to toughen them. Pan works too for best texture.
Kitchen Wisdom
Can I use cake flour?
Yes, cautiously. More tender crumb, but adjust liquid if batter too thick.
What if my butter burns?
Start again. Keep an eye on it. Stir constantly to prevent burnt bits.
How can I store leftovers?
Place in airtight container. Refrigerate or freeze. Reheat on low heat.
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes, add vinegar or lemon juice — let sit for 5 minutes. Works well.
