Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze
Meet your new favorite fall breakfast: Soft and fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze!
Fall is hands down my favorite season, and I’m thrilled to share a recipe that perfectly embodies this time of year! My Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze are light, fluffy, and impossibly comforting as all pancake recipes should be. Tender pumpkin and gooey cinnamon swirls unite in every forkful for a morning treat that’s pure indulgence. As a mom, nothing brings me more joy than cooking and baking for my family. And I know you will look forward to rising early to make these incredible pancakes for your family as well. This sweet breakfast will bring the same warmth and happiness right to your home!
Looking for your next pancake obsession? Find more highly-rated pancake recipes here.
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
What makes these pumpkin spiced cinnamon roll pancakes so special? They combine the two flavors that define fall: pumpkin and cinnamon. The rich cinnamon swirl captures the essence of a classic cinnamon roll, while the pumpkin adds amazing flavor and a soft and fluffy texture.
Topped with a sweet cream cheese glaze, every bite of this stack melts into your mouth. Made with ingredients like pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, light brown sugar, and buttermilk, these pancakes come together easily. The result? Light, fluffy pancake stacks you’ll want to make every autumn, or even year-round! Finish them with a generous amount of homemade cream cheese glaze or drizzled in maple syrup for a cozy weekend breakfast.
Find my expert tips on how to make these viral pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes below! Don’t forget to tag me in all of your creations @lifeinthelofthouse on Instagram or Facebook. Let’s stay connected. ❤️
Why You’ll Love These Fluffy Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes:
- Best of Both Worlds: These pancakes combine the cozy, spiced flavor of pumpkin with the gooey cinnamon swirl of a classic cinnamon roll. It’s like your two favorite fall breakfasts rolled into one. This recipe is fall on a plate!
- Ultra-Fluffy Texture: Thanks to the buttermilk and resting the batter, these pancakes rise beautifully with a soft, airy bite every time.
- Cinnamon Swirl Magic: The buttery cinnamon-sugar swirl melts right into the pancakes as they cook, creating ribbons of caramelized goodness in every forkful.
- Homemade Cream Cheese Glaze: Spread this creamy and sweet glaze over the top and watch it melt into the warm pancakes—it’s the perfect finishing touch.
- Weekend Brunch Worthy: Serve family, friends, or just treat yourself to pancakes that look and taste impressive yet are so easy to make.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pancake Batter
- 3 1/4 cups (390g) all-purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature, divided
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons of the pumpkin pancake batter
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
For The Pumpkin Pancake Batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, mix the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, eggs, melted (and slightly cooled) butter, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. A few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This step helps the flour absorb the liquids, resulting in lighter, fluffier pancakes!
For The Cinnamon Swirl
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin pancake batter. Mix until smooth and evenly blended. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or a small resealable plastic bag with a tiny corner cut off. This will be used to swirl cinnamon into the pancakes as they cook.
Instructions
Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium to medium-low heat, greasing lightly with butter. Use a 1/3-cup measure or a large cookie scoop to pour pancake batter onto the pan.
Using the piping bag, create a cinnamon swirl starting from the center of each pancake and spiraling outward, pressing slightly into the batter. Try to keep the swirl away from the edges to prevent it from spilling over.
Cook until bubbles form on the surface, about 2 to 4 minutes. Flip the pancakes carefully and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
Transfer finished pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batches. Wipe the skillet between batches if necessary.
For The Cream Cheese Glaze
Place the softened cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, blend the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to combine. Blend in enough milk to reach a thin, smooth glaze. Serve over warm pumpkin pancakes and enjoy!
Servings
Yields: 14 small pancakes.
Storage and Reheating
Let the Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes cool completely, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze the pancakes (wrapped individually and stored in a freezer-safe bag) for up to 2 months. You can refrigerate cream cheese glaze in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It may thicken in the fridge, so stir or gently warm it before serving to restore a smooth, pourable consistency.
To reheat, warm pancakes in the microwave for 20 seconds, or in the oven at 300°F for 8 to 10 minutes. They can also be warmed in a toaster/toaster oven for crisp edges. If reheating from frozen, add an extra minute or so to your chosen method.
Holly’s Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes:
- Don’t Skip the Batter Rest: Letting the pancake batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes is key to fluffy pancakes. This gives the flour time to hydrate and the leaveners a head start!
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Buttermilk, eggs, and pumpkin puree mix more smoothly and help the pancakes rise better when they’re not cold from the fridge.
- Control Your Heat: Medium to medium-low heat is best—too hot and the cinnamon swirl will burn before the pancakes cook through.
- Avoid Overmixing: A few lumps in the batter are totally fine. Overmixing leads to dense pancakes instead of light, fluffy stacks.
- Piping Hack: If you don’t have a piping bag, use a zip-top bag and snip off a small corner for an easy DIY version.
- Make It Even Sweeter: Don’t stop at the cream cheese glaze for a topping! These pancakes are even more indulgent with a drizzle of warm maple syrup, whipped honey cinnamon butter, or a light dusting of powdered sugar. Get creative with it!
Frequently Asked Questions:
No. Pumpkin pie filling often already has sugar and spices added, which will throw off the recipe. Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree.
This can happen if the swirl is piped too close to the edges or if the heat is too high. Try keeping the swirl slightly inside the pancake, and cook over medium to medium-low heat. If it does spill a little, don’t worry, the caramelized edges taste delicious!
Avoid overmixing the batter. A few small lumps are totally fine and will disappear as the pancakes cook. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make pancakes chewy instead of fluffy.
Place cooked pancakes on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven. This keeps them warm and fluffy without drying them out.
You can easily make these pancakes gluten-free by swapping the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum (this helps mimic the structure and fluffiness of regular flour). Brands like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur work great. Make sure your baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice are certified gluten-free as well, since some spice blends and leaveners may contain traces of gluten.
Similar Recipes
Not a fan of pumpkin? My Cinnamon Roll Pancakes are a sweet, comforting alternative.
Craving something similar? Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls make the ultimate cozy fall breakfast.
Looking for more brunch recipes? These Cinnamon Roll Waffles are a crowd-pleasing treat everyone will enjoy.
In the mood for something extra sweet? My Cinnamon Roll Cake and Pumpkin Roll Cake are moist, creamy, and indulgent— the perfect fall dessert or brunch party dish.
Have you made these Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze? ❤️
Leave a review, and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram and Facebook! @lifeinthelofthouse! #PumpkinCinnamonRollPancakes #FallBreakfast #LifeInTheLofthouse
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pancake Batter
- 3 ¼ cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature, divided
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons of the pumpkin pancake batter
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
For The Pumpkin Pancake Batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. A few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes. This step helps the flour absorb the liquids, resulting in lighter, fluffier pancakes!
For The Cinnamon Swirl
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin pancake batter. Mix until smooth and evenly blended. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or a small resealable plastic bag with a tiny corner cut off. This will be used to swirl cinnamon into the pancakes as they cook.
Cooking The Pumpkin Pancakes
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium to medium-low heat, greasing lightly with butter. Use a 1/3-cup measure or a large cookie scoop to pour pancake batter onto the pan.
- Using the piping bag, create a cinnamon swirl starting from the center of each pancake and spiraling outward. Try to keep the swirl away from the edges to prevent it from spilling over.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes carefully and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
- Transfer finished pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batches. Wipe the skillet between batches if necessary.
- Serve the pancakes warm with homemade cream cheese glaze (below), maple syrup, or whipped honey cinnamon butter, if desired. Enjoy!
For The Cream Cheese Glaze
- Place the softened cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, blend the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to combine. Blend in enough milk to reach a thin, smooth glaze. Serve over warm pumpkin pancakes and enjoy!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE FOR LATER?
PIN IT TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD! 📌
