Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe - Pinch of Yum
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Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

4 reviews / 5 average

One of my strengths is holding on to unnecessary items.

Unnecessary items of the old jacket, soap holder, throw pillow, Christmas figurine variety.

So it goes without saying that the upcoming garage sale – OUR upcoming garage sale, the one where we get rid of a bunch of our stuff – is giving me hives. And listening to my Brad Paisley Pandora station while pricing my old, unnecessary (but totally necessary) picture frames does not help the cause.

It’s funny how that works out – or doesn’t work out – because I live with a man who is a frequent flyer at the Goodwill. Getting rid of anything that hasn’t been used in a month, even if it was MINE and I was going to use it next month, is one of his strengths. Seriously, though, I was going to use that soap holder.

Cinnamon roll pancakes with a Greek yogurt frosting.

Like that one time when I was going to make bread in my bread maker but found it to be “missing”. Never mind the fact that I was retrieving it out of the closet, where it lived for most, ok, ALL, of its life. Or that it had a setting to program the time so I could make bread in the middle of the night, which made it the coolest bread maker in the world. Or that I wanted to keep it forever.

It’s probably in somebody else’s kitchen baking cinnamon swirl bread and making their life perfect. I think I hear a Brad Paisley song…

Waaahh!

I’m consoling myself over the loss of my sentimental treasures by making these Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. Because I want my kitchen to sing Brad Paisley songs, even if I don’t have a bread maker anymore.  And the healthy part? Let’s just say I’ve been experimenting with cookie dough stuffed cupcakes and I could use a little health in my life, especially when it comes in the form of gooey, sweet, cinnamony pancakes.

As much as I wanted to bake the cinnamon filling right into them, it just wasn’t happening. I fried, I griddled, I baked, I parchment papered… it just wasn’t meant to be. So I topped the pancakes with the filling instead. And oh my yummers, they were so tasty! The end result: wheat bran pancakes topped with the spicy cinnamon filling and drizzled with sweet glaze. And no guilt! Hallelujah.

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A picture of Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes


Description

These healthy cinnamon roll pancakes are made with whole grain pancakes, a pumpkin-walnut cinnamon filling and a Greek yogurt frosting.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup bran cereal (I used All Bran original, measured then crushed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 cup buttermilk (I used 1% milk with a little vinegar)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (can use canned, not pie filling)
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground walnuts or bran
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • additional walnuts for topping

Instructions

  1. Mix the first 7 ingredients (flour through egg whites) until well-combined. Pour 1/4 cup batter on a medium-heat griddle and cook until bubbly; flip and cook again until light golden brown and cooked through.
  2. Stir together pumpkin, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add ground walnuts or bran if the filling needs to be thicker. Place a in baggie, snip the corner, and spiral filling on the tops of the pancakes.
  3. Whisk Greek yogurt and honey until smooth. Place in a baggie, snip the corner, and drizzle over pancakes in a zigzag pattern. Top with additional walnuts.

Notes

One serving is 2 large pancakes.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: pancake recipe, cinnamon roll recipe, cinnamon roll pancake, healthy pancake recipe

PS. I do need a little help – what’s the going garage sale rate for a pair of peep toe heels?

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67 Comments

  1. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Oh, I hate garage sales! Mostly the bartering part on the actual day. I don’t have the same problem with “stuff”. Well, maybe SOME stuff – like things I never use but poeple made for me so I can’t give it away stuff. I feel ya. The pancakes though – yum! I’ve tried a cinnamon roll thing too – the filling gets all stuck to the pan, right? I haven’t even come close to perfecting any recipe though, so I’ll happily enjoy yours – Looks Dee-Lish!!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      That’s my issue – stuff people have made for me or have given me. The filling did get stuck to the pan, which I think had something to do with the fact that I didn’t use butter in the filling… but still tasted just as good spiraled on top! 🙂

  2. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I’m a sucker for garage sales, but I also like to hold onto my stuff for too long. My boyfriend frequently makes me watch Hoarders and that motivates me to bring out the to-donate bags.

    I’m also a sucker for walnuts on my pancakes. Or for breakfast, really. Delicious!

  3. Pinch of Yum Logo

    We have the same baking brain lately!! My post today is about cinnamon bun inspired cupcakes! Cinnamon bun things are LIFE. Good luck with the garage sale!

  4. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I confess that I too am a keeper of things that I know I’ll use some day. Unfortunately, I’m also the one that ends up getting rid of that thing and then a year later wishing desperately that I still had it. I so hate it when that happens.

    It sounds to me like I need to make these pancakes for myself (even though I don’t have a clue who Brad Paisley is…I feel so old).

  5. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Wow. I feel like this is the exact recipe I’ve been searching for. Will definitely be making an appearance this weekend.

    I love my Brad Paisley pandora station as well. You ever have one of those days when you just need to listen to music in the shower? And it somehow makes life better? Brad Paisley pandora is my lifeline on those days.

  6. Pinch of Yum Logo

    My husband would love to get rid of my stuff too. He doesn’t seem to realize that those things will come in handy one day! He once went into *my* closet, took everything except the clothes out, and told me I had get rid of what I don’t need any longer. I was not happy. I kept everything.

    The pancakes look great! I made healthy cinnamon roll pancakes a month ago and the swirl was a pain in the butt. Your solution sounds good. 🙂

  7. Pinch of Yum Logo

    hey, i think i have your missing bread maker! except mine came from craigslist not goodwill. it can be hard to get rid of things but then i watch hoarders & am inspired. 🙂 these pancakes look so great!!

  8. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I think our husband’s are long lost brothers b/c mine is the SAME way. Drives me nuts. His mom is a minimalist to the extreme (to the point where her house doesn’t even look lived in) and I think he tries to keep ours like that too. I’m no hoarder but some element of “cozy” is necessary to make it feel like a home. That includes all my “stuff” whether it’s been used in 6 months or not! When we moved from FL to NY, he seriously sold half our belongings. I pretty much had to tie myself to things to get him not to post them on craigslist. It’s a sickness, I’m sure.
    Anyway…gimme that cinnamon swirl! 🙂

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      That is HILARIOUS. I’m glad that someone else has a husband this way… sometimes I feel like since I’m the girl, I should be the one with the compulsive need to de-clutter… but it’s totally him!

  9. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This makes me wish I had time to make pancakes for breakfast today. YUM!

    Good luck with the garage sale….I am a huge donater but I also buy from thrift stores…photography-related props 🙂

  10. Pinch of Yum Logo

    These are gorgeous! I made a similar but much healthier version this fall — adding the spiral on after the pancakes cook is a great call. It got messy and ugly with the swirl in the batter!

  11. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I am like your husband…I will get rid of something of my husband’s and two months later he will realize it’s missing and I just shrug my shoulders. I should make him these pancakes!

  12. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Lindsay, these pancakes look like heaven! i love everything about this post. the pictures, the recipe, BRAD PAISLEY! (love him!), holding onto old pictures frame and soap dispensers… i totally do this. also, love the greek yogurt/honey drizzle over these pancakes. so very yummy!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      That drizzle was my favorite! At one point i found myself eating out of the snipped corner of the baggie. Woops! 🙂

  13. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Can I hire you as a consultant to coach my boyfriend through getting rid of his old “treasured” items? 😉 He could definitely relate to the “unnecessary yet necessary” conundrum 🙂 My gosh, girl, your pancakes are blowing my mind. I’m staring and staring and you’re telling me they’re healthy, so I’m going to have to go for it!

  14. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Those look delicious! I got very excited when I saw the word “healthy” in front of the word “pancakes”. I can’t wait to try your version soon 🙂

    And remember that less is more, the more clutter you get rid of , the more uncluttered your life will be! 🙂

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      I know, I know. In reality, I want to get rid of stuff but then when I see things that people have gifted me, I start to feel attached. 🙂

  15. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Hah, I am totally the same way! And my husband is just like yours. Although he’s slowly converting me and I’m getting better at getting rid of the really unnecessary stuff.
    Your pancakes look incredible. I’ve been meaning to try some kind of cinnamon roll pancakes, but I love that these are healthier than any recipes I’ve seen.

  16. Pinch of Yum Logo

    That’s why I have so much clutter! I’m always thinking, “but I might NEED that someday”. Oh well, getting rid of stuff is just another reason to go shopping!

    Must make these pancakes for my girls. I think they would be pleased.