Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes are basically the cozy fall vegan breakfast of my dreams. Made with real pumpkin and plenty of warm spices, they're the perfect mashup of pumpkin spice, cinnamon rolls, and pancakes. The no-flip technique keeps them perfectly fluffy every time while preventing the cinnamon sugar swirl from burning.
I absolutely love homemade cinnamon rolls, but sometimes I want those flavors without spending half the day in the kitchen. These pumpkin cinnamon pancakes were my answer—a quicker, easier, plant-based option with a fun fall twist.
As they cook, the smell of cinnamon fills the kitchen and instantly makes me think of sweater weather! The tangy cream cheese drizzle balances the sweet, spiced pancakes without making them overly sweet.
If you’re looking for even more delicious and vegan-friendly pancake recipes, you should try my carrot cake pancakes and blueberry lemon pancakes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s vegan and dairy-free: This pancake recipe is naturally vegan and dairy-free without any swaps or substitutions.
- The cinnamon swirl won’t burn: Since you don’t flip these pancakes, the cinnamon swirl doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan, preventing it from burning.
- It takes just 35 minutes to make: You can have these made, cooked, and ready to devour in only 35 minutes!
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Ingredients
- Coconut milk: Make sure to use canned coconut milk rather than the variety in the carton. It’s full-fat and has a thicker consistency. Using coconut milk beverage will make the pancakes less fluffy.
- Vegan butter: You’ll need stick butter for this, so the cinnamon swirl holds its shape when you pipe it onto the cake batter. Spreadable or whipped vegan butter is too soft for that.
- Coconut sugar: Don’t have coconut sugar? No problem! Make an even swap with brown sugar.
- Vegan cream cheese: Any variety of vegan or dairy-free cream cheese will work great for the drizzle, just make sure it’s softened so the result isn’t lumpy. You can even try this homemade dairy-free cream cheese!
- Maple syrup: I love using maple syrup as a natural sweetener, and it’s perfect in the cream cheese drizzle. I also use it as a sweetener in this vegan peanut butter pie.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 swap of your favorite gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.
- Apple: Another delicious fall version is apple cinnamon! Trade the pumpkin puree for unsweetened applesauce.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in a handful of dairy-free chocolate chips for a rich and decadent twist.
- Pumpkin spice shortcut: Instead of measuring all the spices, use a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Step 1: Combine the pancake ingredients. Add all of the ingredients for the pumpkin pancake batter to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir the batter. Whisk the batter until everything is well combined and smooth.
Step 3: Prepare the filling and pipe it onto the pancakes. Prepare the cinnamon filling and transfer it to a piping bag. Pour about ¼ cup of batter onto your hot pan and pipe a cinnamon swirl right on top.
Step 4: Cover and cook. Place the lid on the pan, and cook the pancake for about 3-5 minutes, or until it’s fully cooked. Then, you can repeat the process for the remaining pancakes.
Step 5: Make the icing, drizzle, and serve. As the pumpkin pancakes cook, combine the ingredients for the cream cheese drizzle. Pour it over the stack of hot pancakes and enjoy with a dairy-free matcha latte!
Expert Tips
- Chill the filling if it’s runny: If the cinnamon roll filling is too runny to pipe into the pumpkin pancakes, pop it in the fridge to chill for 5-10 minutes. This will help it firm up.
- Wipe the pan between batches: Take a damp paper towel and wipe the pan between batches to prevent any residue from building up and burning.
- Watch the heat: Keep the heat low (like a 2 or 3 for most stovetops) so the pancakes cook fully and evenly without getting too dark on the outside.
- Storing leftover pancakes: Put these pumpkin spice cinnamon roll pancakes into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the cream drizzle in a separate container! To freeze, separate the pancakes with layers of parchment paper between the pancakes for up to 1 month. You can reheat them from frozen, too.
- Reheating leftovers: You can use the microwave in a pinch, but I recommend using the oven if possible. Leftover pancakes have a much better texture. It takes about 5 minutes at 300°F.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re looking for another topping, you can use pure maple syrup, this homemade raspberry chia jam, or your favorite flavor jam.
Enjoy a simple breakfast and prepare yourself a hot coffee or a fancy whipped coffee! I love a fresh acai smoothie to keep me feeling full.
Go all out and make brunch! These vegan savory muffins and some vegan sausage links are wonderful savory pairings.
Recipe Video
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Recipe FAQs
The heat from the pan can burn the cinnamon swirl, so instead, the pancakes cook on one side over low heat with a lid to trap steam so it cooks all the way through, and you don’t have to worry about a burnt swirl.
If you don’t have a piping bag, you may use a Ziploc bag instead. Fill it like normal, seal it after gently squeezing out the air, and then snip off one of the corners. It’s a quick and easy way to pipe icing!
The edges of the pumpkin pancakes will be fully set and start to brown, while the top doesn’t have any visible wet batter.
Yes! They reheat so well. You can make them a day or two in advance and reheat them in the oven. It’s perfect for meal prep, so you can have tasty pancakes all week.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120g
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon canned coconut milk
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon Filling Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon vegan butter
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Drizzle Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegan cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon coconut milk
Instructions
- Start by making your pancake mix by combining all of the pancake ingredients and whisking them well.
- Next, whisk together the cinnamon filling ingredients. Transfer the filling to a piping bag and spin a tiny hole at the bottom.
- Grease your pan and turn on the heat to low. Add about ¼ cup of batter to the pan for each pancake.
- Immediately after you have added the batter to the pan, start piping the cinnamon swirl on top of the pancake.
- Since sugar burns very easily, we are not going to be flipping these pancakes. Instead, cook them on low heat. Once you have piped the cinnamon swirl, close the pan with a lid so that the pancakes can cook all the way through.
- Cook each pancake for 3-5 minutes on low heat, until it has fully cooked through. You will get about 6 pancakes from this recipe.
- To make the icing, combine the cream cheese, maple syrup, and coconut milk, and whisk together.
- Pour the cream cheese icing over your pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes and dig in!
Notes
- Cook the pancakes over low heat with a lid on the pan, instead of flipping them. This helps them steam through evenly while keeping the cinnamon swirl from burning.
- If the cinnamon filling is too runny to pipe, chill it in the fridge for 5–10 minutes. This helps it firm up so it’s easier to swirl into the pancakes.
- No piping bag? A Ziploc bag works just as well. Simply fill it, press out the air, seal it, and snip a small corner for an easy DIY piping bag.
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