Mouthwatering Cinnamon Roll Cottage Cheese Pancakes
All the cozy flavor of a cinnamon roll in a tender, protein boosted stack of pancakes.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon divided
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened to about 70°F
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- Additional butter or coconut oil for greasing the pan
- Warm maple syrup for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, 1 tsp of the cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and cottage cheese until the mixture looks mostly smooth and creamy, with only tiny specks of cottage cheese remaining.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks of flour remain. The batter should be slightly thick and a bit lumpy. Set aside while you make the cinnamon swirl.
- In a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, brown sugar, and the remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon until you have a thick, smooth paste.
- Transfer the cinnamon sugar mixture to a small zip top bag or piping bag and push it toward one corner. Snip a very small tip off the corner to create a narrow opening for piping.
- Warm a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the surface with a little butter or coconut oil and let it heat until a drop of batter sizzles gently on contact.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the hot skillet, spacing the pancakes a few inches apart so they have room to spread slightly.
- Immediately pipe a spiral of the cinnamon sugar mixture over each pancake, starting in the center and working your way outward in a tight circle.
- Cook the pancakes until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set and slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Carefully flip each pancake with a wide spatula and cook on the second side until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Transfer cooked pancakes to a parchment lined baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining batter, lightly greasing the pan as needed between batches.
- Serve the pancakes warm, stacked high, with additional maple syrup on top if desired.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter; a few small lumps keep the pancakes tender.
- Let the melted coconut oil cool before mixing it with the eggs so it does not scramble them.
- Keep the cinnamon swirl paste thick so it stays in a neat spiral instead of melting and running.
- If the swirl mixture becomes too thin from the warm kitchen, chill it briefly to firm it up before piping.
- Leftover pancakes keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in a toaster or low oven.
- Let the melted coconut oil cool before mixing it with the eggs so it does not scramble them.
- Keep the cinnamon swirl paste thick so it stays in a neat spiral instead of melting and running.
- If the swirl mixture becomes too thin from the warm kitchen, chill it briefly to firm it up before piping.
- Leftover pancakes keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in a toaster or low oven.