High Protein Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Soft, fluffy pancakes meet the buttery cinnamon swirl and creamy glaze of a classic cinnamon roll. These high protein cinnamon roll pancakes use skyr, egg, and egg white for a tender texture and extra protein without protein powder. Dark muscovado creates a rich caramelized cinnamon spiral, while a light cream cheese glaze finishes the stack. Perfect for a sweet, satisfying high protein breakfast.
10 min
20 min
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Time for chilling, freezing, resting, marinating or rising, in addition to preparation and cooking.
15 min
🍽️ Servings: 2
Pancakes (10 pancakes)
- 100 g wheat flour type 960
- 300 g thick natural skyr
- 2 large eggs (100 g)
- 2 egg whites (60 g)
- 40 g whole milk
- 10 g baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 g)
- 2 pinch fine sea salt (1 g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (5 g)
Cinnamon Swirl
- 16 g unsalted butter
- ground cinnamon, for dusting
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (3 g)
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 30 g light cream cheese
- 50 g thick natural skyr
- 10 g icing sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 g)
- 20 g whole milk
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions
- Melt the butter for the cinnamon swirl and let it cool slightly. Mix in the dark muscovado sugar and cinnamon until thick and glossy. Transfer to a small piping bag and set aside. The mixture should remain soft enough to pipe but should not be runny.
- Add the skyr, egg, egg white, milk, and vanilla to a bowl. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
- Leave the batter to rest for 15 minutes. It should be thick enough to briefly hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Cook the pancakes immediately after resting.
- Mix the cream cheese, skyr, icing sugar, vanilla, and milk until completely smooth and pourable.
- Heat a good nonstick pan over low heat. Lightly grease the surface, then wipe away almost all of the excess fat.
- Spoon one fifth of the batter onto the pan. Keep it compact and do not spread it out. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 10 pancakes.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is set, bubbles begin to appear, and the outer surface starts to lose its wet appearance.
- Cut a very small opening in the piping bag. Pipe a thin cinnamon spiral from the center outward, stopping about 1 cm from the edge.
- Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until the surface is mostly set and the pancake can be flipped without collapsing.
- Flip carefully and cook the cinnamon side for about 30 seconds. The butter and muscovado will melt and caramelize quickly, so avoid cooking this side for too long.
- Transfer the pancake to a tray with the cinnamon side facing upward. Wipe any caramelized sugar from the pan before cooking the next pancake.
- Stack the pancakes with the cinnamon swirls facing upward. Spoon the cream cheese glaze over the stack and finish with a light dusting of cinnamon.
Tips & More Info
Why should the batter only rest briefly?
A short rest gives the flour time to absorb moisture from the skyr, milk, and egg, which makes the batter thicker and helps the pancakes hold their shape. Leaving the batter for a long time can weaken the lift from the baking powder and make the final pancakes less fluffy.
Keep the heat low
These pancakes are thick and contain plenty of dairy and egg, so the center needs time to cook before the outside becomes too dark. Gentle heat allows the structure inside to set while the pancake gradually rises.
Add the cinnamon swirl late
Butter and muscovado melt quickly on a hot pan. Adding the spiral after the pancake has partially cooked keeps it close to the surface instead of allowing it to sink deeply into the batter.
Keep the swirl away from the edge
Leaving a clean border helps contain the melted butter and sugar when the pancake is flipped. A spiral piped all the way to the edge is much more likely to leak onto the pan and burn.
Why use skyr?
Skyr adds plenty of protein while also bringing moisture and a gentle acidity to the batter. This gives the pancakes a softer texture without relying on protein powder, which can make pancakes dry when used heavily.
Do not make the pancakes too large
Five smaller pancakes are easier to cook through while keeping them thick. A large pancake needs substantially more time for heat to reach the center, increasing the chance of an overcooked exterior or an undercooked middle.