Cinnamon Toast Crunch Pancakes
Cinnamon toast crunch pancakes are soft, moist, and infused with all the cinnamon and sugary goodness that will bring back the best childhood memories!
This simple pancake recipe hits the spot when you want a little something extra for a special breakfast or brunch or when you feel like having pancakes for dessert. Serve with a topping of melted butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar and you’re in for a kid-friendly treat that even grown-ups get excited about!
About this recipe
If you were lucky enough to catch it while iHop had it on their menu, you’ll know that one of their more recent creations was the cinnamon toast crunch pancakes. They topped their buttermilk pancakes with a whole lot of whipped deliciousness and some crunchy cinnamon toast cereal.
This recipe is even better than that! It isn’t exactly a copycat recipe because it takes it one step further and infuses the cereal flavor right into the pancakes. What results is a very similar style pancake to iHop…only better!
If you love this idea, don’t miss our froot loop pancakes and fruity pebbles pancakes!
The cereal and the milk are combined until the cereal has soaked up the milk. Then, the milk is strained back out and what you’re left with is cinnamon cereal flavored milk that gets used in the pancakes. It gives it the flavor of the cereal without overpowering anything. Using homemade Bisquick mix adds so much convenience to making pancakes. If you don’t have any on hand I suggest you take a few minutes to whip up a batch and keep the rest in a jar for next time.
Keep a box of cinnamon toast crunch nearby because whether you’re making these cereal pancakes for your family on an easy-breezy weekend or bright and early during the week, they’re definitely going to become part of your family’s favorite pancake rotation! If you can’t get enough cinnamon, try pairing these pancakes with a cinnamon dolce latte!
What you need
For the cereal flavored milk
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal – Will be toasted in the oven and cooled before soaking in milk.
- Whole milk – Whole milk gives it a richer texture but 2% will also work.
For the pancakes
- Bisquick mix – Spooned and leveled
- Granulated sugar – The mix doesn’t have sugar in it, so you’ll need it for sweetness.
- Baking powder – This recipe requires a bit more baking powder than what is already in the Bisquick mix. Makes for extra fluffy pancakes!
- Ground cinnamon – More cinnamon flavor for the pancakes.
- Eggs – Used as a way to bind the pancakes and hold the structure.
- Egg yolk – Just 1 will be enough to add moisture to these pancakes.
For the cinnamon sugar coating
- Salted butter – Unsalted will work too, if it’s what you have!
- Sugar & cinnamon – A way to bring the whole experience up a notch.
How to make it
Bake the cereal on a baking sheet at 300ºF and let it cool before adding it to a bowl of milk. Let it sit and steep for 30 minutes.
Once it has set for 30 minutes, strain the milk through a fine-mesh strainer. Set the cereal flavored milk aside.
In a large bowl, lightly whisk together the Bisquick, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon until combined but the mixture is still a little clumpy.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolk with a fork then add in the milk and beat until combined.
Fold the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula, you want it to be well mixed but still lumpy. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat a griddle and cook the pancakes until the tops start to bubble, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook 1 minute more.
Next, it’s time to really level up! You’ll brush the pancakes with melted butter (yum!).
And then, sprinkle it with a cinnamon sugar mixture to really mimic the cereal. They’re so good!
How to make these pancakes your own
- Make additional toasted cinnamon toast crunch cereal to crumble on top of the pancakes before serving.
- Spread with a little maple cinnamon butter.
- Drizzle with chocolate sauce and whipped cream for extra yum.
- Cinnamon apple compote would complement the cinnamon pancakes so nicely.
- Simple maple syrup is always a good idea.
Make Ahead Ideas
The cereal milk can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before use. This will save you some time when you’re ready to make them.
Storage Suggestions
Once cooled, keep pancakes stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They also freeze really well and can be kept frozen for up to 1 month. Double this recipe and freeze the second batch for a quick and easy breakfast down the road.
Reheating Tips
If you have a lot of pancakes that need heating up you can also use the oven on low heat (200-250ºF). For a softer pancake, use the microwave for about 20 seconds each.
Other cinnamon spiced recipes
- Cinnamon apple skillet pancakes
- Pumpkin monkey bread muffins made with cinnamon rolls
- Pumpkin sheet pancakes (with a cinnamon butter drizzle!)
- Cinnamon pancakes
- Snickerdoodle Pancakes – you’ll love these cinnamon dusted cookie-like pancakes!
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Pancakes
Ingredients
Cereal Milk
- 1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
- 1 cup whole milk
Pancakes
- 2 cups bisquick mix spooned and leveled
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 4 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF and spread the cereal out on a baking sheet.
- Bake the cereal for 15 minutes then remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Add the cereal to a bowl with 1 cup of milk and let steep, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
- Strain the cereal milk through a fine mesh strainer and gently press the cereal to wring out any milk but don’t press so hard that the cereal pushes through and set the milk aside.
- In a large bowl, lightly whisk together the bisquick, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon until combined but the mixture is still a little clumpy.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolk with a fork then add in the milk and beat until combined.
- Fold the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula, you want it to be well mixed but still lumpy. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a griddle to 275ºF and grease, if needed. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to portion the batter out onto the griddle and cook the pancakes until the tops start to bubble, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook 1 minute more.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Brush the pancakes with melted butter then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Serve with butter, maple syrup, vanilla icing, etc.
Notes
- Makes 10-12 pancakes
- The cereal milk can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before use.
- The pancakes have a light cinnamon toast crunch flavor from the milk but it isn’t overpowering, the cinnamon sugar coating really takes it over the top. We like to add it to the top and bottom but you could just do the top.