Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Name: Healthy Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: ½ cup bran cereal (such as All Bran Original), crushed; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 cup buttermilk (or 1% milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar); ¼ cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh, not pie filling); 2 egg whites; ½ cup plain Greek yogurt; ¼ cup light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon ground walnuts or crushed bran cereal; 1 tablespoon honey; Additional walnuts for topping

Recipe GLPR0bcbd8a6d5b134

Breakfast

10 min

376 cal

Servings: 3

Oven

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Fluffy whole-grain pancakes infused with pumpkin and cinnamon, topped with a sweet cinnamon-brown sugar filling and creamy honey-yogurt drizzle. These nutritious pancakes combine bran cereal, Greek yogurt, and egg whites for a protein-rich breakfast that tastes indulgent while keeping things light and wholesome.

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Ingredients

½ cup bran cereal (such as All Bran Original), crushed

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk (or 1% milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar)

¼ cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh, not pie filling)

2 egg whites

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground walnuts or crushed bran cereal

1 tablespoon honey

Additional walnuts for topping

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed bran cereal, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir well to distribute the leavening agents evenly throughout the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and egg whites until smooth and fully combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until just combined; the batter should be slightly lumpy, not overmixed.
Heat a griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, pour ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until the top surface becomes bubbly and the edges appear set, about 2 minutes.
Flip each pancake carefully and cook on the second side until light golden brown and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer finished pancakes to a plate and keep warm.
While the pancakes cook, prepare the cinnamon filling by whisking together the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl until smooth.
Stir the ground walnuts into the cinnamon filling until it reaches a spreadable consistency. If the filling is too thick, add a splash of water; if too thin, add more ground walnuts.
Transfer the cinnamon filling into a small plastic bag or piping bag, snip a small corner, and pipe a spiral of filling onto the top of each warm pancake.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and honey until completely smooth and pourable.
Transfer the honey-yogurt mixture to a small plastic bag or piping bag, snip a corner, and drizzle it in a zigzag pattern over each pancake.
Sprinkle additional chopped walnuts on top of each pancake and serve immediately while warm.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

This recipe works well for a Charlotte weeknight: all ingredients are standard pantry items and protein staples (greek yogurt, egg whites, bran cereal) available at every major chain. The 10-minute time is honest for mixing and cooking, though dirtying a blender or extra bowls for the wet and dry ingredients adds real effort. At roughly $1.50 to $1.80 per serving, the cost is reasonable and driven mainly by the greek yogurt and walnuts. The pancakes reheat adequately but lose crispness, so they suit a make-ahead breakfast rather than a fussy weeknight dinner; the pumpkin and cinnamon land perfectly in the Carolinas' fall season.