Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

The very first recipe I ever posted on this blog was my favorite pancake recipe. And I still love it and use it all the time - for myself and all the Pancakes with the Princess meals. And in fact, it is used in this recipe too! This is just the ultimate twist on pancakes.


I found this recipe on the It's a Keeper blog. It's one of my new favorite blogs to use for recipe hunts. I made these for the first time when I had Ronda over for dinner, and she and I fell in LOVE with this recipe. It takes a little bit of extra time beyond the prep for regular pancakes, but TRUST ME. You will be so very glad you took the time. These will revolutionize your pancake life. I'm so not even kidding.
The Recipe


** In addition to what is listed below, gather all the ingredients for your favorite regular pancake recipe. This is the link to mine. **


1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar
2 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons milk

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Microwave on high for 10 second increments until it is soft and can be squeezed through a bag. Transfer mixture into a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.

Pour pancake batter onto hot griddle. Pipe cinnamon mixture onto batter in a swirl shape. When pancakes are lightly browned, flip and cook until done.

Using the hand mixer, mix powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and milk until smooth and pour the icing into a Ziploc bag. Squeeze it over the cooked pancakes.
Here are the ingredients listed above. The pancake ingredients aren't shown.

I actually slightly melted the butter first and then added the brown sugar and cinnamon. (I also only made half a batch because I only made half a batch of the pancakes.) I learned not to completely melt the butter or it will be too runny to work with when piping.

I stirred them all together with a spoon, making sure to blend the softened butter in well. It made a really thick paste - not quite as thick as peanut butter.

I just spooned it into a sandwich bag and crammed it all down into the corner.

I slightly softened the cream cheese and then poured the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in with it.

I started out stirring with the spoon but did use the mixer (I was on the phone and forgot to take a picture of that part) to end up making sure it was smooth. Then I poured it into a baggie. It was pretty runny. I could have used a little more cream cheese.

This is the pancake batter. Because this recipe took more time to make than plain pancakes, and I have been making it for company, I learned that I can mix up all three parts (the cinnamon mix, the cream cheese mix, and the pancake batter) and just leave them until it's time to eat - and then I just start pouring. Works great!

Warning: These pancakes are VERY rich. So it's probably a good idea to make them smaller. I was able to get three in my skillet, which is not very big.

After some bubbles began to form on the top, I snipped the corner of the baggie and swirled on the cinnamon mixture.

Then I flipped them. (Please note I do not always flip gracefully. Oh well. I'm not trying to win a magazine cover.)

When flipped back over, here's what they look like. The cinnamon mixture sort of caramelizes. It's amazing.

I scooped them onto a plate, cinnamon side up and drizzled on the cream cheese mixture.

Happiness on a plate. No syrup needed. Seriously.

Dear Jonathan...

I am running behind (again), but here is my week-late post to celebrate Jonathan's graduation and the friendship we share.

Dear Jonathan...

YOU DID IT!!!! (Even though you wondered if the day would ever come.) I knew it would.
We've had a crazy ride of friendship. And even though it began before this day...it kind of began in earnest right around this time. You were there to celebrate my 10 years of work as a financial aid counselor. I like to think you showed up because I'm such a rockin' counselor. It was really because I offered you food. But let me live in my delusion.

You and I have had a LOT of fun...remember the night I helped you with your school project and we did a tour-de-Marion to take pictures of churches? You should be glad THIS is the picture I chose to post. Not the zoom-in of the sign. :)

Not gonna lie. Still a little jealous that you got to sing with David Phelps.

But you didn't get to sing Nessun Dorrrrrrrrma with him. Just sayin'.

Thank you for dragging me out of my house for McGee's launch last year. You have no idea how much I did NOT want to do anything but sit at home and cry that night. But God had a word for me on that lake. I'm glad you made me go hear it.

Yeah...just another day in the life of Jonathan...sittin' behind Bill and Gloria. Show off.

1. Thank you for being such a safe boat driver. 2. I remember this day. Your heart was breaking. I'm so proud of you for how you pushed through that time with a smile and faced what God asked of you. Seriously. Proud.

What was this? Your ninth lemon-shake up of the week? 1) How do you stay skinny? Those things are 50% sugar! 2.) How do you still have a stomach? Those things are 50% citric acid!

I remember this night too. I got sick from improper nutrition and overheating. (Imagine that...on both counts!) Thanks for being understanding. You're very good at that.

You have your very own Jesus stick. Welcome to the club. :)

I've never met anyone who loves the fair more than you do. Thanks for going with Rachel and me...another time you helped make a sad week better. You're pretty good at that, you know?

My first and only game of corn hole. Remember how we were halfway through the game before I knew I was on your team instead of Katy's? I'm sorry I made us lose.

You know, I'm not bitter or anything, but seriously? A gravel road? I know, I know. Your GPS got us there and that's all that matters. But seriously. GRAVEL??

From the day of shopping at the flea market. You know what I remember about this day? (And I won't ever forget it.) I remember walking to the car with you (before you got me not-quite-lost on that gravel road, not that I would bring that up again so soon) and telling you that I wasn't worth anything because Isaac left me. And if I'd been worth something, he would have stayed. And I remember you stopped me right there in the parking lot and very sternly told me that wasn't true...and that you knew I didn't believe it...couldn't believe it right then. But you were going to believe it for me until I could do so for myself. Thank you.

A true appreciator of dessert. :)

You were the first person to buy my book. I love that!

Another thing I'm not bitter about is this blessed jet ski you threw me off of, ruining my hair day and causing me to inhale things I don't even want to think about. And then you believed me when I said I was fine. I WAS NOT FINE!!!!!

In the desert, I never wanted to leave home. But you made me leave, and that was the best thing for me. Thanks for inviting me to the lake, understanding when I needed large quantities of journaling time, making coffee for me, and even coming to find me to make sure I was okay when I'd disappear to cry.

Don't ever take me through the tunnel of spiders again. Unless you're trying to kill me. And then this is a surefire method.

I'm sure you're still very proud of the day you coerced me out of the boat and into the lake. For the record, I do prefer this method to being thrown in off a jet ski.

Ahh memories....each of us exercising our gifts. You behind the boat...me behind the camera.

And of course, topping the list of many things you've taught me...the art of grilling. You're still way better, but I'm learning!

Jonathan, I never could have survived 2010 without you. Thank you for hurting with me (sometimes because you were just hurting for you and we could hurt simultaneously, but sometimes you hurt FOR me and I appreciated that too), for dragging me out of my house, for giving me occasions to put in a scrapbook when all I would have done was sit at home and cry, for encouraging me, for telling me I mattered, and for making me laugh. (Even when it was at my own expense.)

Don't forget what I told you that God revealed to me that day on the prayer path. He's raising you up for extraordinary things. You go out and be a mighty man for Him!! I'm so proud of you.

IWU Class of 2011

I don't typically get into graduation all that much, but this year, since both Rachel and Jonathan crossed the stage, I spent some time enjoying the festivities.

Last Friday night was the Baccalaureate service. I volunteered to be an usher so I could spend that extra time being part of their special night.

The service began with a very moving time of worship. They sang one of my favorite choruses: Blessed Be Your Name.
Chorale sang two songs...Jonathan's last weekend to be a member of Chorale! (That's him in the middle in the blue tie.)

Of course, A Mighty Fortress was one of the songs...and of course...I cried.

After it was over, I caught up with Miss Rachel. Isn't she beautiful?

And here is Mr. Jonathan. I haven't seen as much of him in recent weeks - which is why you haven't either. But I am so thankful for his friendship and for the incredible support he was to me in my desert last year. I never would have made it through that time without him! And I'm SO proud of him for graduating (with a red AND pink tassle! LOL!)

Saturday (which was the actual day of graduation) was open house day at the Smith household. Amazingly enough I was a horrible picture taker that day. Did I get pictures while people were still dressed up? No. Did I get the cakes? No. What did I do? I sprawled out on the living room floor with Katy (Austin's girlfriend) and spent my time giggling at her and chowing down. What a superb open house guest I make! So here are my sad photos from that day. Here's Jonathan:
And here's Austin with my buddy, Silas. He remembered me from vacation. Silas, not Austin. Please note that I am duly embarrassed over my paparazzi skills and will endeavor to do better in the future.

Sunday afternoon was Rachel's open house. I love this picture. Rachel's sister took it and I didn't even know it! I realize it looks like I'm squishing her and she's saying "PLEASE HELP ME!" but I assure you...this is not true. This is just the way we hug. She's the little sister I never had.
The official posed picture. I loved her open house. The food was amazing, she has the most beautiful dog that I made friends with, and it was fun to chat with her family, too!

My favorite part of the open house. When we walked up to the front door, this laptop was sitting there, and this gentleman said, "Hello! Welcome!" Because I'm a nerd who will talk to computers, I said, "Hi! Thanks!" then I thought - Wait. Why did I just talk to a computer? Am I being punk'd? Am I on candid camera? Turns out this is some friend of theirs who couldn't come to the open house, so he served as the Skype greeter. I actually apologized to him later for thinking he was a computer program.

So now that I'm full of cake and other fun food, I think I'm going to call it a year for open houses. Thanks, Rachel, and Jonathan, for letting me celebrate with you!

Braeya is FIVE!

Today is Miss Braeya Jo Jo's fifth birthday.

I got Braeya from my friend Kari, and she was my pick of the litter (literally) because of her gorgeous markings. When I took her to the vet, they asked where I got her, because she was so pretty. I told them she was just a mutt cat born in a garage (and boy does she ever act it, too!). When I told them she was the only kitten in the litter that wasn't black and white, they told me she had to have had a different father. So I came home and told Kari her cat was a tramp. (HA!)

Now that I've aired Braeya's dirty laundry (which is a fair trade for the way she plays in mine), I thought I'd show you life with the very busy five year old birthday girl.

This was taken on Kaegan's birthday. (Told you they were born in a garage...their idea of a fun birthday party is having it in the bathroom.) Anyway. See the red thing over the handle on the toilet? That's a Tupperware onion holder that hides the handle because otherwise Braeya will sit there for hours on end and flush the toilet.
Since this, after all, her home and not mine, she remains very disgusted when I dare to invite guests over. One of the rare exceptions: Miss Rachel Ashley.

Told you she plays in the laundry.

She becomes extremely annoyed if I don't turn on the fireplace for her. She'll sit in front of it, admiring herself in the glass, and cry and cry until I turn it on.

One of her odd quirks: she stands on fleece blankets, holds them in her mouth, and kneads them.

She also licks the snow shovel after I bring it in.

(It's this blessed cute face that keeps her from getting in serious trouble for some of her shenanigans. Those eyes are too beautiful!)

One of her perches. She likes to sit here while I work out and if I'm doing punches, she'll bat at my hands while I do them. I guess it's her version of a workout.

Braeya becomes the laptop. The computer has to move to another location.

When I write, she has to sit on the shelf by the books to watch me.

I have yet to teach her to bring me the coffee...

She not only plays with the toys, she gets them out of the toybox and carries them around the house in her mouth - like a dog.

A moment of innocence.

Always has to be in the photo shoot....

And really really doesn't like it when I leave.

She's been keeping me on my toes since the day she wobbled into the house at the age of six weeks. She's convinced her brother to tolerate her, broken a few Christmas ornaments, helped herself to far more food than I intended to share, and made me laugh so many times. She is the comedy routine in this establishment. Love this girl!!!