Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

I went out the other morning with my two daughters.  We were headed to Sam's Club.  I'm lugging the baby in her carseat with one arm and holding my older daughter's hand.  I get into Sam's Club, flash my card, and the lady says, "Oh, are you not a plus member?"  "No, I'm not." "Well, the club is only open for plus members right now.  It opens for regular customers in twenty minutes.  Would you like to upgrade?"  I wish I could have seen the look that I flashed at her.  I think it may have turned her to stone for just a couple milliseconds.  All disgruntled, I lug the girls back across the parking lot. I figured since we had twenty minutes to spare, we'd go get a little something for breakfast.  Panera was close by.  We ordered our food and sat down.  I was savoring every bite of my bagel and enjoying a quiet breakfast.  As I took a bite of my bagel, I glanced at my daughter, who at that very moment karate-chopped her muffin in an attempt to break it in half.  She didn't notice that I saw her, and I asked, "Did you just karate chop that muffin?"  She laughed and nodded.  We both started laughing hysterically.  Ever since, she has been trying to karate chop things in half, unsuccessfully, but I get a kick out of it every time.

She even tried to karate chop these pancakes in half, and all she ended up with was an icing-covered delicious mess on her hand.  Let me say this... this pancakes are amazing!  I want to know why these have not been in my life for the past thirty years!  Where, oh where, have you been sweet pancakes?  My husband, who has never been one to enjoy pancakes, took a bite, paused, and confessed his undying love for me right there at the table.  These really are pretty simple.  And besides, the taste in your mouth is well worth the extra few minutes it takes to whip these up.  

Praise cinnamon roll pancakes!  I hope some eloquent poet somewhere in the world has a poem dedicated to these.  If not, there should be.

 Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
source: http://www.life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com/2012/02/cinnamon-roll-pancakes.html

Pancakes:
1 c flour
2 t baking powder
1/ t salt
1 c milk
1 T canola oil
1 egg

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 c butter, melted
3/4 c brown sugar
1 T cinnamon

Icing:
4 T butter
2 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

Make the cinnamon filling first.  Measure ingredients into a small ziplock bag.  Place mixture into the fridge while you prepare everything else.

In a bowl, add the dry ingredients for the pancakes.  Whisk them together.  Add the milk, oil, and egg.  Whisk just until combined.  Don't overmix.

While that sits, prepare the icing.  Melt the butter and cream cheese in the microwave.  Take it out and add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Set aside.

Heat a griddle over medium heat.  Get your cinnamon filling out of the fridge and cut a small hole in one of the corners of the bag.

Once the griddle is hot, add about 1/2 c pancake batter.  Squeeze some of the filling out in a spiral pattern on the pancake before flipping it.  Don't get too close to the edge!  If you do, the cinnamon filling will ooze off the side and create a big ol' mess on the griddle.  Not that it happened to me!  ;)

Once bubble pop up on the top surface and the bottom is golden brown, flip the pancake and cook a couple minutes longer.

Serve on a plate drizzled with some icing.

Ridiculous.  And when I say ridiculous, I mean ridiculously delicious!