Cinnamon Roll Waffles
Sweet Cinnamon Roll Waffles are the perfect celebratory breakfast or brunch! This from-scratch recipe starts with a buttermilk waffle base and has a sweet cinnamon-sugar layer swirled into the batter before the waffles bake. Topped with a cream cheese icing drizzle, this recipe exudes those classic cinnamon roll flavors without requiring a ton of time.
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We’re finishing off the Year of the Waffle with a cinnamon roll, and it feels appropriate given the fact that we make from-scratch Cinnamon Rolls twice a year: for Christmas morning and for Mother’s Day.
This cinnamon roll waffle recipe is an actual waffle — we’re not squishing a pre-made cinnamon roll dough in the waffle iron and calling it a day. Mostly because I tried that with a bonus can of cinnamon rolls earlier this year and didn’t like it. 😉
These waffles bring the sweetness and those caramelized notes of the filling that stick to the bottom of the pan.
They’re the best kind of breakfast or brunch treat, be they for a holiday, a birthday celebration or just because.
Why we love this recipe:
While my sister and one of my daughters aren’t into cinnamon, let me state: if you do like cinnamon and love a GOOD cinnamon roll, it’s going to be hard not to adore this recipe.
These easy cinnamon roll waffles have a beautiful swirl of cinnamon-sugar goodness, reminiscent of the filling of a classic cinnamon roll. (And actually, this recipe is adapted from my Cinnamon Roll Pancakes!)
The waffles themselves are fluffy and slightly sweet with some crispiness on the exterior. And then when topped with a cream cheese glaze, they give a nod to the classic breakfast and brunch recipe.
Like many of our other waffle recipes this year, these Cinnamon Roll Waffles start with a classic buttermilk waffle base.
Not only does buttermilk add an awesome gentle tanginess to waffles, but it is acidic, so it helps give the batter some lift when combined with baking soda. (Hello, kitchen chemistry!)
These waffles require a little planning ahead because the cinnamon-sugar swirl needs to sit for a bit before you pipe it into the waffle batter on the iron. But let me state: it is worth the trouble for the flavor these waffles bring to the table!
Other waffle recipes you might enjoy: Banana Waffles | Blueberry Waffles | Chocolate Waffles | Red Velvet Waffles | The Best Waffles without Buttermilk
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Piping bag
- A waffle iron (but if you’re looking to feed a crowd quickly, check out this Double Belgian Waffle Maker)
- Kitchen scale
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Wire rack for cooling
- ½ cup measuring cup
- Silicone pastry brush or nonstick cooking spray
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to grab from the grocery store:
- Unsalted butter — this adds a buttery base for the swirl that is piped into the waffles. You may use salted butter if that’s what you have on hand. If that’s what you have, omit the salt from the swirl.
- Brown sugar — light or dark brown sugar works for our cinnamon-sugar swirl. I like the molasses undertones brown sugar brings (as opposed to white sugar.)
- Ground cinnamon — this gives the cinnamon roll flavor, and there is no substitute.
- Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is my go-to. Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand. This is needed for the swirl, as well as the waffle batter. You may use a similarly sized sea salt. Keep in mind that table salt is saltier than kosher.
- All-purpose flour — we always have unbleached AP flour at our house, but the regular kind works, too!
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this adds sweetness to the batter.
- Cornstarch — this helps the exterior of the waffles crisp up. There is no substitute.
- Leaveners — we use a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Make sure yours are fresh.
- Buttermilk — this makes an impact on the texture of these waffles. If you don’t have buttermilk at your house, you can make a buttermilk substitute easily!
- Eggs — large eggs or extra large eggs are what I use in all baking recipes.
- Flavorless oilor melted butter — avocado, vegetable or canola oil are perfect. If you’re using melted butter, make sure you give it a little time to cool so it won’t scramble the eggs!
- Vanilla extract — the real deal pure vanilla extract is where it’s at. This adds amazing flavor.
How to make Cinnamon Roll Waffles
First, we’re going to make our cinnamon-sugar swirl.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Set aside for a few minutes.
Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon and salt in another bowl. Whisk to combine.
Pour the warm butter into the sugar mixture. Stir until combined.
Transfer to a plastic bag or a piping bag, and set aside. (This will help us swirl the mixture into the waffles without a lot of messiness. We’ll snip the bag when it’s time.)
Let this sit for 20-30 minutes.
Next, we make the homemade buttermilk waffle batter.
Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. This is the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until combined and set aside.
Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup or a smaller mixing bowl. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla.
Whisk them or stir them with a fork until everything is well-combined.
Pro tip!
We mix these vigorously because if you don’t give them a good mix, there will be ribbons of egg white in the cooked waffles. It’s not a pleasant look or texture, so please learn from my mistakes.
Once the wet ingredients are well combined, pour them directly into the dry ingredients.
Use a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined.
If you overmix the batter, the waffles will become tougher, so just stir until the flour is incorporated. It’s OK if this homemade batter has lumps.
Set the homemade waffle batter aside, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. It can rest up to 30 minutes. You’ll notice that the batter almost immediately starts expanding, thanks to the chemical reaction between the buttermilk and the baking soda.
While the batter rests, preheat the waffle iron and give it a spritz of nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter. This is extremely important to prevent the waffles from sticking.
Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the batter onto the hot waffle maker.
I used a ½ cup to scoop these waffles, but this will be dependent on the size of your waffle iron.
Snip the pastry bag with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Swirl it from the middle to near the edge of the waffles. If you get it right at the edge, it might bubble out and stick to the sides of the waffle iron, which is not ideal.
Close the waffle iron, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until your waffle iron alerts you that the waffle is done. Open the waffle iron and remove when golden brown and delicious.
If there is any excess cinnamon-sugar swirl on the waffle iron, wipe it down with a damp cloth between rounds to remove. It can and will burn and make it trickier to remove the waffles from the iron. After wiping down, spritz with extra cooking spray.
Serve your waffle with a drizzle of cream cheese icing, a dollop of whipped cream and/or some pure maple syrup.
How to store and freeze
Leftover waffles store and freeze easily! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or a toaster oven on a lower heat until crispy.
To freeze, line a sheet pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Lay out the leftover waffles in a single layer. Transfer to the freezer, and freeze until frozen. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To reheat, defrost in the refrigerator OR defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave, then toast until crispy.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
These Cinnamon Roll Waffles are fabulous for a morning gathering, be it a homegate, a birthday breakfast, a special Saturday morning or a holiday brunch.
Making waffles for a crowd requires some patience and planning. This recipe is no different and might actually require more planning.
You either need to work ahead and keep the waffles warm OR you borrow a waffle iron from friends to make the process quicker.
Here are a few tips and tricks to making waffles a brunch centerpiece:
- Depending on the amount of people you’re serving, double the recipe.
- Make the waffles before guests arrive, and keep them warm in the oven. We put ours on baking sheets* (affiliate link) and keep them warm in a 200°F oven. You could also reheat them in a toaster oven for an extra crispy exterior.
- Transform your table into a waffle bar! Offer various toppings, like cream cheese frosting, maple syrup, sweetened whipped cream, sliced bananas, strawberries and other fruits and more. Let guests dress their waffles to their hearts’ content.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my testing of that, I didn’t like the end result, so I made a homemade waffle with a cinnamon swirl. If you’d prefer to do this with your favorite cinnamon rolls, that’s fine, but this is not the recipe for you because it doesn’t offer how to actually do it. I could not perfect it in a way to where I loved them better than the from-scratch rendition shared here.
You need to wipe down excess cinnamon-sugar swirl after each round of waffles, as well as spritz the iron with additional nonstick cooking spray.
In my opinion, to secret to fluffy waffles is using the combination of buttermilk and baking soda. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately so you don’t overmix the batter is important. Also, making sure your leaveners are both fresh so that the waffles puff up!
To get a crispy exterior on your waffles, your waffle iron needs to be warmed up, as well as have a little fat on it. We brush ours with butter, but you can also spritz it with nonstick cooking spray.
Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Waffles
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the waffles won’t be as fluffy.
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring cup to ensure all your waffles are similarly sized.
- Leftover waffles? Freeze ’em! Line a baking sheet with wax paper, place the completely cooled waffles on the paper in a single layer and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the waffles are fully frozen, transfer to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warmed through.
Here’s how you can make these waffles…
Cinnamon Roll Waffles
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- ½ cup brown sugar 100g
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2g
Waffles
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 210g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ¼ cup cornstarch 50g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 12g
- 2 teaspoons baking soda 16g
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 4g
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup oil 60g
- 2 eggs ~100g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6g
Topping
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Instructions
Make the cinnamon swirl
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ground cinnamon and salt.
- Pour the melted butter into the sugar mixture, and stir to combine.
- Transfer to a plastic bag or a piping bag, and set aside. (This will help us swirl the mixture into the waffles without a lot of messiness. We’ll snip the bag when it’s time.)
- Let this sit for 20-30 minutes.
Make the waffles
- Combine the dry ingredients — the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt — in a large bowl and whisk together.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients — the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract — and whisk until smooth.
- It is important to stir this vigorously so that the egg mixes into the rest of the wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and slowly whisk together, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Make the waffles
- Preheat the waffle iron and spritz lightly with cooking spray. This is extremely important to keep the waffles from sticking to the iron.
- Pour ½ cup of the batter into the warmed waffle iron, spreading with a rubber spatula until at the edges.
- Drizzle a swirl of the cinnamon sugar into the batter.
- Cook per the manufacturer’s instructions. (I like mine crispy on the outside, so I cook them on a higher setting. To each their own.)
- Remove the waffles from the iron when cooked through.
- If there is any excess cinnamon-sugar swirl on the waffle iron after removing a waffle, wipe it down with a damp cloth between rounds to remove. It can and will burn and make it trickier to remove the waffles from the iron. After wiping down, spritz with extra cooking spray.
- Serve warm with a drizzle of cream cheese icing or warm maple syrup. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Just what I needed to satisfy my cinnamon roll craving but forgot to buy them at the store. Def making these again! And they freeze well!
Oh, I love to hear that this satisfied a cinnamon roll craving! Those are intense, especially when you don’t have cinny rolls at home, so I’m glad these worked in a pinch and that you’ll get to enjoy some out of the freezer, too.