Cheesecake Pancakes
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This Cheesecake Pancakes are every bit as indulgent as they sound. Soft, creamy, and totally over the top in the best way. If you’ve ever wished breakfast felt more like dessert (without going full cheesecake before 9 a.m.), this recipe is your dream come true. One bite, and you’ll understand why these pancakes have a fan following.
These are SO good as-is, but try serving them with a little whipped cream, crushed graham crackers, and pancake syrup for the ultimate indulgence.
What Makes This Recipe a Win
- Brunch recipes: With their rich, creamy texture and over-the-top flavor, these pancakes were made to impress at brunch.
- Valentine’s Day breakfast: These rich, decadent pancakes are a fun way to treat someone special (or yourself!).
- Make-ahead pancakes: Cook and freeze these in advance for a quick, indulgent breakfast any day of the week.
These cheesecake pancakes are everything you didn’t know you needed in a breakfast. They’re soft, fluffy, and loaded with little pockets of cream cheese that melt into the batter as they cook, basically like biting into a warm, pancake-wrapped cheesecake bite.
Inspired by Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings cookbook, this recipe feels fancy but is surprisingly easy to pull off. A splash of buttermilk keeps them light, while the cream cheese adds just the right amount of tangy richness to balance the sweetness.
Before You Start Cooking
To make Chrissy Teigen’s Cream Cheese Pancakes, you’ll need a mix of classic pancake ingredients with a few creamy upgrades. These are rich, fluffy, and bursting with flavor. The kind of pancakes that make weekend breakfast feel like a full event.
- Cream cheese – The star of the show. Let it soften before mixing to avoid lumps and keep the batter smooth.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the pancakes structure and balances the richness of the cream cheese.
- Sugar – Just enough to sweeten the batter without making it overly dessert-y.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt – This trio gives the pancakes their lift and keeps the texture soft and fluffy.
- Buttermilk – Adds tang and reacts with the leaveners for a better rise. Don’t skip it!
- Eggs – Help bind everything together and add richness.
- Butter – Melted and mixed into the batter for extra flavor and tenderness.
- Vinegar – A small amount boosts the rise and adds depth.
- Blueberries – Optional, but highly recommended. Fresh or frozen both work. Just fold them in gently.
These pancakes come together quickly and taste like a plate of cheesecake and pancakes had a brunch baby. It’s comfort food with a twist, and absolutely worth every bite.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
These cheesecake pancakes are dangerously good. The pockets of melty cream cheese are everything. Like little surprise bites of cream cheese tucked into a fluffy stack. My husband, who usually rolls his eyes at “fancy pancakes,” devoured these and went back for thirds. That’s how you know.
Tip from Jesseca:
Freeze the cream cheese cubes for at least 10 minutes before folding them into the batter. It helps them hold their shape while cooking and gives you those signature gooey cheesecake pockets.
Customize It
Cream cheese and pancakes make these a showstopper, but they’re also super easy to tweak depending on what you have on hand or what mood you’re in. Here are a few simple swaps and ideas to customize them:
- No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes as a quick substitute.
- Skip the blueberries if you’re not a fan or swap them with raspberries, diced strawberries, or even chocolate chips.
- Want them extra rich? Add a splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon to the batter for a flavor boost.
- Lighten them up – Use reduced-fat cream cheese or half the amount if you’re after a slightly less indulgent version (but let’s be real. Go big or go home).
These are flexible, forgiving, and still turn out ridiculously good no matter how you spin them.
Recipe FAQs
Technically yes, but it’s not recommended. Freezing the cubes helps them stay intact while cooking, so you get gooey pockets instead of them melting completely into the batter.
No problem! Just mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using — instant buttermilk.
It’s best to stick with full-fat block-style cream cheese. Whipped or low-fat versions don’t hold up as well and may melt too fast or affect the texture.
Absolutely. They’re totally optional. You can swap them with chocolate chips, chopped strawberries, or leave them out entirely if you’re going for a classic cheesecake vibe.
Yes! Reheat gently in a skillet or toaster for the best texture. Microwave works too but may soften the edges. They also freeze great — just stack with parchment in between and warm as needed.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Make Ahead: You can prep the batter (without the cream cheese) the night before and store it in the fridge. Just give it a quick stir in the morning and fold in the frozen cream cheese right before cooking. You can also cube and freeze the cream cheese ahead of time so it’s ready to go.
- Storage: Leftover pancakes keep well! Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or pop them in the toaster for crispy edges. They can also be frozen (stack with parchment between each) and reheated straight from the freezer in a toaster or oven.
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Blueberry Cream Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup butter (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Cut the cream cheese into small ¼-inch cubes. Place them in the freezer while you prep the rest of the ingredients. This keeps them from melting too quickly in the batter and helps create those creamy pockets in the pancakes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt ¼ cup (half a stick) of butter. Let it cool slightly so it doesn’t scramble the eggs in the next step.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vinegar. Once smooth, slowly whisk in the cooled melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined — it’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy. Fold in the frozen cream cheese cubes.
- Place a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, lightly grease the surface with the remaining butter.
- Pour about ⅓ cup of batter onto the pan for each pancake. Sprinkle a few blueberries over the top before the batter sets. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until you see tiny bubbles forming and the edges start to curl. Flip carefully and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve warm with syrup, butter, crushed graham crackers, or even a little extra cream cheese on top for the full cheesecake effect.
Equipment
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
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I made a recipe for 3 people. It came out horrible, why too runny and cream cheese just melted into globs.
Hi Ron, I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you. I haven’t made it in a while, but I definitely will add it to our menu so I can try to see what went wrong for you.
You mention they freeze well, but you don’t say the best way to reheat them. Please share.
Hi Margo. The way we’ve found is the easiest to reheat the frozen pancakes is to put them in a stack in the microwave. Heat them on the defrost setting for 30 seconds, flip and heat 30 seconds more.