Cornbread Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup
Classic homemade pancakes get a flavorful twist with these dairy free cornbread pancakes topped with homemade cinnamon syrup. They’re a great change of pace for your weekend breakfast, and they’ll be a favorite for cornbread lovers. Makes 4 servings.

Why I love these cornmeal pancakes
For literally two years now, I’ve been dying to make cornbread muffins. Occasionally, I’ll put it on my “to cook” list, and I’ll buy the ingredients only to put them in the cabinet and never think of them again.
I don’t know why that always happens, but I guess I get distracted. So instead of baking them, I thought I’d turn my favorite breakfast muffins into a pancake.
The recipe is pretty simple. It’s just a basic pancake made with cornmeal instead of boring, all-purpose flour, but the final outcome is anything but boring. It’s sweet, yet slightly savory, and the texture is phenomenal – just like real cornbread should be.
To really amp things up, I made a little bit of cinnamon syrup by warming some pancake syrup with a bit of buttery spread and adding just enough cinnamon to compliment the flavors in the cornbread pancakes.

Here’s what you’ll need to make them



How to make cornbread pancakes
I’ve updated this recipe to make it dairy free with one simple swap. Instead of using dairy milk, I use almond or oat milk. You can use any alternative milk you want.
To make the pancakes, I used my new double griddle pan on medium/medium-low with no butter, oil or cooking spray. Just put the batter directly on the griddle and the pancakes come out beautifully.

FAQs about cornbread pancakes
I let my husband make them. He’s the best pancake flipper ever. He never burns them, he never destroys a pancake when he’s flipping. And, they always come out so much prettier when he makes them. I’m impressed every time. Do you ever have trouble flipping the pancakes like I do?
While this recipe and Johnny cakes both have a base of cornmeal, eggs, butter, and baking powder, I’d like to think of these cornmeal pancakes as a step closer to traditional fluffy pancakes. To me, Johnny cakes are more of a savory and dense pancake.
Yes you can! Just freeze them flat on a baking sheet before transferring to a large plastic bag or sealed container. When you want to eat, grab a few and pop them in the microwave until warm. Spread a little butter and top with syrup and you’re good to go!
Yes! I am all about the easy morning routines. Go ahead and make your syrup the night before (or up to a few days in advance) keep the syrup in a sealed container in the fridge and if you want to enjoy it warm, just heat it up before pouring.

More breakfast recipes you’ll love
- Strawberry ricotta toast
- Tater tot breakfast casserole
- Oatmeal banana bread
- Chicken sausage breakfast tacos
More pancake recipes
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Cornbread Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup
These easy cornbread pancakes topped with homemade cinnamon syrup are a flavorful twist on a classic breakfast favorite. These sweet, fluffy cornmeal pancakes are made from scratch, no Jiffy mix necessary. They’re dairy free, but this recipe also has directions for how to make them vegan.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the pancakes:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup dairy free milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (or egg replacement, for vegan)
For the syrup:
- 1 cup pancake syrup
- 1 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat buttery spread, pancake syrup and cinnamon on low heat until buttery spread is melted. Whisk or stir until butter is incorporated into the syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in the milk, oil, vanilla and egg. Whisk until smooth.
- Preheat a non-stick griddle or large skillet to medium heat. (Coat pan with butter or oil if not using non-stick). Pour 1/4 – 1/3 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Allow it to cook until bubbles are visible throughout the pancake before flipping. Repeat until all batter has been used. (To keep cooked pancakes warm, place them in an oven set to 150F – 200F or on a plate tented with foil)
- Serve pancakes immediately and top with cinnamon syrup.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 426
- Sugar: 12.9 g
- Sodium: 368.4 mg
- Fat: 16.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.8 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 7.9 g
- Cholesterol: 46.5 mg
Keywords: dairy free, vegan option, easy, cornbread, cinnamon
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.
Published: June 5, 2014. Updated: April 2, 2022.
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