Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes [Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipe + Video!]

Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes are melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk pancakes stuffed with a no-bake cheesecake filling, then stacked and topped with chunky homemade strawberry syrup, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. Once you make this Cracker Barrel Cheesecake Pancakes Copycat recipe at home, you'll never look back!

Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Sometimes last year, my daughter Sarah and I went to Cracker Barrel for a girls' night out. She ordered the Cracker Barrel Stuffed Cheesecake Pancakes and she was hooked!

(I think what she ordered was actually called the "New Stuffed Cheesecake Pancake Breakfast" because they also came with sausage and maybe something else, but that's neither here nor there.)

A few months later, after a particularly hard day for her, I decided to try and recreate the Cracker Barrel Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes recipe for her at home. She immediately declared them one of her most favorite meals ever so I decided I needed to share them with the world!

If you are looking for a delicious and decadent breakfast recipe that tastes like dessert, look no further than these fluffy and irresistible Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes! This Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipe is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

Video

Why You'll Love Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed Pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, there's nothing quite like the indulgence of a Strawberry Cheesecake Pancake. These fluffy stacks of goodness are the stuff dreams are made of.

The combination of creamy cheesecake filling, sweet strawberries, and fluffy pancakes is simply irresistible. They are the perfect blend of comfort food and dessert, and they never fail to satisfy even the most discerning pancake lover.

These stuffed cheesecake pancakes have a light and airy texture and are stuffed with the best creamy cheesecake filling and topped with sweetened strawberries. Every bite is bursting with flavor and textures that will leave your taste buds dancing.

What I love about this recipe is that I can indulge in a fancy, restaurant-quality breakfast, but in the comfort of our own home. You can whip up a batch whenever you have a craving, without having to "go out" to eat!

And the best part? My daughter thought my version was as good, if not better than the Cracker Barrel Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes.

Seriously - do try this at home!!

What are Cracker Barrel Stuffed Cheesecake Pancakes?

The Stuffed Cheesecake Pancakes recipe from Cracker Barrel consists of two folded buttermilk pancakes, stuffed with cheesecake filling, topped with fresh strawberries, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with strawberry syrup.

For my version of Cracker Barrel Cheesecake Pancakes, I also use fluffy buttermilk pancakes (technically not cream cheese pancakes, but still) and fill or stuff them with an easy no-bake cheesecake filling.

Then I make a strawberry syrup and top with whipped cream, fresh berries, and powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Strawberry syrup:

• Strawberries - chopped up really small
• Sugar
• Lemon Juice - you could use fresh-squeezed but bottled lemon juice is just fine!
• Vanilla Extract - Store-bought or homemade vanilla

Cheesecake filling:

• Cream Cheese - Full-fat cream cheese is the only way to go here
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla Extract - Store-bought or homemade vanilla
• Heavy Whipping Cream - Not half & half but real heavy cream

Pancakes:

• Buttermilk - If you don't have any, you can use a buttermilk substitute (recipe here)
• Whole Milk - The amount may vary depending on how thick or thin you like your pancake batter
• Eggs - Whole large eggs
• Butter - I use salted, but unsalted would be fine
• Sugar
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• All Purpose Flour

Toppings:

• Strawberries - fresh sliced or chopped
• Real Whipped Cream - freshly made (I have a whipped cream recipe here) or Redi-whip
• Graham Cracker Crumbs - optional, sprinkled on top for a little more texture and cheesecake-iness 😂 Of course, you can also crush your own graham crackers.
• Powdered Sugar - optional, dust it over the top

How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Strawberry Syrup:

1. Combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat to a gentle simmer until the strawberries are soft and the syrup is thickened. Stir occasionally and keep cooking until it's reduced by ⅓ to ½ in volume. This will take approximately 15 minutes.
3. Syrup will thicken upon standing so simply whisk in more water to reached desired consistency if needed.

Cheesecake filling:

1. In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), pour the whipped cream in and beat on high until stiff peaks form (around one minute for me).

2. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and mix until completely smooth and creamy.

3. Gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream and stir until completely combined and creamy.

4. Chill until ready to assemble the pancakes.

Pancakes:

Of course, I don't have the exact recipe for Cracker Barrel Pancakes, but mine might be better 😉

1. First, heat griddle to medium heat. Then add the buttermilk, melted butter, milk, eggs, and melted butter to a large mixing bowl, then use a hand mixer to mix until well combined (about one minute on high).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Next, add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture - mix until the batter is smooth! It will be thick, but that's okay. If it’s too thick to spread on your griddle (or large nonstick skillet), add small amounts of milk and mix again until you get a good consistency.

4. Let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes - but no more than 10.
5. Ladle the batter onto a hot griddle (I set mine to 350°), flipping when the edges start to bubble. You will want the pancakes to be around 6 inches when finished (although the flavor will be the same no matter the size… delicious, perfect pancakes!).

Assemble the pancakes:

1. If you want them to look like the Cracker Barrel dish, lay two warm pancakes on a plate and spoon (or pipe!) around ½ cup of cheesecake mixture onto one-half of each pancake.

2. Fold them over (sort of like a taco shape), then top them with strawberry syrup, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream.

TIP: Don't want to get so fancy? You can make a beautiful stack of pancakes by layering a pancake, cheesecake filling, then strawberry syrup. Repeat these layers with 2 or 3 (or 5?) pancakes, then top with fresh strawberries, more syrup, and whipped cream.

Recipe Pro-Tips

• Don't overmix the pancake batter! Mix it just until combined to have the fluffiest, best-textured pancakes! Overmixing can lead to tough, rubbery pancakes.
• Use a nonstick pan or griddle. If you don't have a nonstick pan, grease your pan really well with nonstick cooking spray or butter before cooking your pancakes.
• Don't forget to let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes! Again - this gives your pancakes the best texture!
• Since we don't have the official cracker barrel pancake recipe, you can use my recipe or if you have a favorite pancake recipe, feel free to swap it out and use your recipe. Another option is you could make pancakes from a baking mix. You could even use frozen pancakes or waffles if you really wanted to save time but they will not be as good - promise!
• Use a measuring cup to scoop out your batter so that you ensure each pancake is the same size and cooks evenly.
• Be patient when flipping: It can be tempting to flip the pancakes too early, but patience is key. Wait until you see bubbles forming on the surface of the pancake before flipping it. This ensures that the pancake is cooked enough to hold its shape and not raw in the middle.
• This recipe makes about 8 pancakes so if you are serving more than 3 or 4 people, you may want to double or triple it.
• I do not encourage this, but you could skip the homemade strawberry syrup and you could use store-bought strawberry syrup or you could melt some strawberry jam in the microwave if you like. Microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring in between until you get a liquid/syrup.
• Use a large, thin spatula to flip the pancakes so they don't break and you can get under them easily.
• Add the cheesecake filling generously: The more cheesecake filling you add, the more decadent and delicious your pancakes will be. Don't be afraid to be generous with the filling. After all, it's the star of the show! Double the cheesecake recipe when in doubt!
• Keep the pancakes warm: To prevent your pancakes from getting cold while you cook the remaining batches, place them on a baking sheet in a warm oven (around 200°F) until you're ready to serve. They will also break instead of fold if they cool too much - in this case, make a stack instead of the filled taco shapes.

Recipe Variations

Because the strawberries aren't actually cooked into the pancakes, you can change up the syrup and toppings to go with the cheesecake filling and pancakes. Here are some possibilities (all of them have the cheesecake filling):

• Blueberry Cheesecake Pancakes: Use blueberry syrup and fresh blueberries.
• Peach Cheesecake Pancakes: Use peach preserves (melted) and fresh peaches.
• Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Pancakes: Add mini chocolate chips to the pancake batter, then use chocolate syrup and more chips on top!
• Banana Nut Cheesecake Pancakes: Use maple syrup, chopped pecans, and fresh banana slices on top.
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pancakes: Add apple pie filling on top with caramel syrup.

Serving suggestions 

• What to serve with the recipe: I'm a salty & sweet girl so I always want bacon or sausage with my pancakes. You could also serve this with scrambled eggs and grits! Then of course you'll need coffee, milk, and or orange juice! Want to go fancy with your drink? Have a Crackle Coffee!
• When to serve the recipe: Obviously breakfast 😉but we also made this for supper one night. I'd say it would be a real treat for a holiday breakfast or special occasion! 

Storage directions 

You can only store pancakes that have not been filled or topped with syrup and fresh fruit. However, the pancakes, cheesecake filling and strawberry sauce can all be kept separately.

• Storage/refrigerating: If you have any leftover pancakes, simply place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and store them in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days. When you're ready to enjoy them again, just pop them in the microwave for a quick reheat before assembling! The cheesecake filling and strawberry will also keep in the fridge for up to 5 days (separately).
• Freezing pancakes: If you want to pre-make a big stack of pancakes, layer them with parchment paper in between each pancake to prevent sticking. Place the stack in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.
• Thawing: When you're ready to eat, simply thaw the pancakes in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, reheat them in the microwave before adding the filling and toppings. I would not freeze the cheesecake filling. The strawberry syrup could be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container.
• Reheating: The easiest way to reheat pancakes is in the microwave for 10-15 seconds at a time.

Recipe FAQs 

Tools Needed to Make the Recipe

• Mixing Bowls
• Stand Mixer
• Hand Mixer
• Electric Griddle
• Spatula
• Spoons
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk

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