In a spacious bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Give everything a light whisk to blend, but don’t worry if it’s not perfectly smooth, some small lumps are totally fine.

Pour in the milk, add the oil, and stir in the vanilla extract. Mix gently until smooth and combined, but don’t overmix to keep pancakes fluffy.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter until just liquid. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon, and stir until the mixture is smooth and syrupy. Set it aside for now, it’ll be your swirl topping once the pancakes hit the pan.

Heat a non-stick skillet over low heat and lightly grease it with a bit of butter or oil to prevent sticking. When the pan is hot, pour roughly ¼ cup of batter per pancake into the skillet.

As soon as the batter hits the pan, add a swirl of cinnamon filling. You can use a spoon, squeeze bottle, or piping bag, whatever you’ve got! Make any swirl shape you like. Don’t worry about being precise; it’s all part of the charm.

Cover the pan with a lid and let the pancake cook slowly for about 3 to 5 minutes. The steam will help it cook through without flipping, while keeping the swirl soft and caramelized. The pancake is ready when the edges are set and bubbles start to appear on the surface.

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix with a hand or stand mixer until creamy and lump-free. Add a splash of milk if the glaze feels too thick.

Once all the pancakes are cooked, stack them up, drizzle generously with the cream cheese glaze, and serve immediately while warm.