This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This is a copycat recipe of Crumbl’s Buttermilk Pancake Cookie- There is actual pancake mix inside of the cookie and it’s topped with a buttermilk syrup glaze and a dollop of Vanilla Buttercream.
Crumbl Copycat Pancake Cookie Recipe
Okay, here is the deal. When I tried the Buttermilk Pancake Cookie at Crumbl this week, it completely knocked my socks off. Seriously so delicious, to the point I knew I needed to figure out how to make the cookie in my kitchen ASAP.
That is exactly what I did, it took me less than 24 hours to start testing cookies and glazes. After a few go arounds, this cookie is perfection. Now once the week ends and the Buttermilk Pancake Cookie isn’t available in store anymore, you’ll be able to make a few short stacks of these cookies in your own kitchen. 😉
Ingredients in Crumbl Buttermilk Pancake Cookies
While, yes, this recipe is a bit more time intensive and has more elements than the usual cookie I recreate, it is 100% worth it. Trust me on this one.
BUTTERMILK SYRUP GLAZE
- Brown Sugar– The brown sugar in the syrup will give it an almost caramel like taste and will lend to the finished color the glaze.
- Butter– I always use salted butter.
- Buttermilk– Use real buttermilk!! There really isn’t a good substitute for this. I have tried all of the common buttermilk substitutes and have not been successful at making this glaze with them. We combine all of the ingredients over heat and bring the syrup to a boil and every time I tried this with a buttermilk substitute, the milk curdled. So please, please, PLEASE, use the real stuff!
- Baking Soda– The baking soda helps give the glaze a buttery smooth texture from the chemical reaction that happens when it is added to the syrup!
- Vanilla– This will flavor our syrup.
- Powdered Sugar– The powdered sugar will be playing double duty here by both sweetening the glaze and by helping it thicken. Even with the Powdered sugar, the glaze will need ample time to cool down and thicken before going on top of our cookies so make sure to make the glaze first.
PANCAKE COOKIES
- Butter-Again, I always use salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, make sure to add a pinch of salt to the dough!
- Granulated Sugar– We only use granulated sugar in the cookie to help it stay light colored, like actual pancakes!
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- All Purpose Flour
- Pancake Mix– I use the ‘just add water’ kind of pancake mix. Usually the generic brand too, if I’m being honest. 😉
- Baking Soda
BUTTERCREAM TOPPING
- Butter– Salted!
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Milk– We will use just enough milk to bring the powdered sugar and butter together. The frosting will be super thick as it is supposed to resemble butter on top of a pancake!
How to Make Copycat Crumbl Pancake Cookies
The first thing to do when making this cookie is actually make the Buttermilk Syrup Glaze. The glaze will need enough time to cool down and thicken before it goes onto the cookie that you’ll want to make that first.
To make the glaze, you’ll combine most of the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring the mixture to a soft boil. As soon as the mixture starts to bubble and the sugar has dissolved, pull it off of the heat and then add in the vanilla, baking soda and powdered sugar. Whisk that until combined and smooth, then set aside until we need it later.
To make the cookies, start by preheating the oven to 350°. Gather up the ingredients and then first cream together the butter and sugar in either a stand mixer or by using an electric hand mixer. Cream until the mixture is smooth, light and fluffy. Next add in the liquid ingredients, in this case that will be some eggs and vanilla. Lastly, the dry ingredients are mixed in (flour, pancake mix and baking soda). The dough will be very soft, but shouldn’t stick to your hands at all.
Scoop the cookies out in heaping 1/3 cup portions. Roll the dough in your hands to smooth the edges and then place on a parchment or silicone lined cookie sheet. Press down on the cookie dough so it is about 1 inch thick. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 6 cookies onto each tray.
Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes. The edges of the cookie should start to turn golden brown and the center of the cookie will no longer look glossy.
While the cookies are cooling on the pan, make the buttercream topping. Start by creaming the butter until smooth and then adding the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, adding a splash of milk if needed, until it is completely combined. Repeat this step until all of the powdered sugar has been added. Lastly add in the vanilla and anymore milk needed to make the buttercream smooth and creamy.
It’s now time to assemble and put the cookies together! Spoon a generous amount of the glaze onto the top of each warm cookie and then add a dollop of buttercream to look like butter. Serve warm!
How to Store Leftover Crumbl Cookies
If you have leftover cookies, you’ll want to store these in the fridge because of the buttermilk in the glaze. Place in an air tight container or zip top bag and store in the fridge. These cookies also freeze really well! If you freeze the cookies, just let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
How to Reheat leftover Crumbl Cookies
I usually just toss mine in the microwave for 7-10 seconds and call it good! If you are making a large batch at home and wanting to serve them at a later date, and serve them warm, this is what I recommend; Bake just the cookies first and leave them unfrosted until you are going to serve them. Place them in a warm oven (180°) for 5-10 minutes, or until warm and then frost them right as they come out and then promptly serve.
How to make Smaller Cookies
If you don’t want giant cookies, you can definitely make them smaller! Just scoop 3 tbsp of dough instead of the 1/3 cup. You’ll need to adjust the bake time slightly because they are smaller, so bake them for 10-13 minutes.
More Crumbl Copycat Recipes
- Chilled Sugar Cookie
- Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Raspberry Cheesecake Cookie
- Waffle Cookie
- Chocolate Oreo Cookie
Copycat Crumbl Buttermilk Pancake Cookies
Ingredients
Buttermilk Syrup Glaze
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Pancake Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups pancake mix
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Buttercream Topping
- 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- milk, to thin
Instructions
- Start by making the Buttermilk Syrup Glaze. Combine the brown sugar, butter and buttermilk in a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The baking soda will cause the syrup to foam and bubble up.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Set aside and allow it to cool while you bake the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- To make the cookies, cream together the butter and sugar with a stand mixer.
- Scrape the sides and add in the eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour, pancake mix and baking soda to the mixer and mix until the cookie dough comes together.
- Scoop and roll the cookies- use a generous 1/3 cup of dough for each cookie. Roll the cookies into a ball and then flatten the ball into a circle that is about 1inch thick and arrange on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies have spread slightly, the centers of the cookies puff up, no longer look wet and glossy in the center and the edges are starting to turn golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the buttercream topping by creaming the butter until smooth.
- Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding more. Add a splash of milk as needed to bring the powdered sugar and butter together. Repeat until all of the powdered sugar has been added.
- Add in the vanilla. We will want to keep this buttercream pretty thick. Add a little more milk to adjust the texture and thickness, if needed.
- While to cookies are still warm, spoon a generous amount of the cooled buttermilk syrup glaze onto each cookie.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop a dollop of buttercream on top of the buttermilk syrup glaze and serve warm.
Made them and they turned out beautiful and delicious!
Hi there, does this use *complete* pancake mix (box says just add water) or the mix that you need to add eggs and milk to
Cant wait to try these!
I use the one that is ‘just add water’.
Being a former employee, this recipe is very close, it’s just missing the buttermilk, cultured powder
Absolutely delicious! My family and I loved the recipe as a whole but we especially enjoyed the glaze. I added about a teaspoon of pure maple syrup to the glaze and I think it positively enhanced the flavor.
As others mentioned, the cookie is not super sweet and has a nice pancake vibe.
Amazing cookie recipe
These cookies are quite delicious but for some reason, I couldn’t get the glaze to get to the consistency of icing. I even tried putting it in the fridge for an hour. It was like putting actual syrup on the cookies, it ran off and onto the countertop. Any ideas on what I’m doing wrong?