IHOP Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Stack of strawberry cheesecake pancakes topped with strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs on a white plate

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IHOP Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Fluffy buttermilk pancakes stuffed with sweetened cream cheese pockets and topped with warm strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs. A copycat IHOP favorite ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: servings

Author: Haley Herridge

Ingredients

For the Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
½ cup sour cream full fat
¼ cup salted butter melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cheesecake Bits

8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp heavy cream

Strawberry Topping

1 lb. strawberries sliced
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Instructions

Prepare the cheesecake bits: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream until smooth.
1 tsp vanilla extract, 8 oz. cream cheese, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp heavy cream
Pipe or spoon pea-sized dollops onto a parchment-lined plate and freeze until firm.
Prepare the strawberry sauce: In a saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
1 lb. strawberries, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice
Simmer 8–10 minutes until the berries soften and become saucy.
Stir together cornstarch and water, then add to the strawberries and cook until thickened. Set aside.
1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp water
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla.
2 eggs, 1½ cups buttermilk, ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup salted butter, 1 tsp vanilla
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
Fold in the frozen cheesecake bits we made earlier.
Heat a lightly buttered griddle or skillet over medium-low heat.
Pour about 1⁄2 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake.
Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set.
Flip and cook until golden brown and cooked through.
Stack pancakes and spoon warm strawberry topping over the top. Finish with whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs before serving.

Notes

Freeze the cheesecake bites for at least an hour — if they're not completely solid, they'll melt into the batter instead of staying as distinct pockets.
Letting the batter rest for 10 minutes gives you a noticeably fluffier pancake; skip it in a pinch, but the texture will be a bit denser.
Stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine, but overmixing makes the pancakes tough.
Cook over medium-low, not medium-high, so the center and cheesecake bites cook through before the outside over-browns.
No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 1½ cups of milk and let it sit 5 minutes — it works as a close substitute.
Use full-fat, block-style cream cheese and full-fat sour cream for the richest flavor and texture; reduced-fat versions work but taste thinner.
Drain frozen strawberries before using them, or the sauce will turn out watery.
Add the whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs right before serving so they don't turn soggy.
This is a rich, dessert-like breakfast — between the cheesecake bites, sauce, and whipped cream, it runs higher in sugar than a typical stack, so plan portions accordingly.

Nutrition