In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Add the softened butter and mix until a smooth paste forms. This will create the cinnamon swirl for the pancakes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. Adding wet ingredients to dry ingredients separately helps to prevent overmixing.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. A few lumps are okay; overmixing can lead to tough pancakes.

Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease it with butter or cooking spray.

Pour about 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto the skillet. Immediately pipe or swirl about 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon filling on top of the batter in a spiral pattern.

Cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake and the edges look set, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancake carefully and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

Repeat with the remaining batter and cinnamon filling, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.

Add the milk and vanilla extract, and mix until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add more milk a teaspoon at a time.

Stack the pancakes on a plate and drizzle generously with the cream cheese glaze. Serve warm and enjoy your delicious cinnamon roll pancakes!