High Protein Pancakes
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Our protein pancakes recipe is easy to make in under 20 minutes for a delicious and healthy breakfast. Thanks to cottage cheese, they’re fluffy and have no chalky flavor or aftertaste!
If you want delicious fluffy pancakes for a high protein breakfast, this is the recipe for you.
Cottage cheese protein pancakes may sound strange, but trust us—they are incredibly delicious. Unlike pancake recipes with protein powder that can be dry and artificial tasting, the cottage cheese masks the flavor of the powder that some people don’t love!
As a result, these high protein pancake have a thick, fluffy texture, and they taste like ‘real’ pancakes!
We tested several protein powders to find the perfect combination of ingredients, and we promise that you’re going to love this healthy breakfast recipe!
Liz’s Tips for The Best Protein Pancakes
- Keep the batter thick. When adding milk to the batter, keep in mind that it will be thicker than traditional pancake batter. This results in a better rise and fluffier texture!
- The protein powder you use will affect how much liquid you need to add to the batter. Typically, a denser protein (one with more ingredients, like vegan options) will require more milk because it absorbs a lot of liquid.
- Avoid overmixing the batter. You can blend the batter sufficiently to get the cottage cheese to become smooth and creamy, but mixing beyond that point may cause your leavening agent to lose effect, resulting in flat pancakes.
- Use a large cookie scoop with a release. If you don’t have a large scoop, you can use a ladle or a large spoon to transfer the batter to the pan.
- Watch the pancakes closely to prevent them from burning. The batter won’t bubble like regular pancakes do when they are ready to be flipped. Also, they brown more quickly, so keep an eye on them. Flip when the edges are set, and don’t be afraid to use a spatula to peek at the bottom to see how they are coming along.
Ingredient Notes
For this protein pancake recipe, you’ll need these 7 ingredients:
- vanilla protein powder: This recipe has been tested with vegan, whey, and beef protein and they all work well. There are notes on protein powders below.
- eggs
- honey – you could also sweeten with maple syrup
- baking powder
- milk
It will also be helpful to have a high powered blender or food processor. A large cookie scoop is helpful when scooping the pancakes, and so is a griddle!
substitutions
Oat Flour is our choice for fluffy pancakes because it’s lighter than all-purpose flour. We recommend using store-bought oat flour for this recipe. You can use gluten-free oat flour if necessary.
If using homemade oat flour, make it first, because if the oats are added to the blender with the other ingredients, they won’t fully break down. You will need about 3/4 cup of whole old-fashioned rolled oats to make 2/3 cup of oat flour. Do not substitute oat flour with almond flour or coconut flour—they absorb liquids very differently than oat flour.
Vanilla Protein Powder: We tested this recipe using Iconic Protein grass-fed whey protein powder and Truvani plant-based protein powder. Both options produce great results, however, we had to double the milk for the vegan option. Both brands contain just the protein sources, vanilla flavor, and a sweetener, which allows for more consistent results.
You can substitute the vanilla with chocolate protein powder. For more info on protein powders to bake with, check out the section below titled ‘Choosing the Best Protein Powder’
Cottage Cheese: We use full-fat cottage cheese for the best flavor and consistency, but lower fat cottage cheese will also work.
Eggs: We didn’t test any egg substitutes in this recipe, but you’re welcome to try them! We have a great article on egg substitutes for baking that may be helpful.
Honey – Pure maple syrup can be used as a substitute for honey. If you have a sweeter protein powder, you can cut back on the sweetener a bit.
Milk: Any dairy milk or non-dairy alternative will work. Water will likely also work.
Important Note About Vegan Protein Powder: Although we tested a plant-based protein powder in this recipe, we don’t recommend trying to make this recipe vegan-friendly. Eggs and cottage cheese make up the bulk of the ingredients, and contribute a significant source of protein. Using vegan substitutions will be difficult because they will affect both the chemistry of the recipe and the nutritional content. Vegan protein powder was tested so that you have more options to use in case that is the type of protein powder you keep on hand.
Choosing the Best Protein Powder
There are many protein powders out there, and it can be difficult to know which brand is the best one. Here are our favorites:
- Whey Protein Powder
- Vegan Protein Powder
- Beef Protein Powder (this protein powder makes slightly flatter pancakes, but they still taste great)
When choosing a protein powder for baking, look for one with minimal ingredients and no added sugars.
Simple ingredients tend to provide more consistent results when using protein powders for baking. The more complicated the ingredient list, the more likely you might experience varied results.
Unflavored whey protein (one ingredient: whey protein isolate) will also work. However, to improve the flavor, we recommend adding a little vanilla extract and another tablespoon of honey to the batter. You can also experiment with different flavored protein powders.
Protein powder cannot be used interchangeably with flour. While there is protein powder in many pancake recipes, it is balanced with oat flour, liquids, and fat to prevent the pancakes from being dry.
Since whey protein is less dense/lighter, it absorbs less liquid, and therefore, requires less liquid to be added to the batter.
Consider the type of protein powder used before deciding how much milk or milk alternative to add. For the protein brands I used, 2 tablespoons of milk for whey and 4 tablespoons of milk for the vegan option worked great.
How to Make Our Protein Pancake Recipe
This is just a summary of the steps involved in making the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions, or click on the Jump to Recipe button, below.
- Blend the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor. The batter should be fairly thick. Scrape the sides and blend again until there are no lumps.
- Place a skillet over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot, coat it with oil and add batter. Cook until edges are set, then flip the pancake over to cook the other side.
- Avoid overcooking, but note that these pancakes will be a slightly darker color. Once cooked, remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
serving suggestions
The cottage cheese pancakes can be a complete breakfast on their own. We enjoy them as-is, with a warm healthy pumpkin spice latte or healthy vanilla latte.
If you want a larger breakfast, cook up some crispy bacon and/or turkey breakfast sausage. For more protein, you can serve them with ham and cheese frittata, or serving of egg, cheese and bacon casserole.
Pancake Topping Ideas
- fresh berries, thawed frozen berries, or berry compote
- Homemade whipped cream or coconut whipped cream
- Classic maple syrup and real butter
- Peanut butter or other nut butter and jam
- Honey and Greek yogurt (for extra protein)
- chocolate chips , or feel free to mix some mini chocolate chips in the batter!
Trying to eat more protein?
If you’re trying to eat more protein, check out our High Protein Dinners Ebook! It has 24 easy recipes you can make in under an hour with 25g+ protein per serving!
Storage
Storing: Leftovers last in the refrigerator for about 3 days, as long as you keep them in an airtight container.
Freezing: Protein pancakes freeze well for up to 1 month. It’s best to place parchment paper between each pancake to prevent them from sticking to one another. No need to thaw them, simply take them out of the freezer and pop them in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven (depending on if you want them soft or crispy).
If you need more freezer friendly recipes check out our Fill Your Freezer Ebook with 22 easy freezer meals!
Reheating: They reheat well in the microwave, toaster, or toaster oven, or in a covered baking dish in a 350°F oven.
Protein Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ⅔ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup vanilla protein powder whey or vegan – see notes for details
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons milk or milk alternative
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender. Start by adding 2 tablespoons of milk or milk alternative, and blend for several seconds. Add more milk if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time (I found that 2 tbsp was enough for whey protein, but I needed 4 tbsp using vegan protein powder). Keep in mind that the batter should be fairly thick. Scrape the sides of the blender using a rubber spatula and then blend again until there are no lumps or visible curds from the cottage cheese. Avoid over mixing.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with cooking oil or cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, scoop the batter onto the pan using a 2-ounce cookie scoop or a large spoon.
- Once the bottom of the pancake is browned, flip and cook the other side. The batter will not bubble like regular pancake batter, so look for firm edges and check the bottom side, if needed, to avoid overcooking. Reduce the heat as the pancakes cook if you notice the bottom is browning too fast. Note that, with the ingredients used in this recipe, the pancakes will be a slightly darker color. A dark brown pancake doesn’t necessarily mean it is burnt.
- Once the pancake is cooked, remove from the pan and repeat for the remaining batter. Serve warm topped with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Keep the batter thick! A thick batter results in a better rise and thick, fluffier pancakes.
- Watch the pancakes closely to prevent them from burning. These pancakes do not bubble like regular pancakes when they are ready to be flipped. The ingredients also brown a little easier than traditional pancakes.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days
Nutrition Facts
Other High Protein breakfast recipes:
Check out these other Healthy Breakfast Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy breakfast cookbook.
Would not have made it through swim season without these. Would make these with sausage patties and make breakfast sandwiches. Great flavor, easy to make and lots of good protein. Now we make them for school and work. Redhead in the oven 275-300 degrees for 5-10 min with the sausage patty and go. Has made mornings easier and protein filled!
Loved these! I was able to use a mini pancake cooker and froze pancakes to be able to pull out and reheat for my kids when we are rushing before school!
These pancakes are AMAZING! If you are looking for a great way to get your protein in, this recipe is great. Super easy to make and tastes just like regular pancakes (only better). This is a must try!
These are excellent! I added blueberries. I can’t wait to make them again
So glad you liked them, Shannon! Thanks for giving them a try!
Delicious, easy, quick, and reasonably healthy- loved this recipe! I did one pancake with butter, berries, and whipped cream, and one with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and strawberries. Delicious! 😋
I loved this recipe before, but now I’m even more a fan. Decided to make them this morning, but realized that our protein powder is not recommended for pregnancy. So I subbed flax seed meal, and they still came out delicious!
I’ve been trying different protein pancakes recipes for a long time and this one is a WINNER! Fluffy and flavorful, will definitely be keeping this recipe handy.
Very fluffy and delicious
These are really good. My teenager approved. I used FlavCity protein powder. They were a little flat but again they are delish and I would make them again.
You stated it needs 1/4 cup of protein but then said 2 tbsp of whey or 4 tbsp of plant based protein? Confused in this. Thanks
The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of protein powder. You can use whey or plant based protein. In step 1, the tablespoons are referring to milk, not protein! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
In the recipe for Protein Pancakes. Is that a 1/4 cup 3 different kinds of protein powder ?
The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of protein powder. You can use whey or plant based protein.