These low-carb Protein pancakes are a delicious and healthy recipe thats packed with protein, fiber and whole grains, all from whole foods. One pancake has 5 grams of protein and just 100 calories.
Protein Pancakes
My mom gave me this recipe for protein pancakes a few years ago from a personal trainer and nutritionist and I’ve been making it for my family ever since! We LOVE pancakes at our house, but all the carbs and sugar are not the best for anyone.
These protein pancakes are AMAZING! They have the same great light and fluffy texture of regular pancakes but they have no flour, canola oil, sugar or butter!
What I love most about them is that the ingredients are whole foods that are protein rich and they’re ingredients I usually have on hand. I can feel good giving them to my family, and they make us feel full longer. (And as a side note, my husband loathes cottage cheese, but he really likes these pancakes!)
Ingredients in Protein Pancakes:
- Eggs. 12 grams protein
- Cottage Cheese. 13 grams protein
- Whole Grain Oats. 14 grams protein, 10 grams fiber
- Baking powder.
- Water.
- Olive Oil. You could substitute coconut oil
- Vanilla extract.
- Cinnamon.
- *Feel free to add protein powder to the batter, if you’d like.
How to Make Easy Protein Pancakes:
Add oats and baking powder to a blender and blend to make a fine powder. Remove the dry mixture to a mixing bowl.
Add the cottage cheese, eggs, water, vanilla, oil, and cinnamon to the blender and blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the bowl with the oats and stir everything to combine. Use a 1/4 cup measuring spoon to spoon the pancakes onto a hot griddle. Cook until golden on both sides. Serve warm with fruit and real maple syrup.
Are pancakes healthy?
It depends on the pancakes recipe. A typical pancake recipe is high in fat and carbohydrates, making them not the healthiest breakfast choice. However, this recipe replaces the white flour, sugar, butter, and milk that you find in traditional pancakes and instead uses whole grain oats, cottage cheese, and olive oil!
Whole grain oats add additional fiber and protein to the pancakes, cottage cheese is also packed with protein, and olive oil contributes some healthy unsaturated fats. This is a delicious and healthy pancakes recipe that will help you feel full and satisfied!
Can I add Protein Powder to Pancakes:
Many protein pancake recipes call for protein powder. I prefer getting my protein from whole foods, so the protein richness from these pancakes comes from the cottage cheese (26 grams of protein in one cup of cottage cheese) and whole grain oats (10 grams of protein per cup). If you want to add a scoop of protein powder to the batter, you can.
This is a small-batch recipe for pancakes. It makes about seven pancakes spooned using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Feel free to double the recipe if you’re feeding a bigger group. Leftovers store well in the freezer.
The nutritional information below is for a serving of one pancake.
CONSIDER TRYING THESE BREAKFAST FAVORITES:
- Classic French Toast
- German Pancakes
- Breakfast Quessadillas
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Egg and Sausage Breakfast Taquitos
- Cheesy Egg, Avocado, and Ham Breakfast Sausages
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These low-carb Protein pancakes are delicious and healthy! They're made with whole foods and are just 100 calories and 5 grams protein each.
- 1 1/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of cinnamon
- Add oats and baking powder to a food processor or blender and blend until they're as fine as flour. Remove to a bowl.
Add the cottage cheese, eggs, water, vanilla, oil and cinnamon to the blender and blend until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and pour onto a hot griddle sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook on one side until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook on the other side until golden.
Serve with fresh fruit and real maple syrup, or a low sugar syrup.
Recipe Video
Makes about seven 4'' pancakes
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this post February 2015. Updated January 2019.
sarah says
Do you think these would freeze/reheat well? Always looking for something decent other than cereal for breakfast.
Lauren Allen says
Yes! I usually just stick them in the fridge and pull a few out in the morning to throw in the microwave! So nice to have on hand.
Paige says
Do you think the cottage cheese could be substituted with greek yogurt?
Lauren Allen says
Yes, I think that would taste great 🙂
Angela says
do you know the calories/protein per pancake?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Angela, Its’ about 190 calories/10g protein . You can view the nutritional info here: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Oatmeal-Protein-Pancakes-1030209?columns=4&position=1%2F12
Christy K says
according to the carbs on this. It’s 24g per serving correct?– 6 servings. so one pancake is 24g — 2 pancakes per person **3 people** that’s a lot of carbs for it being diabetic friendly recipe
Tamara says
How many servings? I see it yields 6, but I’m not sure if it is 6 pancakes or what. Thanks!
Lauren Allen says
Hi Tamara, that’s right, it yields 6 pancakes total, so it should serve about 3 people.
Jesica says
I love this idea to ad in protein. Could this be done in a waffle recipe too?
melanie says
I added 1/4 cup ground flax, replaced the water with milk, replaced the olive oil with coconut oil.
Worked great!!
I will freeze and let the kids heat them in the toaster!
Thanks for this!! Love the high protein!
Lauren Allen says
Great substitutions! They freeze great–I love having them on hand for a quick breakfast!
Julie says
Well they would have been great if my blender didn’t go on the fritz! Can I use a combination of flour and oats?
Lauren Allen says
Oh what a bummer! I’m sure that would work fine!
Cindy says
What is whole grain oats? Is that like steel cut oats?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Cindy, most oats are whole grain. The typical “Quaker Oats” Old-fashioned Oats are whole grain. Sorry for the confusion!
Trisha says
anyone tried putting this batter into a Waffle Maker? is the consistency ok to try that ya think?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Trisha, I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I imagine it should work. They would be a little heavy as a waffle.
Lisa Carl says
I just made these in my waffle iron and they are delicious! Not heavy at all very light and fluffy made recipe as written. One recipe makes 3 waffles.. I put the recipe in MFP for nutrional info for 3 servings 213 cals, 6.9 fats, 12.4 protein, 26 carbs, 2.6 sugars. Love this recipe!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks so much for the great feedback! I’ll have to try them in the waffle iron next time!
Lisa says
I just tried your receipe. Omg, they are so light and delicious. Thank you.
Lauren Allen says
I’m really happy you liked them! They are the best healthy pancakes!! Thanks for coming back to comment 🙂
Stacy says
These are super delicious and I love how it’s all mixed up in the blender. Easy clean up! Also, they soak up syrup really well – which is a pancake necessity. 🙂
Lora says
Great .. Thanks for sharing great article
Amelia says
This looks like the perfect meal to start the day ! Great pictures, amazing looking food !
Elle says
I love these! I add a scoop of whey protein isolate, sub non fat probiotic yogurt for the water, add a mashed banana, and leave out the cottage cheese.
Stuff on some frozen blueberries when they’re on the pan and soooooo good!
(I also put a bit of lemon juice in the batter to compliment he blueberries and it was yummy)
You could also add 2 tbsp of peanut butter instead of the blueberries for peanut butter banana pancakes 🙂
Cindy says
They look really good and I have been on quite a mission for a pancake recipe. We eat pancakes at least 3 times a week and add cottage cheese or greek yogurt for protein all the time. I want to make homemade pancakes but have this fear of the eggs not cooking thru. Does anyone else ever wonder about that? I have been using box mixes for that reason( have tried no egg recipes but no success). I am going to try this one, I make everything e from scratch and don’t like using box mixes.
Rachel says
Do you think these would bake well in mini muffin form? I’m thinking portable toddler food! I’m not sure what time and temperature would be appropriate.
Lauren Allen says
Hi Rachel, I haven’t experimented with baking these, so I really couldn’t say for sure. If you try it I would love to hear your thoughts!
Jamie says
I made these pancakes with an egg substitute, Lactaid cottage cheese & added blueberries & vegan vanilla protein powder & they are really good! I made a big batch & refrigerated them. Thanks for a great simple recipe!
Terry says
I am confused by the 24g carbs. In the nutritional value, it is broken down as 4g Dietary Fibre and <1g Sugars.
Diana says
Do you know a way to add pumpkin to these??? I adore these pancakes and make them on a Friday, I call it pancake day! It’s getting to be fall and would love a seasonal treat. Thank you!
Lauren Allen says
Hi Diana, I haven’t experimented with pumpkin yet, but I bet it would work well to do 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree. Then I would also add a few dashes of cinnamon, and maybe a tiny pinch of cloves and nutmeg. Let me know if you try it!
Shaun says
How long would the batter last in the fridge?
Cindy says
I’m confused. They’re called Protein Pancakes. Is there supposed to be protein powder in the recipe?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Cindy, the protein source is from the cottage cheese (cottage cheese has 25 grams of protein in one cup!) and the whole grain oats (oats have 10 grams of protein per cup). Hope that helps!
Also, you can add protein powder to the batter, if you want 🙂
Jillian says
Can I use oat flour instead of processing my oats.
Shalyce says
Tried these this morning when I realized I didn’t have enough kodiak pancake mix. They were delicious and easy. Wish I would have doubled the recipe!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks friend <3 I'm so glad you liked them!