This easy Cottage Cheese Pancakes recipe is made in a blender using whole foods, and results in healthier pancakes that still taste amazing! Best of all, they contain 5 grams of protein at just 100 calories each. 

Want more pancake recipes? Try Buttermilk Pancakes, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, German Pancakes, or Strawberry Crepes!

Three easy Cottage Cheese Pancakes on a plate with blueberries and raspberries, drizzled with maple syrup.

We’ve been making these delicious Cottage Cheese Pancakes for years. In love that they’re protein pancakes with the same great taste and texture of regular pancakes, without flour, canola oil, sugar or butter!

Ingredients Needed:

  • Eggs: Adds 12 grams protein.
  • Cottage Cheese: Adds 13 grams protein
  • Whole Grain Oats: Adds 14 grams protein, 10 grams fiber.
  • Baking powder.
  • Water.
  • Olive Oil. You could substitute coconut oil
  • Vanilla extract.
  • Cinnamon.
  • Protein Powder: Optional to add ½ scoop of protein powder to the batter if you’d like.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Pancakes:

Make Oat Flour: Add oats and baking powder to a blender and blend to make a fine powder. 

Two images showing rolled oats and baking powder being blended into an oat flour for the best Cottage Cheese Pancakes.

Blend: Add cottage cheese, eggs, water, vanilla, oil, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.

A blender with eggs, cottage cheese, water, vanilla, oil, and cinnamon.

Cook: Pour pancakes onto a hot greased griddle then cook until golden on both sides.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes being cooked on a griddle until golden brown.

Serve warm with fruit and real maple syrup.

Three Cottage Cheese Pancakes on a plate with blueberries and raspberries, and maple syrup being poured on the top.

Freezing Instructions:

Allow cottage cheese pancakes to cool, then lay them in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes (to help keep them from sticking together). Then place them in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Warm from frozen in the microwave.

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Recipe

Three Cottage Cheese Pancakes topped with blueberries, raspberries, and pure maple syrup.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 5 minutes
Total 15 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Preheat a hot griddle or skillet over medium heat.
  • Add oats and baking powder to a food processor or blender and blend until they're as fine as flour.
  • Add the cottage cheese, eggs, water, vanilla, oil and cinnamon and blend until smooth.
  • Pour about ¼ cup batter onto griddle to form pancake. 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.

Notes

Serving size is one pancake.
Yield: Makes about seven, 4-inch pancakes. Feel free to double the recipe if you’re feeding a bigger group.
Protein Powder: The protein richness from these pancakes comes from the cottage cheese (26 grams protein/cup) and oats (10 grams protein/cup, but you could add ½ scoop of protein powder to the batter if you’d like.
Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes: Add zest of one small lemon to the batter.
Freezing Instructions: Allow cottage cheese pancakes to cool, then lay them in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes (to help keep them from sticking together). Then place them in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Warm from frozen in the microwave.
 

Macros Recipe Adaptation

low fat cottage cheese, 1 scoop Clean Simple Eats Vanilla Protein Powder, ½ cup water.

Per Serving Amount

127.5 grams batter

Macros

198kcal, Fat: 5g, Carbs: 23g, Protein: 14g (serves 4) | MFP: Cottage Cheese Pancakes (TBFS Macros)

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 130mgPotassium: 92mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 98IUCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg

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*I originally shared this post February 2015. Updated January 2021 and May 2023.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a fantastic recipe! The batter was the perfect consistency and the recipe yielded exactly 7 pancakes. I really enjoyed the taste of these, not the typical heavy, dense consistency of other protein pancake recipes. Will definitely be a regular in my house! Thanks!

  2. 5 stars
    WOW they were delicious loved the texture and the hint of cinnamon was great already passed on the recipe to others. So easy to make no one would ever know they were make with oatmeal and cottage cheese. Will be my go to recipe. Thx so much👍👏

  3. Just wanted to advise, don’t use the Ninja smoothie blender for this- not big enough! Since I could not mix all the ingredients at once my first few pancakes were quite thin, and the remainder quite thick. I can appreciate that these have a nice texture, and with no wheat flour. I found them quite tasteless so I would suggest a lot more seasonings or toppings, either sweet or savory would be great. I put a little maple apple boursin, Saskatoon berry jam, and hemp seeds on top.
    A good recipe to adjust to taste.

  4. 5 stars
    I gave this recipe a 5 star but would have given it 10 if I could. I made these over the weekend and they served me all week. They are the pancakes I love, perfect thickness, extremely moist, and full of protein that keeps my hunger at bay until lunch. And the flavor is so good that I can eat them by themselves on the go!

  5. 5 stars
    These pancakes are truly 5 ⭐️. made them on the weekend and served me well all week. They are filling, kept me satisfied until lunch and I don’t feel guilty eating them. They are exactly how I love my pancakes, perfect thickness, extremely moist and the flavor is so good that I can eat them by themselves on the go! I no longer need to go to a restaurant for pancakes as I like this recipe so much better!

  6. 4 stars
    I love cottage cheese pancakes because my kids love pancakes, so it’s a way of getting a balanced and high protein meal in to start their day! We’ve tried several other recipes and these are about similar in flavor. I did triple it and it was a very thick batter, so I added some extra milk. They were tasty, but still pretty dense compared to others ones I’ve made. But kids gobbled them up so that’s a win!

    1. These are so good. We do breakfast for dinner once a week and are very particular about our pancakes. I saw this recipe with additional protein and was excited to try them. They were a hit with the whole family! While they are denser and thinner than a normal pancake, they are still perfectly sweet and delicious – the dash of cinnamon was chefs kiss! I served them with fresh Strawberries and homemade buttermilk syrup. Next time I am excited to try them with peanut butter and maple syrup. Will be making again SOON!

  7. 5 stars
    We’re a pancake loving family and I’ve tried many recipes to make them more filling and this fit the bill! My 13-year-old said “these are good and hearty.” And they are, tasty but also fill you up.

  8. 5 stars
    These are delicious! We are a family that is sodium conscious, so it did take a bit of work to find a cottage cheese that was lower in sodium, but it worked perfectly and I made a delicious blueberry compote to serve with them. So delicious and healthy and a hit with the whole family.

  9. These are delicious! I love how moist and fluffy they are. Great with maple syrup. My husband who doesn’t like cheese and our 2 year old both loved them too! My new favorite pancake recipe!

  10. 4 stars
    this was actually pretty good. ilike the denser texture of the pancake.. my kids also enjoyed it. maybe a tablespoon of maple syrup or sugar added would be good but overall i would make this healthier alternative to pancakes for my 1 & 2 year old again

  11. 4 stars
    I will admit I am not a fan of cottage cheese, but figured I would try the recipe. The pancakes cooked up fine but the texture and flavor were not my favorite (my daughter loved them with the added protein). I am old school and will stick with my buttermilk pancakes. I did make the homemade pancake syrup to go with them and that is amazing!

  12. 3 stars
    I make this exact recipe with protein powder. There was no flavor with the cottage cheese. I won’t make them again. Worth a try though.

  13. 4 stars
    These were amazing and very healthy, but I would not suggest using so much oil in the pancakes. It made it taste kind of greasy. Otherwise it was great!

  14. 5 stars
    Tried these this morning and really enjoyed them. I love that there is no added sugar and that they are a good way to get some protein in the morning. And they are kid approved, even my 1 year old loved them!

  15. 5 stars
    Made these pancakes tonight and they were a big hit with the family! Easy and delicious! I used oat milk (unsweetened) and these pancakes are light and fluffy but not sweet, so you definitely need some maple syrup or fruit to top them. I sprinkled mini chocolate chips on some before flipping over, and that was sweet enough for our taste. These will be my go-to pancakes since I have been trying to avoid wheat.

  16. 5 stars
    Made the cottage cheese pancakes today! Love the ingredients list: oats, cottage cheese, and eggs are the primary ones. Whipped up in the blender and served with pranut butter, strawberries, and maple syrup. None of us adhered to the “one pancake per serving” suggestion 😂

  17. 5 stars
    Honestly, these are better than normal pancakes! I thought my kids may fight me a bit, but they gobbled them right up! The cleanup using the blender was fast and simple. This will be my new go-to for pancakes!

  18. I made his pancakes this morning and they are absolutely delicious. Even my picky 4 year old wanted more. Thanks for sharing this great recipe

  19. Omg, I thought I hated cottage cheese but in these pancakes it made them so light and fluffy it’s hard to believe they are good for you!!! I think I’ve found my new go to pancake recipe!!!!

  20. 5 stars
    Love this recipe which is an easy and enjoyable way to enjoy pancakes without the usual guilt.

    I do like the lemon ricotta version also but I always have cottage cheese on hand and it is less expensive than ricotta. Another TBFS hit in my house.

  21. These are simple and delicious! I substituted 1/2 Greek yogurt for 1/2 cottage cheese. I served with a scoop of vanilla Greek yogurt and berries.
    Family approved! And I can freeze for a quick weekday breakfast treat without feeling guilty!

  22. 5 stars
    These pancakes were a hit! I usually make my pancakes with whole ingredients, and this recipe made them even more nutritious! We served them with greek yogourt (more protein than regular yogourt) and topped with blueberries – soooo yummy!

  23. Do you have to use a blender or can I stir vigorously? These look great and I have been craving pancakes!!

  24. 5 stars
    Made these today and we all LOVED them!! I am particular with pancakes, and this will be our new go-to recipe! Love how easy and quick they are to make, healthy, and that it leaves me feeling energized! My picky kids loved them too!

  25. 5 stars
    We LOVE this recipe, particularly because the protein comes from whole foods. We often substitute milk for water and add lots of cinnamon! Our favorite way to eat them is with applesauce. So good for you and filling.

  26. 5 stars
    A family favorite! Always a hit when I make these! I double the batch and freeze the extras to use for quick school mornings.

  27. 5 stars
    I made a double batch of the Protein Pancakes using fat-free Greek yogurt in place of the cottage cheese and overall, they were very good! It seemed liked they were missing something and I wondered if it was a little salt? My yogurt substitution may have been the problem since yogurt contains less salt than cottage cheese. I will experiment by adding a little salt when I make them again. Thanks for this recipe and many others!

  28. 5 stars
    I have been searching for a “healthy” pancake recipe – until now! I loved these! They had the same great taste as regular pancakes but I could eat knowing they are a healthier. Served with fruit = perfection!

  29. I made this pancakes for my daughter and my wife and they love them very much. Thank you we will try to make waffles next.

  30. 5 stars
    I don’t eat many pancakes because there isn’t a lot of nutritional value in them but this recipe has changed that for me. They are really good and healthy as well! Will be making again.

  31. I too just tried your recipe and they are fabulous! Good advice to serve with fruit and maple syrup… they are the best. I don’t have a griddle so tried out several frying pans till I found the one that worked best. This recipe is a keeper!!! Thanks so much for sharing.

  32. Hi Lauren,
    I made these pancakes this Valentines morning ,my husband really enjoyed them so much.
    He couldn’t stop saying how delicious they were .Thank you for a great recipe.Great with maple syrup and fresh fruit.These will be our Sunday breakfast.

  33. Great recipe.I feel I can have a Saturday morning treat without feeling guilty.Can the batter be stored overnight in the refrigerator?

  34. 5 stars
    GREAT recipe! My kids love this and request it when they have friends over for sleepover breakfast. Sometimes we add in blueberries & strawberries, sometimes peanutbutter chips! Freezes and reheats beautifully. Thank you!

  35. I just made these pancakes and are delicious especially with maple syrup. Thank you for the re I’ve.Can you freeze them?

  36. I have tried different pancake recipes and this is my favorite! I substituted non fat Greek yogurt for the cottage cheese, delicious!!

  37. Delicious. We make them all the time. I usually add a mashed ripe banana which really enhances the flavor and adds a little bit of sweetness.

    1. Hi Susan,
      The recipe is pretty lean as it is. You could find a substitution for the cottage cheese but it’s also contributing to the 5 grams of protein in each serving! 3 grams of fat doesn’t seem too high a price for 5 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber per serving – seems pretty good to me for a pancake :).

  38. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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 🙂

  39. 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!

    1. 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!

  40. I am confused by the 24g carbs. In the nutritional value, it is broken down as 4g Dietary Fibre and <1g Sugars.

  41. 5 stars
    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!

  42. 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.

    1. 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!

  43. 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.

  44. 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 🙂

  45. 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. 🙂

    1. I’m really happy you liked them! They are the best healthy pancakes!! Thanks for coming back to comment 🙂

    1. 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.

      1. 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!

    1. Hi Cindy, most oats are whole grain. The typical “Quaker Oats” Old-fashioned Oats are whole grain. Sorry for the confusion!

  46. Well they would have been great if my blender didn’t go on the fritz! Can I use a combination of flour and oats?

  47. 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!

    1. Great substitutions! They freeze great–I love having them on hand for a quick breakfast!

      1. 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

  48. Do you think these would freeze/reheat well? Always looking for something decent other than cereal for breakfast.

    1. 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.