How to Make Protein Pancakes

How to make protein pancakes that actually taste good! 

Ohhh protein. Talk about a buzzword these days. But also, it is really important. Protein is not just a fad but it’s a nutrient that helps support a healthy immune system and repair and maintain our cells. It’s a building block for our muscles and helps us feel satisfied when we incorporate it into our meals and snacks. But man oh man if it doesn’t feel like a challenge to increase our protein consumption if we are not someone who naturally craves meat! (I’ve been on a mission to up my protein intake over the past few months following a DEXA scan that revealed I have osteopenia.) Over the past few months of trying to increase my protein, I’ve realized something important: Finding ways to add protein to food I already love makes it a million times more enjoyable to eat. Like protein pancakes!

Protein pancakes are freaking delicious and with a million and one recipes and options out there for different variations, they’re a breakfast choice I never seem to get stick of, no matter how many times I make them. Protein pancakes are satisfying, easy to make and, perhaps most important for me as a busy mom, they’re easy to prep ahead and reheat on busy weekday mornings. (I also maaay even like them cold, but I realize I may be alone in this one.) 

Recipe: How to Make Protein Pancakes

So let’s break protein pancakes down a bit: How do you make protein pancakes? What makes them different from regular protein pancakes? What recipes are the best protein pancake recipes to try?

To make protein pancakes, you can go a few different routes. Protein pancakes can be made with protein powder, which, in my experience can be delicious or terrible. This depends greatly on the kind of protein powder you use. As I’m sure you could guess, if you use a protein powder you hate, you’re not going to like your protein pancakes! For protein pancakes with protein powder, I absolutely LOVE Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla protein powder in my protein pancakes. Something about this protein powder makes protein pancakes taste like birthday cake pancakes and our entire family flips for them! (Equip protein powder is also a personal favorite of mine and one I use often in my protein pancakes when I make them with protein powder. It’s also dairy-free if you are looking for an option that doesn’t include whey protein but don’t like most plant based protein powders.) I’ll break my go-to protein pancake recipe down below if you’d like to give them a try.

Another version you can try is protein pancakes made with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. I love high protein pancakes made with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt because we always have these ingredients on hand in our refrigerator. Here are a few protein pancake variations we love that use these ingredients:

Banana Protein Pancakes:

Made with banana, oats, cottage cheese, egg and cinnamon, this recipe is easy, kid-friendly and packed with protein. For anyone out there with babies and toddlers, these protein pancakes were some of our boys’ favorites when they were little, as they’re dense enough for little fingers to hold and eat without falling apart.

Einkorn Flour Greek Yogurt Pancakes:

Soft, fluffy and higher in protein than your average pancake recipe, these pancakes are nutrient-dense and delicious. As written, this recipe makes a TON of pancakes which we love for freezing and reheating during the week.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Protein Pancakes:

I love the added nutrition you get from the pumpkin in this protein pancake recipe made old fashioned oats, pumpkin, eggs and cottage cheese.

Another way to increase the protein in your pancakes is to use egg whites. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve made my egg white and oatmeal protein pancakes over the years, mainly because it’s just about the easiest version of a protein pancake out there.

Are Protein Pancakes Healthy?

Whether or not protein pancakes are healthy varies greatly depending on the recipe you’re following. I opt for protein pancakes that include nutrient-dense ingredients and prefer to make protein pancakes with ingredients I believe nourish my body including eggs, oatmeal, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and protein powders made with ingredients I understand. I prefer to make protein pancakes because they’re more satisfying to me and keep me feeling full for much longer than traditional pancakes made with all purpose flour.

How to Make High Protein Pancakes

To make high protein pancakes you can follow a myriad of recipes, but I’ll break down one of my favorite simple recipes that yields deliciously fluffy pancakes.

Ingredients

• Kodiak Powercakes Buttermilk Pancake Mix: The mix that makes all the difference and gives these pancakes their true pancake flavor/texture!
• Vanilla Protein Powder: Not all protein powder is created equal so be sure to use one you personally love! My absolute favorite in this recipe is Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla. Our entire family inhales these pancakes when I make them with this whey protein powder and our boys say they tastes like “birthday cake pancakes.” I’d call that a win. Also worth noting, I have not made this recipe with a plant based protein powder so if you give them a try with a plant based protein powder, please report back and let me know how they turn out!
• Eggs: Two!
• Egg whites: The egg whites in this recipe are optional but add a nice boost of extra protein which I love since I’m forever on the protein struggle bus. Feel free to swap in almond milk or water for the eggs whites in this recipe if you prefer. Worth noting: I prefer egg whites from a carton in this recipe from a texture standpoint.

Instructions

Follow the easy step by step directions below to make deliciously fluffy pancakes with 34 grams of protein per serving. Yes, really!

Step One

Step Two

Pour batter onto a griddle or a pan coated with butter or cooking spray. (If you have a griddle, I like to set my temperature to a medium heat of just below 350 degrees.)

Step Three

Cook pancakes until tiny bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Flip and cook pancakes for another minute or so (they should be golden brown), taking care not to overcook as they can dry out easily.

Step Four

Top with preferred toppings (fresh berries, maple syrup, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, a drizzle of peanut butter, etc.) and enjoy!

Protein Pancakes Recipe

How to Make Protein Pancakes

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• Author: Julie
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings (3-4 pancakes each) 1x
• Category: breakfast
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Description

A fluffy and filling recipe for protein pancakes with a whopping 34 grams of protein per serving. (And one serving yields a lot of pancakes!)

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2/3 cup Kodiak Powercakes Buttermilk Pancake Mix
• 1 scoop (33g) vanilla protein powder (I love the Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla Simply Vanilla protein powder most in this recipe.)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp egg whites (I use them from a carton)

Note: You may also use almond milk or water in place of the egg whites. Just use enough to achieve your preferred desired consistency of pancake batter. Also worth noting, I prefer egg whites from a carton in this recipe from a texture standpoint.

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Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until a smooth batter forms.
2. Pour batter onto a griddle or a pan coated with butter or cooking spray.
3. Cook pancakes until tiny bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Flip pancakes and cook for another minute or so, taking care not to overcook as they can dry out easily.
4. Top with preferred toppings (fresh berries, syrup, powdered sugar, a drizzle of peanut butter, etc.) and enjoy!

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Notes

I love making double batches of these pancakes to reheat through the week for an easy breakfast option. When prepping pancakes ahead to store in the refrigerator, I prefer to have them almost sliiightly undercooked so they aren’t too dry when they’re reheated. I don’t love a ton of syrup on my pancakes so I’m super sensitive to too-dry pancakes.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 servings
• Calories: 311
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 567mg
• Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 29g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 34g
• Cholesterol: 210mg

Recipe inspired by Lifting Lindsay’s protein pancakes. 

How to Make Protein Pancakes without Protein Powder

Add Greek Yogurt

Using protein packed Greek yogurt is one of my favorite ways to bump up the protein content in protein pancakes. It’s often undetectable (a plus if you have picky eaters!) and simply serves to add additional moisture to pancakes so they aren’t too dry, which can be an issue if you opt to make pancakes with protein powder.

Recipes to try: Greek Yogurt Pancakes, Einkorn Flour Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Add Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is another winning way to increase protein in pancakes and while I’ve found that the little curds aren’t detectable in most protein pancake recipes made with cottage cheese, you can also blend it up ahead of time so it’s whipped and smooth before incorporating it into your pancake batter. Adding a little cottage cheese to your pancake batter can be an easy and delicious way to make a high protein breakfast without the need for protein powder.

Recipe to try: Banana Bread Protein Pancakes (these are gluten free if you use gluten free oats!)

Use Egg Whites In Your Batter

Egg whites can increase the protein content in your pancakes while also making them extra fluffy!

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Do you have a specific protein pancake recipe you love? Please share below so we can give it a try!