These high-protein cottage cheese pancakes are fluffy, subtly sweet, and delicious. With around 30 grams of protein per serving, these pancakes are satiating and perfect for breakfast that will taste like dessert. This recipe is gluten-free and low-to-medium in carbohydrates.
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Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes
We’ve been trying to eat more protein for training and muscle-building, so I decided to make this high-protein pancake recipe for one of our breakfasts.
The recipe uses ingredients high in protein: eggs, cottage cheese and protein powder are my chosen stars.
Cottage cheese gives you a nice, thick batter and you don’t need to use much flour. I opted for some almond meal, which adds extra protein (win!) and a little gluten-free flour.
If you can’t have nuts, you can use all gluten-free flour, or some people recommend oat flour or ground up oatmeal. For a grain-free version, you try coconut flour and tapioca/cassava.
I loved these protein cottage cheese cakes, as did my partner and 2-year old toddler (who helped me whisk the batter). The texture was soft and fluffy, good thickness and lovely flavour. I served them with a little maple syrup, strawberries and banana. My toddler had them with no syrup as they are subtly sweet anyway.
I hope you enjoy my cottage cheese pancakes as much as we did! I have made them a few times now as they are easy and we find them very filling. Plus, they are pretty low in carbs too (if that matters to you).
If you want high-protein pancakes without cottage cheese, I like this recipe for fluffy Greek yogurt pancakes from a fellow blogger, about 24 grams of protein in 3 pancakes.
What You Will Need
Find the full measurements for cottage cheese pancakes in the recipe card below.
- Eggs – I used 3 large eggs for this recipe.
- Cottage cheese – this is a high-protein cheese, especially low-fat cottage cheese, so that’s what I used here. Also handy if you’re watching calorie intake. It’s a thick, curd-like cheese, which will give you a thick batter.
- Protein powder – I recommend something neutral like vanilla protein powder but you could also play around with a chocolate-flavoured one. I use whey protein powder but you can use whatever your go-to brand. My powder is sweetened so it adds a subtle sweetness to the pancakes as well, which I like.
- Almond meal – any nut meal or flour can be used or you can replace it with the same amount of regular or gluten-free flour, quinoa flour, oat flour or half the amount of coconut flour.
- Gluten-free flour – you only need 2-4 tablespoons; I used about 1/4 cup but depends on the thickness of the cottage cheese. Honestly, a little less or more will non ruin the pancakes.
- Baking powder – this will help our pancakes rise.
- Fat for cooking – I used a combo of olive oil and butter; you can use coconut oil or all butter or ghee.
How To Make Cottage Pancakes
You will find the full recipe card with ingredients and a nutritional breakdown below. Here are the steps for making high-protein pancakes with cottage cheese.
- Step 1. Measure out the ingredients and add all to a large mixing bowl, except for gluten-free flour (or regular if that’s what you are using).
- Step 2. Use an immersion stick blender or an electric whisk to blend the ingredients into a thick batter. You can also use a food processor or a standing blender, or vigorously whisk by hand. The batter will be nice and thick; it should be smooth but you will still see some of the cottage cheese curd bids.
- I like to add the flour right at the end as sometimes the batter is quite thick already (your eggs might be smaller for example or some cottage cheese is thicker etc) and I might add a little less than listed. Mix it in and the batter is ready.
- Step 3. Heat a tablespoon of oil and a dollop of butter in a large frying pan. You can use a non-stick pan and spray it with a little oil. I used medium-high heat, to begin with (number 7 on induction), but I found that for the second batch of pancakes, the pan was too hot, so I dropped it down a notch to medium (6 on induction).
- Add a heaped tablespoon of the batter per pancake, leaving enough space between pancakes in the pan as the batter will spread during cooking. I made a mistake when testing this recipe and added too much batter per pancake; they spread too much and I ended up with pancakes running into each other. See the photo of what happens when your pancakes are too close below.
Cook for 2-2.5 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes after flipping. Be careful turning the pancakes over. Slide the spatula under each pancake all the way and flip swiftly. Add a little more oil and butter between batches.
Step 4. Serve while hot with your favourite toppings: berries, banana, maple syrup or honey, Greek yoghurt or extra cottage cheese.
More Pancake Recipes
- Fluffy Keto Pancakes With Coconut Flour & Cream Cheese
- Paleo Soufflé Pancakes
- Paleo Pancakes With Banana & Coconut
- Raisin & Cinnamon Pancakes (Easter, Paleo, Gluten-Free)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese 250 g / 8.5-9 oz.
- 1/2 cup almond meal 25-30 g / 1 oz.
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder whey, 25-30 gram scoop or 1 oz.
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour 25-30 g / 1 oz.
- 3 large eggs
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- Plus your favourite toppings: maple syrup, honey, berries, yoghurt, cream.
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients. Measure out the ingredients and add all to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the batter. Use an immersion stick blender or an electric whisk to blend the ingredients into a thick batter. You can also use a food processor or a standing blender, or vigorously whisk by hand. The batter will be nice and thick; it should be smooth but you will still see some of the cottage cheese curds.
- Cook the pancakes. Heat a tablespoon of oil and a dollop of butter in a large frying pan. You can use a non-stick pan and spray it with a little oil. I used medium-high heat, to begin with (number 7 on induction), but I found that for the second batch of pancakes, the pan was too hot, so I dropped it down a notch to medium (6 on induction).
- Add a heaped tablespoon of the batter per pancake, leaving enough space between pancakes in the pan as the batter will spread during cooking. I made a mistake when testing and added too much batter per pancake; they spread too much and I ended up with pancakes running into each other.
- Cook for 2-2.5 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes after flipping. Be careful turning the pancakes over. Slide the spatula under each pancake all the way and flip swiftly. Add a little more oil and butter between batches.
- Serve. Serve while hot with your favourite toppings: berries, banana, maple syrup or honey, Greek yoghurt or extra cottage cheese.
Nutrition
Storing Cottage Cheese Pancakes
I doubt you will have leftovers, but if you’re making the whole batch but eating for one, you might want to store a few for later. Here is how to store and reheat them:
- Refrigerating: Refrigerate leftover pancakes for up to three days stored in an airtight container. Reheat them in the microwave or in a skillet.
- Freezing: Layer pancakes between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw out of the freezer for 5-10 minutes, then reheat in a skillet with a little oil until crispy on the outside and hot on the inside.
More High-Protein Breakfast Recipes
Eggs On Toast With Feta & Tomatoes
Chorizo & Eggs Breakfast Tacos
Jarlsberg Cheese & Spinach Omelette
I cook a very similar recipe using oats instead of the flour and ground almonds. However, using the almonds to make these more nutrient dense is genius and I will be trying this!
Ah yes, I have seen quite a few recipes with oat flour, which also sounds quite good. I haven’t tried actually. But I had almond meal and gf flour and it worked well, so that’s how I make them now.
Made these today for two of my little kids. They kept saying “These are really yummy Mommy” and “Mmm Mmm” while they were eating. I used two scoops of collagen and some vanilla extract instead of the vanilla protein powder. I also added two teaspoons of sugar since most flavored protein powders have some kind of sweetener. Thanks for giving me a win first thing in the morning!
Fabulous, I am so happy they enjoyed them! We had them again this morning.
This! Is now my go to recipe for protein rich, healthy pancakes. Made batter the night before so it saves time for when you finish your workout & just need to eat. Took no time to cook a few & top with greek yoghurt & berries/bananas, then continued cooking the whole batch. I’ll refrigerate & use them up as a snack, even cold in Aussie climate, with nut butter. Rate this recipe 10/10. Thanks Irena 😊
Thanks so much 🙂 Irena