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Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes

Fluffy blender pancakes made with cottage cheese, eggs and oats. No protein powder needed, 21 grams of protein per serving.

  • 21g protein
  • 275 calories
  • 17 minutes
  • 2 servings

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By The Protein First Kitchen Team. Published

Stack of golden pancakes on a white plate
Photo by @cerachiuu on Unsplash

These pancakes get all their protein from whole foods: cottage cheese and eggs, blended with a little oatmeal. No protein powder, one blender, and 21 grams of protein in a stack of four.

Small and slow

Cottage cheese batter is more delicate than flour batter. Keep the pancakes small (about 3 inches) so they are easy to flip, and cook over medium-low heat so the inside sets before the outside gets too dark.

Topping ideas

  • Greek yogurt and berries (adds protein and freshness).
  • A spoon of peanut butter and sliced banana.
  • A little warm maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon.

Make them ahead

Cook a double batch, cool on a rack and freeze flat in a zip-top bag. They go straight from the freezer to the toaster on busy mornings.

Banana cottage cheese pancakes

For a naturally sweet version, add 1 ripe banana to the blender and skip the maple syrup. Banana cottage cheese pancakes are a little softer, so make them small and flip carefully. Each serving goes to about 325 calories with the same 21 grams of protein.

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Cottage cheese: the base and main source of protein. 2% or 4% blends smoothest.
  • Eggs: structure and more protein.
  • Rolled oats: blended into flour right in the blender. Quick oats work too.
  • Baking powder: lift, so they are fluffy rather than dense.
  • Maple syrup and vanilla: a touch of sweetness and flavor in the batter.

How to make cottage cheese pancakes

  1. Blend everything until completely smooth. No visible curds means tender, even pancakes.
  2. Rest the batter 5 minutes so the oats thicken it.
  3. Cook low: medium-low heat and small pancakes. The dairy in the batter browns quickly.
  4. Flip once when the edges look set and bubbles appear on top.

Blended or not blended?

Some cottage cheese pancake recipes fold whole curds into a flour batter, which gives pockets of cheese. Blending makes them taste like classic buttermilk pancakes, which is why we prefer it.

Storage

Cool on a rack, then refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months with parchment between layers. Reheat in a toaster or a dry skillet.

You might also like

For crispy edges, make protein waffles. For a thin, French-style breakfast, try protein crepes.

Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes

Prep 5 min. Cook 12 min. Makes 2 servings of 4 small pancakes.

Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add the cottage cheese, eggs, oats, baking powder, maple syrup and vanilla to a blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  2. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so the oats can absorb liquid and thicken it.
  3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and lightly spray it. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake.
  4. Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
  5. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Keep the heat at medium-low. These brown faster than regular pancakes because of the cottage cheese.
  • Cooled pancakes freeze well. Reheat in a toaster.
  • Extra maple syrup and berries for serving are not included in the nutrition.

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    Questions people ask

    Do cottage cheese pancakes taste like cottage cheese?

    No. Once blended and cooked they taste like soft, slightly tangy buttermilk pancakes.

    Can I add protein powder?

    Yes. Add 1/2 scoop (15 g) and a splash of milk to keep the batter pourable. That brings each serving to about 27 grams of protein.

    Can you add cottage cheese to pancake mix?

    Yes. Whisk 1/2 cup blended cottage cheese into 1 cup of prepared pancake batter and reduce the milk by 2 to 3 tablespoons. It adds about 12 grams of protein to the batch and makes the pancakes more tender.

    Are cottage cheese pancakes healthy?

    They are a balanced breakfast: 21 grams of protein for 275 calories per serving, made from whole foods with no protein powder.

    Can I make cottage cheese pancakes without oats?

    Yes. Use 1/3 cup all-purpose or whole-wheat flour instead of the oats. Skip the 5-minute rest.

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