Craving pancakes but don’t want the sugar crash an hour later? These high protein cottage cheese pancakes are made from just five ingredients you blend together and pour straight onto the griddle — no flour, no added sugar. It’s can either be a single-serving recipe if you are really hungry, but will easily feed a couple of people and can be scaled up for a family or for meal prep.
If you’re into easy protein-forward breakfasts, this one sits nicely next to tiramisu Greek yogurt and can be served alongside a refreshing smoothie.
I love that this comes together in the time it takes my coffee to brew — blend, pour, flip, done. It’s become my go-to on mornings when I want something that actually keeps me full until lunch instead of a bowl of cereal that’s forgotten by 10am.
I especially love how guilt free these are- no refined sugar, no empty carbs, just great ingredients blended together to create something that truly doesn’t taste healthy- just delicious!
This was inspired by how much my kids and I genuinely love pancakes but how guilty I’d feel after eating a big stack of sugary refined carb laden pancakes. This way we fulfill our craving while still giving ourselves a protein and energy boost.
Jump to:
- What makes this a great Every Little Crumb recipe:
- Ingredients you need:
- How to make the best high protein pancakes:
- Pro Tip
- How to serve:
- Recipe variations:
- Storing Leftovers:
- How to meal prep a big batch of cottage cheese pancakes:
- How to keep pancakes warm as you cook the batter:
- Expert tips and tricks:
- Top Tip
- Recipe FAQs:
- If you liked this recipe, you might like:
- Pairing
- High Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes
What makes this a great Every Little Crumb recipe:
- Just 4 ingredients, blended in one go — no separate dry and wet bowls
- A genuinely high protein pancake without a protein powder scoop involved
- Sized for just one or two people — no giant batch of extra pancakes to store or waste, yet very easy to scale up.
- Ready in about 10 minutes start to finish
- Naturally gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats
- No refined flour and no added sugar in the batter itself
- Easily doubled if you’re feeding two
Ingredients you need:
- Cottage cheese — this is what gives these pancakes their protein boost and keeps them soft. You can also substitute Greek yogurt 1:1 and it’s also delicious.
- Old-fashioned oats — blended smooth, these become your “flour” and add fiber. I’ve also used quick cooking oats.
- Egg — for structure, so the pancakes hold together and puff up a bit (more protein too!)
- Baking powder — for lift
- Vanilla extract — just a splash, for flavor
You can also optionally add a pinch of salt, but I usually omit this.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make the best high protein pancakes:
- Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a high powered blender.
- Step 2: Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Step 3: Make sure no oat flakes remain behind so that the texture is smooth.
- Step 4: Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Step 5: Add the batter to the hot skillet and let it sit for a couple minutes.
- Step 6: Flip once golden brown on one side and cook on the other side until done.
Hint: Because there’s no flour to add structure, this batter is more delicate than a traditional pancake batter — use a wide, thin spatula and flip gently, especially with the large-pancake version.
Pro Tip
Let the batter rest in the blender for a minute or two while you heat the skillet before pouring. It gives the oats a moment to hydrate and thicken slightly, which makes the pancake easier to flip in one piece.
How to serve:
My absolute favorite way to have these cottage cheese pancakes is to dot some blueberries over the batter in the skillet, then when you flip the pancakes the blueberries soften a little and start to burst and you get these delicious juicy blueberry studded pancakes.
An alternative is to do the same thing, but with chocolate chips (this is my husbands favorite way to have these pancakes!)
Either way, have these with pure maple syrup, and a little butter. YUM!
Recipe variations:
- Cinnamon: Add a pinch of cinnamon to the blender for warm, cozy flavor. Extra protein: Top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or a drizzle of nut butter to push the protein count even higher.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats — regular oats are naturally gluten-free but are often processed in facilities that also handle wheat, so check your label if gluten is a concern.
See my classic pancake recipe, made with homemade buttermilk that so many of you adore.
Storing Leftovers:
Let any extra pancake cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the toaster or a dry pan over low heat to bring back some texture — the microwave works in a pinch but will leave it softer.
To freeze: place cooled pancakes in a single layer on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Reheat straight from frozen in the toaster.
How to meal prep a big batch of cottage cheese pancakes:
I did this recently to prep pancakes for back to school lunchboxes, and it went so well. I multiplied the recipe by six, and I used a couple of skillets side by side to get through the pancake flipping part faster. Once all the pancake batter was cooked, I froze the pancakes by placing in a single layer on a baking sheet, then once frozen solid, I piled them all into a large freezer bag (you freeze them first in a single layer to avoid them sticking together in the bag). You can microwave or toast straight from the freezer and enjoy!
How to keep pancakes warm as you cook the batter:
Heat the oven on low heat, 200 F (100C), and place a baking sheet in the oven. As soon as a pancake is done, transfer it to the baking sheet. Spread them out so they aren’t on top of each other so they don’t get moist. This will keep them warm without drying them out until you are ready to eat.
Expert tips and tricks:
- Blend until completely smooth — any unblended oats or cottage cheese curds will make the pancake texture uneven.
- Don’t rush the cooking time, this is a thick pancake and will take a little time to coook through, even if it looks golden brown.
- Butter the skillet pretty generously to avoid sticking.
- Use a wide spatula and flip gently, especially for the single large pancake version.
Top Tip
They may take longer than regular pancakes to cook, so make sure that the batter in the center is cooked through even if the top is golden brown before removing from the skillet.
Recipe FAQs:
You need a blender powerful enough to really blend the cottage cheese and oats into a smooth batter.
Yes, you can double, triple, I’ve even done a times 6 of the recipes to meal prep to back to school lunchboxes!
Please feel absolutely free to substitute the cottage cheese for Greek yogurt, I’ve done it and it turns out amazing!
If you liked this recipe, you might like:
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with high protein pancakes:
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High Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats 56 g
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese 120 g
- 2 eggs eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon butter for cooking
- handful chocolate chips or blueberries for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a high powered blender, add the oats, cottage cheese, eggs, vanilla and baking powder and blend until smooth and creamy and combined and no oat flakes remain.
- Heat the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, pour in the pancake batter (1/4 cup for smaller pancakes and 1/2 cup for a extra large pancake).
- If using any toppings, now is when you dot the surface of the pancake batter with them (blueberries or chocolate chips). Let the pancake cook for 2-3 minutes and once the bottom is golde brown, flip over and let the second side cook for the same amount of time, until totally cooked through.
- Enjoy with maple syrup, and more toppings if desired.
Video
Notes
- You can swap the cottage cheese for Greek yogurt if that’s what you have on hand.
- Use gluten-free oats if you want to guarantee this recipe is gluten-free. Regular quick-cooking oats can also be substituted for the old-fashioned oats.
- Blend until fully smooth — leftover oat texture or cottage cheese curds will make for an uneven pancake.
- Keep the heat medium-low and flip gently; this batter has no flour to protect it from scorching or falling apart.
- To keep the pancakes warm while you are finishing up the flipping turn the oven to avreally low heat, 200 F (100C), and place a baking sheet in the oven. As soon as a pancake is done, transfer it to the baking sheet.
- Fridge: airtight container, up to 3 days. Reheat in the toaster or microwave or even an air fryer briefly.
- Freezer: up to 1 month, freeze a batch in a single layer on a baking sheet until frozen solid, then you can stack them in a freezer bag together without them sticking.
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