Protein Pancakes: Cottage Cheese or Powder

Quick answer

Blend 1 cup of 1% cottage cheese, half a cup of rolled oats and 3 eggs and you have batter for about 8 small pancakes. USDA values put the whole batch at about 52 g of protein, roughly 13 g in a serving of 2 pancakes, with no protein powder involved.^1,2,3

Key facts

The cottage cheese batter holds about 530 kcal and 52 g of protein in all, so 2 of 8 pancakes come to about 135 kcal and 13 g.^1,2,3
The flour, egg and milk batter for the powder version holds about 19 g of protein before any powder is added.^3,4,5
FDA says to cook egg dishes to 160°F, to reheat cooked egg dishes to 165°F, and to use leftover cooked egg dishes within 3 to 4 days.⁶
FDA says never to eat or taste raw flour, dough or batter, because milling does not kill bacteria that flour can carry.⁷
On a label, FDA counts 20% of the Daily Value per serving as high, and the Daily Value for protein is 50 g, which makes 10 g the mark.^8,9

Protein pancakes recipe with cottage cheese

This one needs only a blender and no flour. Everything goes in together, so it is the fastest of the three. The batch of about 8 small pancakes holds about 530 kcal, and 2 pancakes make a serving.^1,2,3

1 cup (226 g) 1% cottage cheese¹
Half a cup (40 g) rolled oats, dry²
3 large eggs (150 g)³
1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla
A little oil or butter for the pan

Blend everything for a minute, until no curds show. Rest the batter for 5 minutes so the oats soften.
Heat a pan over medium-low heat and oil it lightly.
Pour about a quarter cup of batter per pancake and cook until bubbles form and the edges look set, then flip once.
Cook until the middle is set with no wet batter showing. FDA's mark for egg dishes is 160°F on a food thermometer.⁶

One thing to know about cottage cheese: USDA lists the 1% kind at 406 mg of sodium per 100 g, which puts about 920 mg in the cup used here. Brands differ, so check the panel on the tub.¹

Protein pancakes recipe with protein powder

Powder goes in alongside flour, so the batter keeps a familiar pancake texture. Without the powder, the flour, egg and milk come to about 410 kcal and 19 g of protein for 4 pancakes. Add the powder's own numbers from its label.^3,4,5

Half a cup (62 g) all-purpose flour⁴
1 scoop protein powder, vanilla or unflavored
1 large egg (50 g)³
Three quarters of a cup (183 g) whole milk⁵
1 teaspoon baking powder

Whisk the flour, powder and baking powder in one bowl and the egg and milk in another.
Pour the wet into the dry and stir only until the streaks of flour disappear.
Let it rest for 5 minutes. If it thickens, stir in milk a tablespoon at a time until it pours.
Cook as above and make sure the middle is set before you serve it.

Protein pancakes without protein powder

The cottage cheese recipe above already skips the powder. This one goes further and starts from a banana: 1 banana, 2 eggs and half a cup of oats make about 6 small pancakes and hold about 400 kcal and 19 g of protein. Mash the banana well, then stir in the eggs and oats.^2,3,10

The three batters side by side, by USDA values^1,2,3,4,5,10
Batter	Pancakes	Calories per pancake	Protein per pancake
Cottage cheese and oats	8	65 kcal	6.5 g
Flour, egg and milk, before powder	4	105 kcal	4.6 g
Banana, eggs and oats	6	65 kcal	3.2 g

The powder version looks low in the table only because the powder is not counted. Add its label amount to see the real total.

How do I keep protein pancakes from turning dry or rubbery?

This is kitchen practice, not research, but four habits help. Cook over medium-low heat so the outside does not set before the middle. Stir a flour batter only until it comes together. Rest every batter for a few minutes. Flip once, and do not press the pancake flat with the spatula.

A batter with powder or oats keeps thickening as it sits. If it stops pouring, add a spoonful of milk and stir. Our guide to mixing protein powder explains why some powders thicken more than others.

Can you freeze and reheat protein pancakes?

Yes, within FDA's rules for egg dishes. Refrigerate cooked pancakes within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is above 90°F, and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat them to 165°F before serving.⁶

For the freezer, FDA says to keep it at 0°F or below, and to thaw food in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter. FDA says food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately, which for cooked pancakes means reheating them right away.¹¹

What to look for in a protein pancakes mix from a store

We have not reviewed or rated any store brand, so we do not name or compare them. What we can give you is a way to read any box, whether it comes from a grocery store, a warehouse club or an online shop.

Check the serving size and whether the numbers are for the dry mix or for the pancakes as made. FDA says a serving size is a typical amount, not a recommendation.⁸
Look for the protein line. A %DV for protein is required when the product makes a protein claim such as high in protein, and 20% of the Daily Value or more counts as high.⁸
Do the arithmetic: the protein Daily Value is 50 g, so 20% is 10 g per serving.⁹
Read the allergen line. Milk, eggs, wheat and soybeans are among the nine major allergens that must be named.¹²

Looking for protein pancakes near you at a restaurant? FDA requires restaurants in chains of 20 or more locations to list calories on menus and to give written nutrition information, protein included, when you ask.¹³

Raw batter, allergies and who should check first

Batter that holds raw eggs and raw flour should be cooked before anyone tastes it. FDA says never to eat or taste raw flour, dough or batter, and that cooking is the only way to make flour and egg foods safe. Wash hands, bowls and counters after handling them.^6,7

Eggs carry extra risk for young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, which is why FDA asks that eggs be cooked until the yolk and white are firm.⁶

Ask your doctor before using protein powder if you have kidney disease or have been told to limit protein, if you are pregnant or nursing, or if the pancakes are for someone under 18.¹⁴

Questions people ask

How do you make protein pancakes without protein powder?

Blend cottage cheese, oats and eggs, or mash a banana with eggs and oats. By USDA values the cottage cheese batch holds about 52 g of protein for 8 small pancakes.^1,2,3

Can you make protein pancakes with cottage cheese?

Yes. The recipe above uses 1 cup (226 g) of 1% cottage cheese, half a cup of oats and 3 eggs, and 2 pancakes come to about 13 g of protein.^1,2,3

What should I check on a protein pancakes mix?

Check whether the numbers are for the dry mix or the cooked pancake, the protein per serving, and the allergen line. FDA counts 20% of the Daily Value or more as high, and protein's Daily Value is 50 g, so 10 g is the mark.^8,9

Where can I find protein pancakes near me?

We cannot list stores, which change. In a restaurant that is part of a chain of 20 or more locations, FDA requires calories on the menu and written nutrition information, protein included, on request.¹³

How long do protein pancakes last in the fridge?

FDA gives 3 to 4 days for leftover cooked egg dishes, refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, and says to reheat them to 165°F.⁶

Is it all right to taste protein pancake batter?

No. FDA says never to eat or taste raw flour, dough or batter, and the batter here also holds raw eggs.⁷

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Sources

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.