These Cottage Cheese Pancakes are light, fluffy and packed with 23 grams of protein. They make the perfect healthy nutritious breakfast to keep you fuelled for the day. If you love cottage cheese, you must check out these easy bagels 😊
Cottage cheese seems to be everyone's favorite cheese these days and it's being used in so many different recipes. I've never been a huge fan of it in general, but I used it to make these cottage cheese bagels recently and they definitely changed my mind...I've previously shared my Greek yogurt pancakes that you all love, so I thought why not use the same concept and make cottage cheese pancakes!
These pancakes are light and fluffy and packed with protein with 23 grams per serve. Think of them as protein pancakes without any protein powder. Now if you're thinking that they might taste like cottage cheese think again, because they don't at all. The cheese is blended until smooth so you don't have the little balls of cheese. It's then mixed with the other wet then dry ingredients and there you have it, a perfect healthy pancake batter. I also prefer using rolled oats to make oat flour for an extra boost of fiber and nutrients too.
I'm normally an overnight oats girl for breakfast and tend to eat this everyday...yep I know it might sound boring but I like to change the flavor or toppings like fruit or granola clusters to keep it interesting. Weekends are a little different though and I love switching it up. I love making things like my blueberry loaf cake or some type of eggs such as cilbir which are Turkish style poached eggs. I can't believe I'm saying this, but these cottage cheese pancakes are definitely getting added to the rotation 😉
Whilst testing the recipe I ended up with 3 batches of pancakes on the same day, so I popped them into the freezer and they actually became a great snack. You can defrost or pop them into a toaster oven to warm them up and enjoy as something on the go, or make a batch for an easy weekday breakfast.
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe special
- Protein-Packed: Cottage cheese and eggs boost the protein with 23g per serve!
- Quick & Easy: Simple ingredients and steps anyone can make
- Versatile: Perfect for breakfast, brunch, snacks or even a breakfast for dinner night!
- Delicious & Fluffy: Light and fluffy with a soft texture make it a hit with kids and adults
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cottage cheese is of course the star! This high protein low fat cheese adds creaminess and extra nutrients to your classic pancakes. It's blended so you don't have the little balls of cheese, then mixed with the other ingredients. Low-fat cottage cheese or or full fat works. Substitute with Greek yogurt for Greek yogurt pancakes
- Rolled oats, blending them to make oat flour provides extra fiber and nutrients. I always prefer using oat flour in baking recipes rather than regular all purpose flour for a healthier less processed option. You can substitute with gluten-free oats if needed or whole wheat flour - but I haven't tested this myself
- Eggs bind the batter and add richness and protein, usually blended flax seeds with water or milk can be used to make flax eggs for an egg free option, but I haven't tested this
- Maple syrup or honey adds natural sweetness rather than sugar. I prefer not to have them too sweet so I can add maple syrup on top, however you can double the amount if you like your pancakes sweeter
- Baking powder will activate the pancakes to rise and become fluffy
- Vanilla extract brings out flavor and adds warmth to the batter with a lovely aroma. You can also add some cinnamon if you like
- Serving suggestions - fresh fruit such as sliced banana and berries such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries if in season along with extra maple syrup of course. Nut butters such as peanut or almond butter is delicious too, or some cream if you want to be a little decadent
How to make Cottage Cheese Pancakes
These Cottage Cheese Pancakes are fluffy, protein-packed, and perfect for a quick and satisfying breakfast. Follow my simple steps below (note quantities are listed in the recipe card below)
Blend rolled oats into a fine flour-like consistency and set aside
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth
In a large bowl, whisk the cottage cheese with eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth
Add the oat flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir until well combined and no dry spots remain
Heat a pan over medium heat with a little coconut oil or butter. Spoon the batter onto the pan and gently flatten into round pancakes. Cook until golden on the bottom and bubbles form on top
Flip and cook the other side for another couple of minutes. Repeat with remaining batter (it makes 6–8 pancakes depending on size). Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a blender or food processor to blend the rolled oats and cottage cheese for a smooth batter - starting with the oats so you can use the same device
- Don't over whisk the batter. Once well combined and there's no clumps or oat flour at the bottom of the bowl it's ready to go
- The batter consistency will be thicker than regular pancake batter. If too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of any milk
- Cook pancakes on medium heat to get that perfect golden brown without burning
- Use a non-stick skillet for easy flipping so they don’t stick
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Reheat them on a skillet over medium heat, in the microwave or even a toaster oven
- Freeze pancakes for easy meal-prepping for 1 month. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Reheat directly from frozen using a toaster oven or microwave
FAQs
Yes! They’re light, creamy and fluffy and don't taste like cottage cheese at all
They sure are! They reheat well and freeze great for quick breakfasts
It’s high-protein, low-fat, and super versatile in both sweet and savory dishes
More High Protein Breakfasts
These are some other high protein breakfast ideas:
More Pancake Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Cottage Cheese Pancakes (Healthy - 23g Protein)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (double if you prefer them sweeter)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Oil spray, coconut oil or butter for frying
- Serve with fresh berries and fruit with a drizzle of maple syrup
Instructions
- Blend the rolled oats into a fine flour like consistency - set aside
- In the same blender, pour in the cottage cheese and blend until smooth and there are so clumps
- Add the blended cheese to a large bowl with the remaining wet ingredients - eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. Gently whisk until a smooth consistency
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl - oat flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Gently stir together until there are no lumps or flour at the bottom of the bowl
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat with a light drizzle of coconut oil or butter. Add a ladle of the pancake batter and slightly flatten with the back of a spoon to create a circle pancake shape*Note, the consistency will be thicker than regular pancake batter, if it's too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of any milk if needed
- After a few minutes, check the sides with a spatula to see that they have a golden brown color, some bubbles should also appear. Flip the pancakes carefully and cook the second side for a couple of minutesRemove from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter - you should have 6-8 pancakes depending on the size you make them
- Stack your delicious fluffy Cottage Cheese Pancakes with sliced banana and berries, with a drizzle of maple syrup and enjoy!
Anna Salcedo says
How many servings does this make? 386 calories. Is that for the whole thing? I have trouble with portion sizes
Ayeh Manfre says
Hi Anna, it makes 2 servings and the nutritional table is per serving. It makes 6-8 pancakes depending on the size you make them 🙂
Sylvia says
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for cottage cheese? My digestive system can’t handle cottage cheese, unfortunately.
Ayeh Manfre says
Yes you sure can! I have a simalar recipe for Greek yogurt pancakes 🙂
DeNece says
Ayeh, these are UH-MAY-ZEEN!!!
I made them exactly per your recipe/instructions. I usually add whole rolled oats to my GF flour pancakes, so loved pulsing my own oat flour instead. The texture of these are SOOO good!! I love them and, like you, will keep them in rotation! Thank you for such a delicious and nutritious recipe!
Love your videos and recipes!
♥️ DeNece
Ayeh Manfre says
So lovely yo hear DeNece!! You are so very welcome 🙂
Carleen A Moore says
How many pancakes in the serving?
Ayeh Manfre says
It makes about 6-8 pancakes depending on the size you make them 🙂