Homemade protein pancakes! Made with super simple ingredients, no added sugar or sweetener, protein-packed, gluten-free, and SO GOOD! Light and fluffy and totally hit the spot for a pancake craving. Can you tell I’m excited?
We are huge fans of pancakes in our house. I love them on the weekend or just as a post-workout breakfast. I mean let’s be honest, they are basically just a blank canvas for all your favorite toppings.
My favorite thing about this recipe is you can use whey protein powder or a plant-based protein powder. I took a pool on Instagram and about 40% of people said they use whey and 40% use plant-based.
I know how frustrating it is to try protein powder recipes and for them not to come out as it’s a waste of food and expensive protein powder. So I tested them both ways and you only have to tweak the liquid slightly due to their different consistencies. And both ways are equally delicious!
Protein pancakes recipe highlights
- whole ingredients – made with healthy ingredients you probably already have at home
- 37 grams of protein! – can we say heck yes?! When I say protein pancakes I mean protein pancakes! The amount will vary depending on the protein you are using (I am using whey), but using a plant-based protein will give you 34 grams of protein.
- you can use whey protein or a plant-based protein powder
- macro-friendly and balanced – a good ratio of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber for balanced blood sugar and to avoid those spikes and crashes that a sweet breakfast can do.
- perfect for post-workout – while I enjoy these on any day, I especially love them post-workout due to the almost 2:1 carb to protein ratio and with not too much fat, making them easy to digest and helping to maximize protein and glycogen synthesis.
High protein pancakes ingredients
- rolled oats
- protein powder – whey or plant-based works for this protein pancake recipe!
- banana – you can’t taste any banana flavor though
- egg
- milk
- coconut flour
- cinnamon
- baking powder
- salt
- oil or butter/ghee, for cooking
How to make protein pancakes
- Blend your oats. Add rolled oats to your blender and blend for 10-15 seconds or so until it is broken down into a flour consistency.
- Combine your dry ingredients. Add processed oats, protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and mix well to combine.
- Mix your wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, mash your bananas until smooth. Add your egg, and milk and mix well to combine. Add your dry ingredients to your wet and mix until combined. Try not to overmix. The batter should be pretty thick. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Cook. Heat up a large nonstick skillet or griddle over low to medium heat. Once hot, add cooking fat and let it warm up. Using a 1/4 cup as a scoop, form into equal size pancakes. I get about 5 (you may need to cook in batches depending on how big your pan is). Cook for 3-4 minutes until bubbles start to form on the outside. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Enjoy! Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
All about the toppings
What are pancakes without some solid toppings?! Feel free to get creative but here are some of my favorite toppings:
- maple syrup
- greek yogurt
- nut butter – I love peanut butter or cashew butter
- fresh fruit – strawberries, blueberries, or sliced bananas
- butter
- cinnamon
Can I use another protein powder?
YES! I love this recipe so much because either whey protein powder or plant-based protein powder will work. You will have to adjust the recipe ever so slightly, but both outcomes are delicious.
- whey protein – use 1/4 cup protein powder (30 grams) and 1/4 cup milk. Using whey will give you a slightly dryer pancake. I used this whey protein.
- plant-based protein – use 3 tablespoons protein powder (30 grams) and 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon milk. This will be a little moister, but still fluffy! I used this plant-based protein.
- collagen – I have not tried this recipe with collagen and I’m not sure it will work since collagen dissolves so easily. The protein powder helps absorb some of the liquid in the recipe.
Can I make them in the blender?
I tried this recipe in a blender and while it does work, I find it overmixes the batter slightly and leaves you with a flatter and chewy pancake. But mixing it by hand until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined, you will get a light and fluffy pancake.
If you want to try them in the blender, blend your oats until flour forms. Then add everything else and blend until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.
Storing and reheating
- refrigerator – store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to heat them up, pop them in the microwave or toaster. Pancakes should stay fresh for 4 days.
- freezer – allow them to cool completely. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours until frozen. Then place in a storage bag for up to 3 months. Freezing them in a single layer allows them to not stick together when you place them in a bag/container.
Substitutions and additions
- rolled oats – if you don’t have a blender, you can use store-bought oat flour. I have not tried this, but it should work the same with using 50 grams. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- protein powder – whey or plant-based works for this protein pancake recipe! See the section above for how to make tweaks when using one or the other. You can use any flavor of protein powder as well.
- coconut flour – this helps absorb a little of the liquid. If you don’t have it, you can add a tablespoon or two more oats (before you grind them).
- banana – if you can’t have bananas, mashed sweet potato or canned pumpkin should work. You can’t taste the banana in this recipe.
- egg – I have not tried this, but egg white should work instead of a whole egg. You will need 2 tablespoons of egg whites. I have not tried to use a flax egg, but it might work!
- milk – I used whole milk, but any kind of milk should work (dairy or non-dairy). Almond milk or cashew milk would be good substitutes. Having a little fat in your liquid helps keep the pancakes tender and moist.
Here are some additions you can add to your pancakes as well:
- chocolate chips
- vanilla extract
- sliced bananas for banana protein pancakes
- berries
- spices – nutmeg, cloves, or pumpkin pie spice
- cacao powder – for extra chocolate!
More recipes with protein powder
- favorite chocolate protein smoothie
- sweet potato blueberry protein muffin
- oatmeal raisin protein bars
- apple cinnamon protein cookies
- perfect bar recipe (peanut butter chocolate chip)
- pumpkin protein muffins
Protein Pancakes
Healthy high protein pancakes with protein powder, oats, banana, eggs, milk, and spices. Light and fluffy, easy to make, and packed with 37g of protein, complex carbs, and fiber for a well-balanced breakfast. Customize with your own toppings!
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (50 grams)
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (30 grams)* (see notes based on protein powder used)
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 small-medium ripe banana (50 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk * (see notes based on protein powder used)
- oil or butter for cooking
- toppings: maple syrup, banana, berries, chocolate chips, nut butter…
instructions
- Make the oat flour. Add rolled oats to your blender and blend for 10-15 seconds until it is broken down into a flour-like consistency.
- Combine your dry ingredients. Add oat flour, protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and mix well to combine.
- Mix your wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, mash your bananas until smooth. Add your egg, and milk and mix well to combine. Add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix until absorbed and lumps are gone. Try not to overmix. The batter should be pretty thick. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Cook. Heat up a large nonstick skillet or griddle over low to medium heat. Once hot, add cooking fat and let it warm up. Using a 1/4 cup as a scoop, form into equal size pancakes. I get about 5 (you may need to cook in batches depending on how big your pan is). Cook for 3-4 minutes until small bubbles start to form on the outside. There won't be a lot of bubbles. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Enjoy! Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
video
notes
This recipe works with either whey protein powder or plant-based protein powder. You will have to adjust the recipe ever so slightly, but both outcomes are delicious.
- whey protein – use 1/4 cup protein powder (30 grams) and 1/4 cup milk. Using whey will give you a slightly dryer pancake. I used this whey protein.
- plant-based protein – use 3 tablespoons protein powder (30 grams) and 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon milk. This will be a little moister, but still fluffy! I used this plant-based protein.
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Protein Pancakes
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (makes 4-5 pancakes))
Calories 514
Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 5.1g32%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.6g
Potassium 804mg23%
Carbohydrates 63g21%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 36.7g73%
Vitamin A 609IU12%
Vitamin C 4.4mg5%
Calcium 502mg50%
Iron 4.4mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!
Robinne says
I’ve just made and eaten a serve of Protein Pancakes… it was delicious but overly filling… And I’m now wondering how this fits into the rest of my day? I usually have 1 or 2 protein shakes per day and a balanced evening meal of protein and vegetables… How do I know if I’m eating too much? Kind regards, Dopey Dora 🥴
Julie Dee 123 says
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I will definitely make them again. However, I’m wondering about the accuracy of your calories/protein. When I put the ingredients through recipe analysis, I’m only coming up with 142 calories per cake (8 grams of protein.) I’m using Orgain protein powder, which is about 10 grams of protein per 1/4 cup.
Kelly says
So glad you enjoyed them Julie and thanks for trying them! Not sure where you are seeing the discrepancy in the nutrition info. If you get 4 pancakes with 8 grams of protein each, that is 32 grams total. You need to use 30 grams of protein powder which is 16 grams of protein. You will also get some protein from the oats, the egg, milk, and so on. Hope that helps some!
Maria says
Hi, could I use unsweetened apple sauce instead of the banana
Thanks
Kelly says
Hey Maria! I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure if it will work. You can definitely test it out though!
Becca Tischler says
So… I have made these the last two days in a row because they are so damn good. That being said, I swapped coconut flour for whole wheat pastry flour (a little more fiber), and in today’s batch, the banana for ricotta and threw in a few frozen blueberries, and *chef kiss* it was perfect. Nice and balanced macros and a little lower in sugar. Thank you so much for this. I’ve been trying to find a good pancake recipe for ages that would fit into my dietary plan and this is perfect!
Kelly says
Oh, those swaps sound so so good! So glad you enjoy the recipe so much. Thanks, Becca!
Leilani Eyles says
Best protein pancake recipe on the net. So simple and easy to make and absolutely fool-proof, you cannot go wrong!
Kelly says
Heck yes!! Makes me happy to hear! So glad you enjoyed them Leilani and thanks for trying them!
Sonia Morales says
I followed this to the T…. Very tasty. They weren’t dry as I thought they’d be and extremely filling. I made and ate the whole batch and I don’t regret it 🤣😂
Kelly says
So happy to hear that! Thanks for trying them Sonia and glad you enjoyed them!