Vanilla Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Cottage Cheese Pancakes make a delicious and well-balanced breakfast – perfect excuse to enjoy pancakes any day of the week! Light and fluffy, with a gooey cheesy center, these vanilla protein pancakes taste heavenly with a drizzle of maple syrup and some berries on a side.

As always, I am about to give you a list of simple ingredients and great substitution ideas. Play with your toppings and have yourself an amazing, delicious breakfast!

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What you’ll need to make Cottage Cheese Pancakes

The ingredient list is pretty short and simple. But just in case you’re missing one of the ingredients and don’t want to run to the store, I’ll make sure to include some great substitution ideas below.

Cottage Cheese

I like to use small curd cottage cheese for the best texture. The cheese melts evenly through the batter, creating that amazing gooeyness. Feel free to blend the cheese with a hand blender, if you prefer more of an even and smooth texture.

Cottage cheese also is super high in protein, making this breakfast very filling.

Egg

Egg adds more protein and healthy fats. It also works as a binder in the batter.

I haven’t tested this recipe with a flax egg. Let me know if you do.

Vanilla Protein Powder

I am using this vanilla ice cream protein powder by Optimum Nutrition. I usually buy it in bulk at Costco, since I use it in a lot of my recipes, such as Vanilla Baked Oats and Buckwheat Pudding.

Feel free to use any flavor of protein powder you like, or skip this ingredient all together. If skipping, add a little bit of sweetener of choice. I like this coconut sugar or monkfruit sweetener.

Flour

I like to use whole wheat flour to make these cottage cheese pancakes. You can totally use all purpose flour instead, or a mixture of both. Pancakes turn out the fluffiest with the all purpose flour.

Gluten-free flour should work fine too.

Baking Powder

I like to add some baking powder for light and fluffy pancakes.

You can skip baking powder and still get delicious vanilla protein pancakes.

Pancake Topping Ideas

The beauty of pancakes is that you can use them as a vehicle for other fun and healthy breakfast components. Let’s get creative and see what toppings we can come up with:

• chia jam – easy and so nutritious – see recipe on my Instagram page
• peanut butter sauce – just mix powdered PB and warm water
• whipped ricotta cheese
• fried bananas – with a pinch of course salt
• skillet cinnamon apples – recipe from The Simple Veganista

And some more traditional pancake toppings:

• maple syrup or honey
• nut butter
• greek yogurt with fruit or berries
• melted chocolate
• strawberry sauce – recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen

Check my Healthy Spinach Pancakes recipe for more topping ideas.

Tips for Success – Cottage Cheese Pancakes

• Use small curd cottage cheese – for the gooey cheese melts – or blend cheese with a blender for a smooth consistency.
• Add sweetener of choice – if not adding a sweetened protein powder.
• Cook in oil – for the best crispy outside and soft and fluffy inside.
• Don’t forget to add baking powder – for extra fluffy and delicious pancakes!
• Store in the fridge – inside an airtight container – and reheat in a pan or air fryer.

More Pancake Recipes to Try

Healthy Spinach Pancakes

Fluffy Kefir Pancakes

Dutch Baby Pancake

The Best Syrniki