These Protein Pancakes without Protein Powder are so fluffy and an easy breakfast to meal prep for the week! With 20 grams of protein per serving, they'll help you stay satisfied all morning and there's no need for protein powder. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 😊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: "Love these pancakes! I put some blueberries in mine and eat for not only breakfast but for a snack." -Sharon
As a dietitian, I love making healthy pancakes like protein pancake bowls with protein powder, banana pancakes with cottage cheese, pumpkin oatmeal pancakes, lemon poppyseed pancakes, or gingerbread pancakes. But nothing beats my classic protein pancakes I've been making for years that so many of you have loved too (even my little nieces and nephews gobble these up)!
To add protein to the pancakes this recipe uses Greek yogurt, eggs, and oat flour. These natural whole food ingredients are a great way to add more protein than regular pancakes without any need for expensive powders.
Pair them with a homemade 3 ingredient blueberry chia compote on top!
Jump to:
- Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
- How to Make High Protein Pancakes without Protein Powder
- Dietitian Tip
- Video of How to Make Protein Pancakes
- Variations
- How to Serve Protein Pancakes
- Storage for Protein Pancakes
- Expert tips for making fluffy protein pancakes
- FAQ
- Related
- Perfect for Pairing
- Want to Learn About Nutrition?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
This recipe is made with simple ingredients. Below are ingredient notes. Measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Dry Ingredients
- Oat flour - this recipe uses oat flour because it contains more protein than all-purpose flour. Oat flour also provides dietary fiber for a healthy gut. If you prefer, feel free to substitute with all-purpose flour. If doing so, you'll likely need to add extra milk.
- Baking Powder - baking powder to make sure the pancakes rise and get nice and fluffy.
- Cinnamon - cinnamon adds a touch of sweetness to the dry ingredients.
- Kosher Salt - a pinch of salt to add flavor.
Wet Ingredients
- Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt has a higher protein content than other yogurts and it serves as a source of many other nutrients, too. You don't taste it in this recipe so even if you don't like Greek yogurt I encourage you to give it a try! If you want, you can substitute it with cottage cheese.
- Eggs - eggs help to bind the pancakes together and add more protein and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. For best results, use room temperature eggs.
- Milk - I use regular dairy milk or soy milk, both of which have about the same amount of protein. You can use a different plant-based milk if you prefer, but just be aware that plant-based milks like almond milk or cashew milk do not have as much protein.
- Maple Syrup - all you need is a small amount of pure maple syrup to add some sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract - just a teaspoon of vanilla extract brings all the flavors together.
How to Make High Protein Pancakes without Protein Powder
Below are the instructions for how to make this easy recipe with some visuals to help you make sure you're on the right track!
- Step 1 - Add the dry ingredients including the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Step 2 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients including the Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. If the batter is too thick, thin it out with a bit more milk. If it's too thin, let it set for a couple of minutes.
- Step 3 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle on medium heat. Add a drop of cold water and once it sizzles, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cool 1-2 minutes. Spray your pan with cooking spray or coat in butter and add about ¼ cup of the protein pancake batter at a time to the skillet. If you want, smooth out the batter with the bottom of your measuring cup.
- Step 4 - Let the pancakes heat until bubbles begin to appear on the top and the edges start to look dry. Flip the pancakes and let them cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. The mix will make about 12 pancakes total.
Hint: you can use oatmeal instead of oat flour if you want. If using oatmeal, blend the oats for 30 seconds-1 minute. Then, add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth, pushing down the sides as needed. Wait about 5 minutes for the batter to thicken and then follow steps 3-4.
Dietitian Tip
Breakfast has been shown to decrease cravings throughout the day and improve energy levels. Getting enough protein at the first meal of the day is a great way to ensure you'll stay satisfied. Options like these pancakes are perfect to make and enjoy throughout the week.
Video of How to Make Protein Pancakes
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful.
Variations
One of the best things about making high-protein pancakes without protein powder is there are so many ways to customize them to your taste. Below are some examples of optional mix-ins, but feel free to get creative!
- Blueberry - add frozen or fresh blueberries into the mix and enjoy them with a homemade blueberry compote on top.
- Chocolate Protein Pancakes - add chocolate chips to satisfy your sweet tooth!
- Apple Cinnamon - chopped apples and an extra teaspoon of ground cinnamon are perfect to mix into pancakes in the fall. Top them with air fryer apples that taste like apple pie filling!
- Double protein - fineeee....if you want to add an extra boost of protein, add a scoop of protein powder. 😉
- Banana Protein Pancakes - add sweetness to these delicious protein pancakes by mashing a banana into the pancake batter.
- Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes - add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or your favorite nut butter to the protein pancake batter for a nutty variety.
- Vegan Protein Pancakes - make this recipe vegan by using plant-based yogurt and milk, and chia egg in place of regular eggs.
How to Serve Protein Pancakes
- With Homemade Blueberry Chia Compote - this blueberry compote comes together in 10 minutes in one pan with just 3 ingredients and no added sugars! You can make it while your pancakes cook and it'll be ready to enjoy on top of your stack. It's my favorite way to enjoy these pancakes.
- Add your favorite toppings - serve these protein pancakes with fresh fruit, a little bit of nut butter like almond butter or peanut butter, and chopped nuts on top for some healthy fats.
- Pancake Sandwich - mix Greek yogurt with nut butter and serve it between two pancakes and eat it as a "sandwich"! Or serve it with scrambled eggs or egg whites between two of the pancakes for a sweet & savory breakfast.
Storage for Protein Pancakes
- Refrigerator - store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or on a griddle on the stovetop.
Expert tips for making fluffy protein pancakes
- Don't over-mix the batter because it'll make the pancakes tough. Mix until the lumps are just gone.
- If the batter seems a bit too thin, let it sit for a couple of minutes. As the baking powder activates and does it's magic, the batter will thicken.
- If the batter gets too thick while you're making the pancakes, add extra milk to thin it out.
- Don't go above medium heat because the pancakes will burn. Slow and steady is the way to make fluffy protein pancakes!
- When bubbles start to form on the surface, that's when it's time to flip the pancakes.
- Use a nonstick griddle or skillet and add butter or a little cooking spray.
- Use a measuring cup to make pancakes that are equal in size.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these are a nutrient-rich option. They contain plant protein from the oat flour and more protein from the eggs and Greek yogurt. This recipe also contains dietary fiber for gut health, calcium and phosphorus.
I haven't tried making these using a food processor or blender, but you could! Just make sure the batter blends until everything is well combined and be careful not to over-mix it.
There are 20 grams of protein per serving.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Protein Pancakes without Protein Powder :
Want to Learn About Nutrition?
Here are some educational articles from a dietitian:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Protein Pancakes (No Protein Powder) Oat Flour
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour (use certified gluten-free if you're GF)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups Greek yogurt*
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the dry ingredients including the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients including the Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. If the batter is too thick, thin it out with a bit more milk. If it's too thin, let it set for a couple of minutes.
- Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle on medium heat. Add a drop of cold water and once it sizzles, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cool 1-2 minutes. Spray your pan with cooking spray or coat in butter and add about ¼ cup of the protein pancake batter at a time to the skillet. If you want, smooth out the batter with the bottom of your measuring cup.
- Let the pancakes heat until bubbles begin to appear on the top and the edges start to look dry. Flip the pancakes and let them cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Hint: you can make these with oatmeal instead of oat flour. If using oatmeal, blend the oats for 30 seconds-1 minute. Then, add the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth, pushing down the sides as needed. Wait about 5 minutes for the batter to thicken and then follow steps 3-4.
Video
Notes
- Don't over-mix the batter because it'll make the pancakes tough. Mix until the lumps are just gone.
- If the batter seems a bit too thin, let it sit for a couple of minutes. As the baking powder activates and does it's magic, the batter will thicken.
- If the batter gets too thick while you're making the pancakes, add extra milk to thin it out.
- Don't go above medium heat because the pancakes will burn. Slow and steady is the way to make fluffy pancakes!
- When bubbles start to form on the surface, that's when it's time to flip the pancakes.
- Use a nonstick griddle or skillet and add butter or a little cooking spray.
- Use a measuring cup to make pancakes that are equal in size.
- Refrigerator - store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave, air fryer, or on a griddle on the stovetop.
Sharon Brown
Love these pancakes! I put some blueberries in mine and eat for not only breakfast but for a snack.
Mallory
Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review! I'm so happy you love them! 😊