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Making fluffy Protein Pancakes has never been that easy. With five simple ingredients, no banana and no flour, this simple recipe will become your new favorite breakfast. Packed with 45 grams of protein!
The only protein powder pancake recipe you need: no banana, no flour, healthy, super fluffy and so easy to make. With just 5 ingredients!
How many creatures of habit out there? I’ll raise my hand first. Especially when it comes to food, I eat the same meals every week. Ehm…every day. Maybe because they are quick and easy – or maybe because they are just too delicious. In the morning, my to-go breakfasts are protein oatmeal (the king), yogurt bowls, protein waffles and these protein pancakes without banana.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Fluffy and delicious. Say goodbye to dry and flat, tasteless pancakes with protein powder. These babies turn out soft, fluffy and perfectly sweet just like the original.
- Macro-friendly. This breakfast has 45 grams of protein for just 359 calories. The perfect post workout refuel, any day of the week.
- Diet-friendly. My protein pancake recipe has no flour, no banana, no nuts, and can easily be made gluten-free or keto.
- Customizable. From mix-ins to toppings and flavor variations, there are so many ways how you can whip up a stack of high protein pancakes for breakfast.
Ingredients and substitutes
Five simple ingredients is all you need to make protein pancakes from scratch. No banana, no oil, no sugar required. And don’t worry if something is missing, I’ve included all replacements in the list down below.
- Egg. A whole egg makes pancakes softer, tastier and binds the batter without banana. For vegan protein pancakes, substitute it with a flaxseed egg or a small mashed banana.
- Protein powder. You can use whey, plant-based protein powder or casein. As this recipe has no sweetener, I recommend a flavored protein powder, such as vanilla or chocolate.
- Oats (or oat flour). For convenience I started with pre-made oat flour, but you can easily use (gluten-free) rolled oats and blend all ingredients. As a replacement, choose wholewheat flour, all purpose flour or almond flour.
- Baking powder. This helps pancakes rise and get fluffy. Make sure that it is not expired.
- Milk of choice. Both dairy and plant based milk work. My favorites are soy milk, unsweetened almond milk and oat milk.
A side note about the sweetener. After reading through the ingredients, you may have noticed that this recipe uses no sweetener. The reason is because it makes pancakes with vanilla protein powder (or any other flavor). Flavored protein powders are usually already sweetened – mine with no sugar. But if you use unflavored protein powder or have the sweet tooth, be sure to add about 1 tablespoon of your favorite sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup.
Which protein powder for pancakes?
These simple protein pancakes can be prepared with any protein you want. However, keep in mind that the recipe may require some adaptations depending on your choices.
- Whey protein powder: As it mixes very well, you will need less milk – about 60 ml or 1/4 cup.
- Vegan protein powder and casein: As they are highly absorbent, to get a smooth batter you will need more milk – about 120 ml or 1/2 cup.
Whatever your choice is, be sure to choose flavored protein powder – vanilla or chocolate are great picks. As this recipe contains no additional sweetener, unflavored protein powder wouldn’t add give enough sweetness and you may need extra syrup or honey.
How to make protein pancakes
This is a very simple protein pancakes recipe. It comes together in a bowl or in a blender in less than 10 minutes. You can find the detailed printable recipe at the end of this blog post, but for now here’s an overview with step-by-step pictures.
- Step 1: Start by combining in a bowl the protein powder with the oat flour and the baking powder. If you are using rolled oats, place everything in a high speed blender.
- Step 2: With the help of a fork, make a hole in the center of the powders and crack the egg inside. If you are using unflavored protein powder, make sure to add now some maple syrup or honey.
- Step 3: Add the milk, starting with 60 ml or 1/4 cup.
- Step 4: Start whisking while pouring in the milk gradually, until the batter reaches a smooth consistency. Based on the protein powder used, you may need up to 120 ml (1/2 cup) of milk.
- Step 5: Pour one scoop of batter into a hot and greased skillet. Cook your pancakes over medium heat until the underside is golden and small bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip with a spatula and cook until golden.
Flavor variations
This has been my to-go protein powder pancakes recipe for years now. It’s quick, easy, healthy and so good that I can’t get over it. Especially because it gives plenty of room for customizations. Here are some ideas:
- Chocolate chip pancakes – Fold through a handful of your favorite chocolate chips and serve with a drizzle of peanut butter on top (my favorite).
- Peanut butter pancakes – Stir 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into the batter.
- Chocolate protein pancakes – Mix in the batter 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and some dark chocolate chips, if you want.
- Blueberry pancakes – Add fresh or frozen blueberries and optionally 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Tiramisu protein pancakes – Add to the batter about 1/2 teaspoon of coffee powder and serve with a dollop of your favorite yogurt.
- Oreo pancakes – Why not crushing in a couple of Oreos or protein cookies for extra texture and flavor?!
- Toppings – Whether you keep your pancakes plain or you make them flavored, be sure to serve them with toppings. Some of my favorite toppings are banana and peanut butter, PB&J, maple syrup or honey, jam, keto caramel sauce, low calorie Nutella, whipped cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.
Dietary adaptations
- Vegan protein pancakes. Replace the egg with one flaxseed egg or with 1 small mashed banana. Additionally, be sure to choose plant based protein powder and nondairy milk such as almond milk or oat milk.
- Low carb protein pancakes. Instead of oat flour, use almond flour. Coconut flour does not work, as it requires more liquid and tends to make pancakes dry. As a milk I recommend unsweetened almond milk or sugar free soy milk – dairy milk is not keto.
- Gluten-free pancakes. Prepare this recipe with certified gluten-free rolled oats or oat flour, or swap out the oats for almond flour. In addition, you will also want to check that the protein powder used does not contain any gluten.
MattsfitChef’s tips
- Do not overmix. Just whisk until all ingredients are combined, as overmixing will incorporate too much air into the batter and make pancakes dry.
- Adjust sweetness. Especially if using unflavored protein powder, add to the batter one or two tablespoons of maple syrup and 1/3 teaspoon of vanilla extract. This holds true also if you have the sweet tooth.
- Choose a good protein powder. The choice of a high quality protein powder is key for fluffy pancakes. Be sure that it has high quality ingredients and a taste you like, or your breakfast won’t be as expected.
- Do not overcook. Cook your pancakes over low-medium heat until some bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip and cook on the other side. As protein powder pancakes dry quite fast, do not expose them to high temperatures or long cooking times.
Storage instructions
- To store in the fridge: Let them cool completely, then place the pancakes into an airtight container and refrigerate for a maximum of 4 days. Before eating, microwave for about 30 seconds or reheat in a preheated pan.
- To freeze: Let cool to room temperature, then line pancakes over a baking tray and freeze for about 2 hours. After two hours, place in a zipper bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Freezing in two batches ensures that the protein pancakes do not stick together in the bag. Reheat in the microwave or toaster until they’re soft and fluffy.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
Here are four tips to help keep your protein pancakes soft. Use vegan protein powder or casein instead of whey, as whey tends to dry out when heated. Avoid substituting the whole egg with just egg whites. Be careful not to overmix the batter, and make sure not to overcook the pancakes.
As they are rich in protein and nutrients, these pancakes are a great breakfast to build muscle. But keep in mind that there’s no magic food to bulk, it all comes down to your daily caloric intake. And if you need more ideas, here are 25 high calorie breakfast ideas.
This recipe is relatively low in calories and has good macros. Similar to my low calorie pancakes, they are great breakfast for weight loss. But again it all depends on your daily caloric intake, as you should eat slightly less than you burn.
A serving of these high protein pancakes has approximately 359 calories, 45 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 10 g of fats. The entire recipe makes a serving.
Please note that the nutritional values are approximations only. For precise information, calculate the macros by yourself.
More high protein breakfasts
- Protein pudding
- Protein waffles
- Cottage cheese muffins
- Protein muffins
- Protein milkshake
- Cottage cheese pancakes
Protein Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (40 g) protein powder, vanilla or chocolate, see notes*
- ⅓ cup (30 g) oat flour, sub with oats or preferred flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ to ½ cup (60 ml to 120 ml) milk of choice, see notes*
Optional Ingredients
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, if using unflavored protein powder, see notes*
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine protein powder with oat flour and baking powder. Add the egg and optionally maple syrup or honey.
- Start mixing while pouring in the milk gradually, until the pancakes batter reaches a smooth consistency (see notes*).
- Pour one scoop of batter into a hot and greased pan. Cook your pancakes over medium heat until the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Do not overcook.
- Serve with your favorite toppings or store in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days.
Video
Notes
Liquid
- The quantity of milk depends on the type of protein powder you use. Whey protein requires about 60 ml (1/4 cup) of liquid, while vegan protein powder and casein may require up to 120 ml (or 1/2 cup).
Protein powder choice
- You can make pancakes with whey protein powder, vegan protein powder or casein.
- For tasty pancakes without sweetener, use a flavored protein powder such as vanilla or chocolate. If you choose unflavored protein powder, sweeten the batter with maple syrup or honey to your likings.
Serving size
- This recipe makes a single serving. To prepare it for more people, simply increase all the ingredients proportionally based on the number of servings you need.
Nutritional values
- Please note that the nutritional values are approximations only, precise macronutrients may vary based on the ingredients used. For precise information, calculate the nutrition facts by yourself.
Additional notes
- *No flour. This recipe has no flour because it uses oats, which are ground into a fine powder (so the name oat flour). Although it is called “flour”, it is not the same as regular refined flour.
This recipe is great as well as the calories/protein ratio, but sadly they were too dry (nothing extreme, still tasted good) :/ I used vegan protein and even added more than 120ml of milk. Do you think I should add even more next time?
Hey Adrian,
thanks for your feedback. Next time you may think of adding little Greek yogurt, it should make them moister. The texture of your pancakes depends on the specific type of protein powder used, therefore it is not easy to provide general guidelines. But around 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt should do the trick!
Have a great weekend,
Matteo
These had great flavour although i found them very dry. I added extra milk to thin the batter and that was much better.
Hey Kelly,
thanks a lot for your feedback! In terms of texture, it really comes down to the type of protein powder you used. Some, especially whey concentrate and whey isolate tend to dry more than casein or vegan protein powder. Same holds true for amount of milk required, not all protein powders absorb liquids the same way.
I wish you a great Sunday,
Matteo