Cottage cheese adds some easy protein to these light fluffy Cottage Cheese Pancakes! They’re naturally gluten-free with 20 grams of protein per serving, made with simple ingredients right in your blender, and you can customize them with any mix-ins, from blueberries to chocolate chips!
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Pancakes with staying power.
Pancakes are a delight to eat, but nutritionally, they leave me hungry an hour later.
I’m all about this classic Fluffy Pancakes recipe for special occasions and lazy weekends, but these cottage cheese pancakes have become my go-to for weekday mornings, when I need something to power me through to lunch time.
Like my Protein Pancakes, these pancakes pack in more protein than a classic pancake recipe, but this version is made without protein powder. If you’ve had ricotta pancakes before, the vibe is similar here—think: super moist, tender, and a little bit creamy.
Rather than using all-purpose flour as the base for these cottage cheese pancakes, I swapped in ground oats, a la my Banana Oatmeal Pancakes. I love the flavor and texture oats give pancakes, and it also makes this recipe gluten-free without having to use a pricy wheat flour substitute.
My Tips for Perfect Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Everything you need for pancake perfection is in the recipe card at the bottom of the page, but here are some additional pointers that will help you along the way.
- No High-Speed Blender? No Problem! If you don’t have a high-spend blender, you can tweak the process slightly. I recommend adding the oats to your blender and blitzing them until they form a powder. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend again. (A food processor will work too.)
- Let the Batter Rest. I know we’re all impatient because we want pancakes and we want them NOW, but letting the batter rest allows the ground oats to soak up the liquid. This means thicker, fluffier pancakes.
- Keep the Heat at Medium-Low. This batter is thick and it needs time to cook through. Cooking on medium-low gives it sufficient time to completely set in the middle without burning the outsides.
Serving Suggestions
To add even more protein to my breakfast, I like serving these cottage cheese pancakes alongside Cottage Cheese Eggs or Turkey Sausage.
Or if I’m feelin’ fancy, I’ll top them with Homemade Apple Pie Filling, which I keep stockpiled in the freezer.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
- You can fill your entire day with cottage cheese recipes! Have pancakes for breakfast and Cottage Cheese Pizza for lunch.
- Snack time means it’s time to whip up some Cottage Cheese Queso!
- Make these Marry Me Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups for dinner and he’ll definitely put a ring on it.
- Finish your day with creamy Protein Ice Cream. You don’t even need an ice cream maker to make it!
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Video
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Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey, plus additional for serving
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- Butter or oil for cooking the pancakes
FOR LEMON BLUEBERRY:
- ADD: Zest and juice of 1 small lemon; Fold in 1 cup blueberries
FOR CHOCOLATE CHIP:
- ADD: 1/2 to 2/3 cup chocolate chips
FOR CINNAMON PECAN:
- Increase the cinnamon to 1/2 teaspoon; add 1/2 cup chopped pecans
FOR SERVING:
- Pure maple syrup butter, berries or banana slices, pick your favorite!
Instructions
- If you’d like to keep the pancakes warm between batches, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- In a high speed blender, place the oats, cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, and cinnamon (if using). Blend on high speed, until the batter is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the blender as needed.
- Transfer to a bowl and fold in any mix-ins. Let rest while you preheat the griddle and prep any toppings.
- Heat a griddle or a skillet over medium-low heat. Brush lightly with oil or melt a little butter in the pan. Portion ¼ cupfuls of batter onto the hot griddle and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look dry and some bubbles for on top. Flip and continue to cook for 1 to 2 additional minutes.
- Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little more butter or oil to the pan between batches as needed. Place on a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you finish remaining batches. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Notes
- TO STORE: Leftover pancakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftover pancakes in a toaster (on a medium setting) or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Lay the pancakes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then place them in the freezer. Once the pancakes are frozen, transfer them to a ziptop bag and store them for up to 2 months. They can be reheated directly from frozen.
I just made these for the first time. We LOVE these. What a great high protein start to our day! Thank you so much!
Yay! Great to hear, Sara! Thank you!
Can i use flour instead of the oats?
Hi Shoshana, while I haven’t tried it myself, it could likely work. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
I don’t have a blender. Can I use a food processor or a mixer?
Hi Cathy, I believe a food processor should work. Let us know how it goes!
Love these pancakes! Added this recipe into my repertoire after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes and these pancakes are so good and fluffy! The lemon blueberry flavor is perfect for spring!
So glad you are enjoying the pancakes, Katie! Thank you!
We REALLY liked them – healthy- and I didn’t feel bad eating them
Yay! Thank you Carol!
My sister sent this to me and I’m so glad she did! These have been a hit with my little ones who are very picky eaters. I half the sugar and add chocolate chips. The pancakes disappear pretty quick 😆 Even my husband who’s not a pancake fan loves them!
Super yummy and protein filled! Been trying to eat more protein and these are quick and easy. I had to add a splash of water while blending to help loosen things up. I just topped mine with some maple syrup.
So happy you enjoyed them Jacquelyn!
These turned out better than I expected! I was worried they might taste too much like cottage cheese, but they don’t at all. This is a good, solid pancake base that’s easy to customize with different add-ins. I’m already thinking about trying the chocolate chip version next time, and maybe even experimenting with adding some different fruits.
Absolutely love this recipe. As a travel sports mom, I can make them the night before smear a little Nutella on them and make a healthy pancake sandwich for the road. Keeps the $40 Starbucks runs to a minimum. And with 14 g of protein in each of these Nutella pancake sandwiches my kids have a good base to play hard!
I do agree that letting the batter sit thickens it up a bit more.
Yay! Thanks Shannon!
Pretty good! I added in blueberries and lemon. I didn’t taste the cottage cheese at all. Great way to get more protein in!
Love it! Thanks Grace!
These were fantastic. My 2 and 4 year old gobbled these up so fast! They’re moist and the perfect amount of fluffy. I added maybe a teaspoon or two of ground flax seed but otherwise no need to change anything!
Yay! Great to hear, Joanna! Thank you!
Hi is there anyway to make these waffles? We prefer
Thank you much !
Hi Deb, normally when taking a pancake mix and making it into waffle mix you’ll need to add oil (whichever you’d prefer). I haven’t tested it myself so can give a quantity. Let me know if you decide to experiment!
I’m glad I tried it! I would have been hesitant to make these – had I not had such phenominal success with every one of Erin’s recipes I’ve tried to date. They were very good – husband and son also love them. And although not quite as good as the Kodiak cakes I usually make, I will definitely make these again when we want something a little different from the norm!
So glad you gave it a try, Kathleen! Thank you!
I love pancakes but I seldom have them because I am trying to avoid empty carbs, so when I saw this recipe I had to try them. I was really skeptical that the texture would be pancake-like so I was extremely happy when I bit into one. It was delicious and yes, fluffy. I tried the variation with cinnamon and pecans and loved them. And the best part is the that these pancakes are high protein and whole grain and healthy!
So glad you enjoyed them, Kathy! Thank you!