Classic Pumpkin Protein Pancakes (No Blender!)
Cozy, spiced, and packed with 13g of protein per serving, these Pumpkin Protein Pancakes are a fall breakfast dream. Made with classic pantry ingredients and no blender required, they’re tender, fluffy, and perfect for everything from busy weekdays to slow Saturday brunches.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup 2% milk or soy milk filtered milk can be used for extra protein
- 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 large egg
- 1¼ cups (150g) whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 scoop (30g) vanilla or unflavored protein powder
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- Avocado oil or butter for greasing the griddle
- Toppings of choice maple syrup, butter, chocolate chips, chopped dates, bananas, etc.
Instructions
- Combine milk and vinegar in a mixing bowl, let sit for 5 minutes until lightly curdled
- Add the pumpkin, vanilla, melted butter, and eggs. Whisk until combined
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, protein, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined.
- Heat a non-stick griddle skillet over medium heat (or a pancake plate on medium) until hot. Add the oil or butter and swirl until the pan is covered. Scoop the batter onto the skillet in ¼ cup scoops, leaving 2 inches between them. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes (if cooking on a pancake plate, you don’t need to flip). Reduce the heat if the pancakes start to brown too quickly, as the pan can progressively heat up through the cooking process.
- Remove the pancakes from the pan, re-grease it if needed, and cook the remaining pancake batter following the step above. Keep the pancakes warm in a 200°F oven if preferred while you cook the subsequent batches.
- Serve the pancakes hot with your favorite toppings, such as butter, maple syrup, chocolate chips, or chopped dates.
Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled, stack the pancakes with small sheets of parchment paper between them and transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost the pancakes at room temperature for 15 minutes or in the toaster oven on low heat.
- Reheating: Warm the pancakes in the toaster oven for 2-3 minutes until heated through and lightly crisp.
- Don’t overmix the batter. A few lumps are totally fine! Overmixing can make your pancakes tough instead of tender.
- Use a high-quality pumpkin spice blend. I make mine homemade so I can tweak it to taste and always have a big batch on hand during the fall.
- Adjust the skillet temperature as needed. As your skillet heats up over time, it can start cooking the pancakes too fast on the outside. Lower the heat slightly between batches if needed.
- Use whole wheat pastry flour for the best texture and extra protein. If you can’t find it, mix all-purpose flour and classic whole wheat flour 50/50 for a similar result.
Nutrition
Serving: 2pancakesCalories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 13gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 5g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
