Fluffy Cottage Cheese Pancakes
These Cottage Cheese Pancakes are light, fluffy, and naturally high in protein! They're easy to make in the blender and freezer-friendly, perfect for busy mornings or a cozy weekend brunch. Use a great-tasting cottage cheese that you would eat on its own; if it's dry or rubbery, your pancakes will taste the same.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons milk (dairy or non-dairy) + more as needed
- 1 cup cottage cheese preferably whole or 2% milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar or white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Avocado oil for frying
- Toppings maple syrup, butter, berries, bananas, chocolate chips, applesauce, yogurt, or more cottage cheese
Instructions
- Add the milk, cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and then pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, if you do not have a blender, you can use an immersion blender or whisk aggressively by hand.
- Add the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir in until just combined. If the mixture is too thick, stir in additional milk by the tablespoon until the mixture is thick but spoonable (see the photos on the corresponding blog post for reference).
- Preheat a cast iron skillet/griddle or non-stick pan over medium- low heat for 2-3 minutes or until good and hot and water sputters when flicked onto it. Coat the pan with avocado oil, scoop the pancake batter onto the pan in ⅓ cup increments, leaving 1-2 inches between each pancake (they will expand slightly as they cook).
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles have formed on the surface of the pancake batter. Flip the pancakes and cook another 2-3 minutes or until cooked through.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter, re-oiling the pan and gently lowering the heat as needed, as the pan holds its heat better over the cooking time. If desired, you can keep the cooked pancakes warm in an oven preheated to 200°F for up to 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve the pancakes hot, topped with your choice of toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Pro-Tips
- No blender? No problem – Use an immersion blender or small-curd cottage cheese and whisk everything well by hand.
- Add milk as needed – Your batter should be thick but pourable. Start with 5 tablespoons and stir in more one tablespoon at a time until you get that scoopable, spoonable consistency.
- Use good quality cottage cheese – If it tastes rubbery or chalky out of the container, your pancakes will too. Go for creamy, small-curd varieties.
- Lower the heat as you go – Your pan will retain more heat with each batch. Reduce the heat to low to prevent over-browning.
- Keep pancakes warm in a 200°F oven – If you're cooking in batches or feeding a crowd, this trick keeps them warm and ready to serve without drying out.
- Customize with mix-ins – Stir fresh blueberries, chopped bananas, or mini chocolate chips into the batter. For a citrusy spin (think ricotta pancakes), add ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
- Refrigerating: Let leftover pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Arrange pancakes in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm in the toaster oven or microwave on gentle heat until heated through. No need to thaw first—reheat gently straight from the freezer!
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25of the recipe (2 large pancakes)Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 15gFat: 5gFiber: 2g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
