Protein Pancakes: 3 Freezer-Friendly Stacks With 30g Protein
One blender batter, three flavors and 30g of protein on every plate. Cook a double batch on Sunday, freeze the extras, and weekday breakfast is a toaster job.
Why you'll love it
- 31g of protein per plate from whey, eggs and cottage cheese
- One blender batter makes three stacks: banana oat, chocolate peanut butter and pumpkin spice
- Freezes flat and reheats from frozen in the toaster in minutes
- About 340 calories a plate, with no syrup required
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (80 g)
- 1 scoop (30 g) vanilla whey protein powder, about 24g of protein
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (7 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs (100 g)
- 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese (113 g)
- 1/4 cup 1% milk (61 g)
- Nonstick spray for the pan
- Banana oat stack: 1 medium ripe banana (118 g), mashed
- Chocolate peanut butter stack: 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (11 g) plus 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (32 g)
- Pumpkin spice stack: 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (123 g) plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the dry ingredients
Pulse the oats in a blender for 20 to 30 seconds until they look like coarse flour. Pour them into a mixing bowl with the protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until no clumps remain. For the chocolate peanut butter stack, whisk in the cocoa now. For the pumpkin stack, add the pumpkin pie spice here.
- 2
Blend the wet batter
Put the eggs, cottage cheese and milk in the blender and run it for 30 to 45 seconds, until completely smooth. This is the step that hides the cottage cheese curds. Add your stack ingredient here: the mashed banana, the peanut butter, or the pumpkin puree. Pour the wet mix over the dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Let the batter rest 5 minutes so the oats drink up liquid and the batter thickens to a slow pour. For the banana stack, hold back half the milk. For the pumpkin stack, skip the milk entirely.
- 3
Cook small and flip once
Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and coat it lightly with spray. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter per pancake, about 4 inches across. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles form and the edges look set. Flip once and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Small pancakes cook through before the outside browns too far, so lower the heat if the first one darkens too fast and wipe the pan between batches. If the batter thickens while it sits, stir in a splash of milk. A pancake is done when the center springs back when you press it.
- 4
Freeze and reheat
Cool the pancakes completely on a wire rack, then freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 1 to 2 hours, until solid. Move them to a labeled freezer bag with parchment between each one, press out the air and seal. Reheat from frozen in the toaster on a medium setting, on a sheet pan at 400°F for 2 to 3 minutes, or 45 to 60 seconds in the microwave for 2 pancakes, until they reach 165°F in the center. Eat within 2 months for best texture, or within 3 to 4 days from the fridge.
Nutrition
Per plate of 4 pancakes (base batter), estimated from USDA FoodData Central values for the gram weights listed. Fiber is about 5g. Banana oat: about 390 calories and 30g protein. Chocolate peanut butter: about 450 calories and 35g protein. Pumpkin spice: about 350 calories and 30g protein. Your protein powder, cottage cheese and milk will shift the numbers a few grams.
Tips & variations
- Using Clean Eatz Shakez (20g protein per scoop)? Add 2 extra tablespoons of cottage cheese to keep a plate over 30g.
- Plant protein powders soak up more liquid, so add milk a tablespoon at a time until the batter pours slowly off a spoon.
- Weigh the batter after blending and divide by 8. Each pancake is close to 48 g of batter, which makes per-pancake macros easy to log.
- Top with plain Greek yogurt and berries for roughly 10g more protein, or warm nut butter and sliced banana.
- For the pumpkin stack, buy 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar.
Frequently asked questions
Can You Make Protein Pancakes Without Protein Powder?
Yes. Leave out the scoop and use 1 cup of cottage cheese instead of 1/2 cup, plus one extra egg. That keeps a plate at roughly 28g of protein, a few grams short of the powder version. The batter will be looser, so rest it 10 minutes instead of 5.
Can You Make Gluten Free Protein Pancakes?
Yes, with one swap. Oats are naturally gluten free, but many are processed alongside wheat, so buy oats labeled certified gluten free. Check the protein powder and baking powder labels too. The eggs, cottage cheese and milk are gluten free as written.
How Long Do Frozen Protein Pancakes Last?
Best within 2 months, following Clemson Extension's guidance for waffles. They stay safe longer at 0°F, but the texture dries out over time. In the fridge, eat them within 3 to 4 days. Label the bag with the stack name and the date.
Why Are My Protein Pancakes Dry?
Usually the heat was too high or the pancakes were too big. Protein batter browns fast and overcooks before the middle is done. Cook over medium-low heat, keep the pancakes about 4 inches across, and pull them when the center springs back. A plant protein powder without extra milk also dries them out.
