The Best Fluffy Protein Pancakes

Here it is—your new favorite breakfast! These fluffy protein pancakes pack 38 grams of protein, are dairy-free, gluten-free, contain no refined sugar, and use nourishing ingredients. They’re incredibly easy to make—I simply mix everything in one bowl!

This recipe yields about 6 medium pancakes or 10-12 mini pancakes. With the added protein and nutrient-dense ingredients, they're super filling without weighing you down like typical pancakes.

For the ingredients, you’ll need:

• Oat Flour: To make your own, blend old-fashioned oats in a blender until you reach a flour consistency.

• Protein Powder: I’ve tried this recipe with both unsweetened pea protein and vanilla pea protein powder—both work great! I haven’t tried whey protein yet, but feel free to experiment and let me know how it turns out!

• Almond Milk: Use any dairy-free milk you like—oat, cashew, macadamia—or regular milk if you're not dairy-free. I haven’t tried this with water, but I don’t think it would be as tasty.

• Coconut Yogurt: Any dairy-free or regular yogurt works. This adds moisture to the pancakes.

• One Egg: Contributes moisture and richness. I haven’t tried an egg alternative, but feel free to experiment!

• Apple Cider Vinegar: It might seem odd, but trust me—it helps activate the baking soda, which aids in leavening and makes the pancakes light and fluffy.

• Vanilla Extract

• Baking Soda: Helps with the initial rise.

• Baking Powder: Reacts with the acid from the apple cider vinegar to add extra fluff.

• Sea Salt: Just a pinch to balance the flavors.

Optional Inclusions:

• Cinnamon

• Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, agave, or date syrup (I would recommend if you’re using unsweetened protein powder)

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Chocolate chips

• Banana

• Nuts

• Or anything else you love!

Expert Tips

1. Be careful not to overmix the batter! Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just incorporated. Overmixing can make the pancakes dense, and we want to keep those air pockets in the batter for extra fluffiness.

2. Let the batter sit for 3-5 minutes after mixing. This allows the oat flour and protein powder to absorb the wet ingredients and helps with texture.

3. Cook the pancakes for just 1 to 1.5 minutes on each side. Overcooking can lead to dense, dry pancakes, so keep an eye on them to ensure they stay light and fluffy!

Your dough should have visible air pockets (bubbles) like this—this means it's lightly mixed and ready to cook!

When you flip the pancakes, they should puff up and be golden brown on the top.

Protein Pancakes

Wet Ingredients:

1 medium egg (58g)

1/3 cup almond milk (80g) (any milk is fine)

2 tsps apple cider vinegar (10g)

1 tbsp vanilla extract (10g)

1 tbsp coconut yogurt (17g) (any yogurt is fine)

Dry Ingredients:

1/4 cup protein powder (30g)

1/3 cup oat flour (36g)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)

1/2 tsp baking soda (2g)

Pinch of sea salt

Optional: 1 tbsp liquid sweetener (14g)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients: egg, milk, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, vanilla extract, and optional liquid sweetener.

2. Add all dry ingredients: oat flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt, into the same bowl.

3. Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix; the dough should retain some air pockets.

4. Let the batter rest for 3-5 minutes to allow the oat flour and protein powder to absorb the wet ingredients.

5. Heat a pan over medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray (avocado oil, olive oil, or butter). Use a spoon to pour your desired pancake size onto the pan.

6. Cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes, until lightly golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden.

7. Serve your protein pancakes with your favorite toppings. Enjoy! :)

Notes

Tips:

If your batter seems too thick, add a little more milk. If your batter seems too thin, add a little more oat flour.

If using unsweetened protein powder, I would recommend adding a liquid sweetener.

Highly recommend adding my easy blueberry compote on top - it won’t disappoint!

Storage:

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds.

You can also freeze these pancakes in freezer bags, separated with parchment. Defrost them in the microwave.

Nutrition

For 6 medium pancakes or 10 - 12 mini pancakes:

365 calories 38g protein 26g carb 11g fat 4g fiber

**Not including optional liquid sweetener or toppings

**Amount of protein in the recipe will vary depending on what protein powder you use