Cottage cheese pancakes are a fantastic healthy swap that is full of protein and will keep you feeling full all morning. Pancakes are a common favorite breakfast recipe, but most recipes or box mixes are not generally healthy or supply you with any real nutrients. Breakfast is in fact “the most important meal of the day!” You need fuel from real healthy food and recipes to set your day up for success. These low sugar, high protein cottage cheese pancakes are easy to make and will satisfy your pancake cravings.
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Related: Cottage Cheese Eggs, Chocolate Covered Strawberry Baked Oats, 6 Best Organic Protein Powders,
Medical Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For medical and health advice, consult with a licensed healthcare professional.
Benefits of Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Just like our cottage cheese eggs, this recipe has many health benefits. It is high in protein, full of healthy fats, low sugar, and made with minimal healthy ingredients.
Read more about the potential health benefits and nutrition facts of cottage cheese:
These cottage cheese pancakes are packed with protein. Cottage cheese has around 14g per serving (depending on brand). Each large egg has around 6.3g of protein. That makes a total of about 27g of protein in this recipe. Protein helps you stay full for longer and supplies you with essential amino acids. According to Healthline, essential amino acids are not created within the body and need to be obtained through diet. Your body uses them to build many structures including muscles, hormones, and neurotransmitters. They are also used for various functions in the immune system.
A high protein breakfast will keep you feeling full all morning and give you the energy you need for the day. Read more on the benefits of eating more protein here. See another high protein breakfast recipe here.
Along with the benefits of protein, cottage cheese pancakes are also packed with many nutrients. Cottage cheese can supply you with calcium, vitamins B12 and A, potassium, phosphorous, and selenium. Eggs are a great source of choline, iron, folate, vitamins B12, A, D, and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, and selenium. Cinnamon has many antioxidants along with anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antimicrobial properties.
Best brands of cottage cheese
Our favorite brand of cottage cheese, as mentioned before in our cottage cheese eggs recipe, is Good Culture Cottage Cheese. Made with whole milk from pasture-raised cows, certified organic, and keto-friendly, it’s relatively cheap for the quality you receive. It has 14g of protein per serving, live cultures for a healthy gut microbiome, and is made with minimal real ingredients. They offer many different kinds, including lactose-free. Their organic cottage cheese was used in this recipe.
Some other great brands to consider are Horizon Organic, Nancy’s, and Green Valley Creamery. With any cottage cheese you pick it is best to ensure they are made with natural, minimal ingredients and come from high-quality milk of pasture raised cows. This way you will get the most nutrient benefits from your cottage cheese pancakes.
Notes on this recipe
Cottage cheese pancakes will be more dense and have a medium brown color, rather than the golden brown color that pancakes usually have. This recipe tastes just as good as regular pancakes and will help you get your “pancake fix” in without all the extra sugar.
The sweetener used in this recipe is raw organic honey. Other healthy options that will taste just as good are coconut sugar, monk fruit (without erythritol), maple syrup, or raw cane sugar. This recipe will also work well with no added sweeteners if you prefer to have no sugar.
Here is a fun and tasty variation of this recipe to try: Add your favorite berries in the batter by folding them in after the batter has been fully mixed, or add the berries as a topper. Some great options are strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries.
If you are looking to add in more protein, use a scoop of your favorite protein powder and blend into the mix. Depending on which type of protein powder you use, the taste should not change too much.
These cottage cheese pancakes are not dairy-free, vegan friendly, or gluten free. The cottage cheese is made with whole milk, the recipe also includes eggs, and flour.
However, you can make this recipe dairy-free by substituting regular cottage cheese with a lactose-free cottage cheese.
To make this recipe vegan, use a vegan friendly sweetener of choice, substitute the eggs with mashed banana or apple sauce, use a vegan butter alternative (for prepping the pan and serving) or chose to not use any at all, and lastly use a vegan cottage cheese alternative.
You can make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the all purpose flour for a gluten-free alternative such as almond flour, oat flour, or other gluten-free flour of choice.
Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe
| Yields 10 Pancakes | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes |
Ingredients
3/4 cup cottage cheese– Good Culture Cottage Cheese or other favorite brand
1/2 cup all purpose flour– or gluten-free flour of choice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp raw organic honey– or other natural sweetener of choice, you can increase or decrease amount for taste
1 tsp cinnamon powder
2 large eggs– preferably pasture raised organic eggs, substitute with mashed banana or apple sauce if desired
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 dash of salt– Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan pink salt is best
Butter– to prep the pan, and for serving if desired
100% real maple syrup– for serving, preferably Grade A and organic
Directions
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl add cottage cheese, flour, baking soda, honey, and cinnamon powder. Set aside.
Step 2: In a separate small mixing bowl, beat eggs and vanilla extract together with a whisk, until mixture is fully combined.
Step 3: Add your eggs and vanilla extract mixture into your large mixing bowl. Mix ingredients until fully combined.
Note: Cottage cheese will remain clumpy until fully cooked.
Step 4: Turn stove on medium heat, place your pan on the stove, and prep your pan with butter. Then using a cookie dough scoop (for the best sized pancakes), scoop out batter and add to your pan. Cook until both sides are a medium brown.
Note: Only cook 3-4 pancakes at a time. After one batch is done add more butter to the pan before adding the second batch to ensure the cottage cheese pancakes do not stick to your pan.
Tip: Add butter on each pancake after they are finished cooking and stack each on top of each other on your plate. This will help evenly spread the butter on each pancake for a delicious taste.
Step 5: Turn off stove. Add your finished cottage cheese pancakes onto a plate, top with butter and maple syrup, then serve and enjoy.
Final Thoughts
Cottage cheese pancakes are a relatively quick and easy recipe for a high protein breakfast. With minimal ingredients and various health benefits it is a great pancake alternative to consider adding to your recipe list.
If you enjoyed this healthy breakfast recipe! You may also like:
- High Protein Chocolate Covered Strawberry Baked Oats
- 24 Organic High Protein Foods
- Whey vs Plant Protein
- High Protein Cottage Cheese Eggs
- 6 Best Organic Protein Powders
References
Bjarnadottir, Adda. “How Much Protein in an Egg?” Healthline, 6 Feb. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-in-egg. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Kuballa, Jillian. “Essential Amino Acids: Definition, Benefits, and Food Sources.” Healthline, 7 Aug. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/essential-amino-acids#what-they-are.
Gunnars, Kris. “10 Science-Backed Reasons to Eat More Protein.” Healthline, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-to-eat-more-protein. Accessed 14 March 2024.
WebMD Editorial Contributor. “Cottage Cheese: Are There Health Benefits?” WebMD, 13 March 2023, https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cottage-cheese. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Leech, Joe. “10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Cinnamon.” Healthline, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-cinnamon. Accessed 14 March 2024.
Good Culture. “Organic Cottage Cheese.” Good Culture, 2023, https://goodculture.com/cottage-cheese/. Accessed 14 March 2024.
