Start your morning on the right foot with these protein-packed Cottage Cheese Pancakes! Incredibly moist and fluffy with a subtle tanginess and a rich, creamy texture, they’re unlike any pancake you’ve had before.
Cottage cheese is one of my favorite ingredients - sorry not sorry! I love it first thing in the morning in a cottage cheese breakfast bowl and for dinner in an ultra-creamy cottage cheese lasagna. It’s a rich and tangy addition that just happens to fill all of these meals with extra protein and nutrients.
In this Cottage Cheese Pancakes recipe, the creamy and soft cheese works its magic to transform a classic stack of pancakes into a decadent, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth breakfast.
Pancakes made with cottage cheese are naturally moist and tender. This means you don’t need any additional butter or oil in the batter! Furthermore, the cheese sneaks a substantial amount of protein, making these pancakes an energizing and satisfying way to start the day.
Recipe features
- Cottage cheese is a naturally protein-rich and nutritious food. When you add it to pancake batter, it creates decadent, tangy, and rich pancakes that are much more filling than the average recipe.
- Every bite is delectably soft and moist, even without oil or butter in the pancake batter!
- The subtle tanginess from the cottage cheese pairs well with a wide range of pancake toppings, like fruits, berries, and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
All purpose flour - I’ve only tested this recipe with all purpose flour, but a 1:1 mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour should work as well.
Cinnamon - Just a pinch gives the pancakes a warm and comforting flavor. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice to enhance the warming flavor.
Milk - You can use whole milk, skim milk, buttermilk, or dairy free milk, like almond or oat milk. Just know that the type of milk you use will yield different flavors and textures. For example, buttermilk should enhance the tang and fluffiness, while almond milk might thin out the batter.
Maple syrup - This popular pancake topper is used in the batter for a naturally sweet and caramelized flavor.
Cottage cheese - The star of the show! Cottage cheese yields creamy and mouth-watering pancakes with a ton of added protein. I like using regular cottage cheese because it has the best flavor, but you can also use low-fat or non-fat cottage cheese instead.
Vanilla - This gives the pancakes a delicate sweetness and craveable aroma. Feel free to experiment with other extracts, such as almond or coconut.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients. Stir the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
Step 2: Whisk wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cottage cheese, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: Mix dry and wet batters. Gently stir the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture until just combined.
Step 4: Cook the pancakes. Heat a lightly greased griddle or skillet over medium heat. Add a scoop of the batter onto the griddle and cook until bubbles form. Carefully flip the pancake and cook on the other side until set. Repeat with the rest of the pancake batter, then serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- Drain the excess liquid in the cottage cheese. Watery cottage cheese will thin out the batter, meaning your pancakes won’t be as thick and fluffy.
- Don't overmix! Only mix the dry and wet ingredients until they just come together (it’s ok if there are some lumps in the batter). Overmixing will lead to dense or flat pancakes.
- For evenly sized pancakes, use a ¼ cup measuring cup to drop the batter onto the cooking surface.
- You only need to flip the pancakes once as they cook. Only flip them when the edges are set and bubbles form on the surface
- Keep the cooked pancakes warm before serving by placing them on a baking sheet in a warm oven (around 200°F).
What does cottage cheese do in pancake batter?
Making pancakes with cottage cheese comes with plenty of benefits. It gives the pancakes a soft, luscious texture and pleasantly tangy flavor. Best of all, it adds an impressive amount of protein (25 grams per 1 cup), leaving you with a filling and satisfying batch of pancakes.
What else can you add to the pancake batter?
There’s plenty of room in this pancake batter for your favorite mix-ins. Just be sure to gently fold any additional ingredients into the finished batter, being careful not to overmix in the process. Here are some add-ins you might like:
- Fresh berries or fruit - Like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sliced bananas, or diced apples.
- Nuts and seeds - Like walnuts, almonds, pecans, chia seeds, or flaxseeds.
- Chocolate chips - Or peanut butter chips or chocolate chunks.
What do you serve with cottage cheese pancakes?
Beyond maple syrup, cottage cheese pancakes are fantastic paired with a variety of toppings, such as fresh berries and sliced fruit, nuts and seeds, and chocolate chips.
They’re also delicious topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt for even more protein and nut butter or peanut butter for a dose of healthy fats. For extra fun, top them with a generous amount of whipped cream or homemade Nutella.
Can the pancake batter be made in advance?
Yes, the pancake batter can be made up to 1 day ahead of time and stored in a covered bowl in the fridge. There are plenty of benefits that come with preparing it ahead, other than saving you time! It gives the batter time to rest and allows the ingredients to meld together, producing lighter, more tender pancakes.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the cooked and cooled cottage cheese pancakes in an airtight container. They should stay fresh in the fridge for 2 to 3 days
Freezer: Stack the cooled pancakes, separating each one with a piece of parchment paper. Transfer them to a freezer-safe ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More pancake recipes you’ll love
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cottage cheese, and vanilla together; then, pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine.
- Spray a griddle or large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat it over medium heat. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop the batter out and place it onto the griddle. Cook the pancakes for 3 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip them over and cook for an additional 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed so they don’t burn. Repeat this process until the batter is gone. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The post Cottage Cheese Pancakes appeared first on The Almond Eater.