Cottage Cheese Pancakes will make your next breakfast even better! Made with rolled oats instead of flour, the protein-packed batter comes together quickly in your blender.
Thanks to its high protein content, cottage cheese is having a moment. But if you’re tired of eating it with fresh fruit or over toast, try blending it into pancakes next!
Being the perfectionist that I am, I’ve tested this concept a lot over the past few weeks. The basic ratio I’ve seen floating around the internet creates a gummy texture that makes it feel like a “healthy” pancake. (It’s certainly not something my kids would eat.)
But, after some experimenting, I found a ratio that creates fluffy pancakes every time! I’ll share several options with you below, in case you’re curious.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Use full-fat cottage cheese (4% milk fat) for the best results. Small curd cottage cheese is what I used for testing, but large curd should work here, as well.
Inspired by my favorite Banana Oatmeal Pancakes, adding a touch of olive oil and maple syrup to this pancake batter completely hides the cottage cheese flavor and creates a texture you’ll love. (No gummy pancakes here!) Add a splash of vanilla extract or a dash of cinnamon, if you like.
Paired with oats, eggs, and baking powder, the batter comes together in just minutes. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need a gluten-free recipe.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Pancakes
In a high-speed blender, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, oats, baking powder, olive oil, maple syrup, water, and salt. Secure the lid and blend until the batter looks smooth.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once a drop of water instantly sizzles when it touches the pan, you’ll know the surface is ready for cooking.
Spray the pan with cooking oil or melt a pat of butter in the center. Then pour a 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the greased skillet.
The mixture will thicken up as it rests, so use your spatula to spread the batter into a round pancake shape. (If you add liquid to thin the batter, the pancakes will be less fluffy and more gummy.)
Cook for roughly 2 minutes. This batter won’t bubble up like traditional pancake batter, so when a spatula easily slides under the pancake, you’ll know it’s time to flip it over. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the center of the pancake puffs up.
Repeat with the remaining pancake batter until they are all cooked. You may need to turn the stove down to medium-low heat as you cook the pancakes since they will cook faster as you go. (This recipe makes 7 to 8 small pancakes.)
Serve these protein-packed pancakes warm with your favorite toppings, like fresh berries or an extra dollop of cottage cheese.
storage Tip
Have leftover pancakes? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Pop them in the toaster oven or traditional toaster to reheat for a fast morning.
Pancake Variations
I tested this recipe in several different ways, so I thought I’d share some of the experimental batches, in case you want a simpler option.
- Test #1: (Simplest option!) 1 cup cottage cheese + 1 cup oats + 2 eggs + 1 teaspoon baking powder + pinch of salt. This is a popular ratio I see on the internet, but the pancakes turn out rubbery. If you don’t mind the texture, however, this is an easy option for those looking for a nutrient-dense option. You could even use less oats if you don’t mind a thin, dense pancake.
- Test #2: 1 cup cottage cheese + 1 1/2 cups oats + 2 eggs + 1 teaspoon baking powder + 2 T olive oil + 2 T maple syrup + 1 tablespoon water. Adding more oats, plus some oil, helps improve the texture, but they are still too dense to be confused for a fluffy pancake.
- Test #3: 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 1 cup oats + 2 eggs + 1 T maple syrup + 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1/8 tsp salt. These are almost good enough, but still a little rubbery in texture.
- Test #4: 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 1 1/2 cups oats + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 2 T olive oil + 2 T maple syrup + 1/4 cup water + 1/4 tsp salt. This has the best texture of them all! They are fluffy, and my kids will eat them without realizing there’s cottage cheese inside.
From here, I experimented with adding 1/4 cup more cottage cheese to the recipe above. The more cottage cheese you add, the more dense the pancakes get. You’ll also taste the cottage cheese more in this case. It’s not bad, but it will depend on who you are serving.
Flavor variations
Just like traditional pancakes, you can add any mix-ins you like. Try adding nuts like pecans, almonds, or walnuts for added crunch. Or press a few blueberries into your pancakes for natural sweetness. You can also add chocolate chips for a sweeter option!
Looking for more cottage cheese recipes? Try my Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip or Crustless Quiche if you have extra to use up.
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup cottage cheese (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup water
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In a high-speed blender, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, oats, oil, maple syrup, baking powder, salt, and water. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the blender to make sure all of the oats are evenly blended.
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When a drop of water instantly sizzles when dropped on the pan, you’ll know it’s ready to cook the pancakes. Spray the pan with cooking oil to prevent sticking, then pour some of the pancake batter into the center of the pan. (I use a ¼ cup per pancake.) Spread the batter out with the back of a spoon. The batter will thicken while it rests, but don’t be tempted to add more water. Extra liquid added = gummy pancakes.
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Let the pancake cook for roughly 2 minutes, then slide a spatula under the pancake and flip it over. If the spatula doesn’t easily slide under the pancake, wait another minute, then try again. After flipping the pancake, watch to see if the center puffs up. That’s how you’ll know it’s cooked through to the center. On average, it takes 2 to 3 minutes for the first side to cook, and a little over 1 minute for the second side.
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Remove the cooked pancake, then repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter. Don’t be surprised if the batter has thickened even more while waiting in the blender. Just spread it out with the back of a spoon in this case; the thicker batter will result in fluffier pancakes!
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Depending on the size of your pancakes, you should get about 7 to 8 pancakes from this recipe. Serve them warm with your favorite toppings.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. They reheat easily in the toaster for a fast morning.
Cottage Cheese Note: This recipe was tested with 4% cottage cheese (full fat/whole milk). I originally tried doubling the amount of cottage cheese in this recipe, but that results in very dense and rubbery pancakes. If you don’t mind the difference in texture, feel free to experiment with using more.
Flavor Variations: Feel free to add in any flavorings you love, like fresh blueberries or a few chocolate chips. The easiest way to add these is by pressing them into the top of your pancake batter after it’s on the pan. When you flip the pancake, the toppings will bake right in.
Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 787mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 334IU | Calcium: 296mg | Iron: 4mg
If you try these cottage cheese pancakes, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
