This cottage cheese pancakes recipe is the best genius trick! It makes a protein packed pancake that tastes like French toast.
Cottage cheese pancakes? Yes, this pancakes recipe is the best kept secret on the internet! This protein-packed pancake uses half the flour as a regular pancake recipe, relying on eggs and cottage cheese instead. It’s tender, fluffy, and vanilla-scented: in fact, it tastes like French toast! This is our go-to pancake recipe for entertaining (really!). Ready to give it a try?
Ingredients in this cottage cheese pancakes recipe
We didn’t invent the idea of cottage cheese pancakes: it’s been swirling around on the internet for a while (undetected by us). But we did create this riff on the theme, which results in a big batch of fluffy, ample-sized pancakes. You’ll need only 7 ingredients for this recipe:
- Small curd cottage cheese (see notes below)
- Eggs
- All purpose flour
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla
- Baking powder and salt
Look for small curd cottage cheese
The most important part of the ingredients in cottage cheese pancakes? Find small curd cottage cheese. This type of cottage cheese has smaller curds (as the name implies). Why it’s important? Small curds allow the cheese to mostly melt into the pancake texture when cooked, so there aren’t many visible white flecks when you cut into it. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Some brands labeled as “small curd” have fairly large curds. The size varies based on brand. One small curd brand we bought was exactly the same curd size as another brand that was not labeled small curd. Experiment and find a brand that works for you!
- That said, the recipe works with any size of curd (except large). Don’t sweat it too much! Avoid anything marked large curd, but you can really use whatever you have on hand. You just may end up with some white flecks: which are not bad! They’re still just as delicious.
Makes for protein filled pancakes
What we like about this cottage cheese pancakes recipe? It uses half the normal amount of all-purpose flour in a traditional pancakes recipe. We’re not anti-flour, but we do like a pancake that fills us up with protein so we’re not hungry 1 hour later. Here’s a little breakdown:
- 1 Cottage Cheese Pancake has over 7 grams protein! A serving size of two of these is approximately 30% of your daily protein intake.
- 1 Standard Pancake has approximately 4 grams protein. So the cottage cheese pancake has nearly double the protein!
Want more recipes with this healthy cheese? Go to 12 Genius Cottage Cheese Recipes to Try Now.
Toppings for cottage cheese pancakes
There are so many ways to top your cottage cheese pancakes! Typically when we serve pancakes we try to offset the sweet with a little nut butter for protein. Because these are high protein pancakes, there’s no need: top them with whatever you like! Here are some ideas:
- Pure maple syrup and powdered sugar: this plays up the French toast vibe
- Fresh berries like raspberries, blackberries or blueberries
- Sliced bananas
- Crushed nuts like pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts or slivered almonds
- Nut butter like peanut, almond, pecan, pistachio, or walnut butter
More pancake recipes
There are so many riffs on pancake recipes, and we love trying them all. Here are some of our top healthy pancake recipes:
- Grab Classic Pancakes, Classic Buttermilk Pancakes or Blueberry Pancakes
- Try Best-Ever Oatmeal Pancakes or Banana Oatmeal Pancakes made with oats (no flour!)
- Go for Fluffy Almond Flour Pancakes, made with almond flour
- Opt for Go-To Vegan Pancakes, with no dairy
- Try Peanut Butter Pancakes, with an extra dose of nut butter
This cottage cheese pancakes recipe is…
Vegetarian.
Print
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 4-inch pancakes 1x
Description
This cottage cheese pancakes recipe is the best genius trick! It makes a protein packed pancake that tastes like French toast.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups small curd* cottage cheese
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, maple syrup and vanilla (if you see very large clumps of cottage cheese, try to break them up or smash them with a fork).
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add it to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat, then add a bit of butter to coat. Scoop out ¼ cup portions of batter and cook the pancakes until golden brown on one side, adjusting the heat so it doesn’t brown too fast. Flip and cook until cooked through and no longer gooey at the edges (the batter will ooze out a bit at the sides; just keep cooking until it is fully cooked, adjusting the heat as necessary so it doesn’t brown too fast). Place the pancakes in a stack under an overturned bowl, and cook the second batch of pancakes.
- Serve immediately, topped with pure maple syrup.
Notes
*Small curd cottage cheese is important for getting the right texture where the cheese melts into the pancake. Some brands labeled as “small curd” have fairly large curds, so the size varies based on brand. Experiment and find a brand that works for you! But don’t sweat it too much: you can make this recipe with any size curds, you just may end up with an appearance with some white flecks.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Breakfast
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Cottage cheese pancakes, Cottage cheese pancakes recipe
Let us know if you have any questions!
★★★★★
These look incredible! Think I can make the batter n a blender? Would take care of any cottage cheese clumps.
Good question: we actually tried that — and we didn’t like it as much! The blender made the texture more one-note. The little lumps of cottage cheese make a nice texture that’s even more delicious. You can do it, but we think it’s not necessary! :)
Excellent! Will make again.
Can you sub almond flour for AP?
I’m not sure if they would hold together!
Just made your cottage cheese pancakes
They were absolutely scrumptious, love the fact that there is a lot of protein, not so many carbs
Love all your recipes so far
Keep them coming
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed!
I come from a country of pancakes and it would never occurs to me to use cottage cheese! nevertheless, I trusted the recipe since I made many others from your side and they came out light fluffy and feeling. I topped mine with maple butter from Trader Joe. it will be in the rotation ! thank you!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it! :)
Can I make these the night before and reheat for breakfast the next morning?
Yes.
I make this pancake recipe only the flour is replaced by oatmeal!
I cant stop making this pancakes
★★★★★
Please don’t!
Cool!
Do these pancakes freeze well?
Yes you should be able to freeze these pancakes! Pancake work well in a sealed bag with the air sucked out of it with a straw.
I’m pregnant and bought cottage cheese because it’s high in protein, but when i tried it I hated it! Then I found this recipe and now I’m happy all that cottage cheese won’t go to waste! These pancakes were absolutely delicious! My husband can’t stop raving about them! I added blueberries and also used oat flour. Will definitely be making again soon!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed! These are definitely in the “better than expected” category of recipes :)
I have known about cottage cheese pancakes for 30 years. Very tasty! We always put everything in the blender when preparingthe batter.. No worries about lumps that way!
★★★★
Will the recipe work if I don’t add the maple to the batter?
I think so! You may need a drizzle of oil to get it to come together.
Hi, I love this recipe, but why don’t you mention the brand or brands you used that are actually small curd instead of us trying to figure it out? There’s a big chance that I’ll have the same brands in my grocery store. 😅
★★★★★
I don’t have a brand handy, but I will try to note it in the future! Usually they are labeled “small curd”.
Can I use sugar free maple syrup?
It should work.