A protein packed stack of pancakes that have no oats, no bananas, no blender needed, and this protein pancakes recipe is gluten-free, keto and low carb! Can you believe they have 40 grams of protein and only 300 calories?
Protein Pancakes with No Banana or Oats
I was on the hunt for a Protein Pancake Recipe but I wasn't having much success. I found that they mostly included oats or bananas or both...and you needed to use a blender! Bananas and oats are not my ideal sources of protein so I went to work making a stack of protein powder pancakes that were easy to make without a blender, gluten free, and are keto friendly!
The best thing about this protein pancake recipe is that you can use any flavor protein powder you want. You definitely want to make sure it is a protein powder that tastes really good because that is what your pancakes will taste like. You cannot use an unflavored whey protein for this recipe.
Ingredients needed
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this protein pancakes recipe and substitution options. For a printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Cut the recipe in half to easily make 1 serving.
- 2 servings of your favorite protein powder - any that you like. it needs to be one that tastes good to you or your pancakes will not taste good!
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Originally this recipe used water or almond milk as the liquid. I had some people express that their pancakes were dry. I went to the drawing board and discovered that the only way around this is to include fat in the batter. Now I use either ½ cup (120g) of sour cream or full fat Greek Yogurt in place of the liquid. I tried FF Greek Yogurt and they were still dry. You really need full fat Greek Yogurt (4% milk fat), light sour cream (10.5% milk fat), or full fat sour cream (18% milk fat).
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
How to make protein pancakes
This section explains how to make this protein powder pancake recipe, step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
These protein pancakes are so easy and simple, you are going to be making them every week as part of your meal prep. If you have time to sit down and eat a stack of pancakes for breakfast, you should definitely give these a try.
I have a recipe for Protein Pudding, and protein waffles that uses protein powder as well.
I mixed all of the ingredients together in a large bowl with a whisk to form my batter.
Your batter will look like the perfect pancake batter.
I got my skillet hot on the stove while I was getting my batter ready because it comes together so fast. I used a large non-stick skillet and then I used cooking spray because I do not want these to stick!
Protein powder pancakes recipe
The protein powder I use is Vanilla Premiere Protein Powder. I have also heard that Quest protein powder works really well. I would look for one with the lowest amount of carbs and that tastes good. You can use any flavor so feel free to make these your own. Use chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon roll...really the possibilities are endless.
I used a ¼ cup measuring cup for the perfect sized pancakes!
You see those small bubbles on top? These pancakes look like they are ready to flip! These protein pancakes are golden brown and the perfect snack!
My batter usually makes 6-8 pancakes, which is perfect for 2 people, or you can save half of the pancakes in the refrigerator for the next day.
Tips and variation for this protein pancakes recipe
- Mix in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or chocolate chips to the batter.
- Use a plant-based protein powder.
- Make several batches and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
- Top with nut butter for a decadent treat.
- Microwave the leftovers or heat in the toaster oven.
I served mine with butter, sugar free maple syrup, and a few blueberries.
If you're looking for a savory high-protein option instead of pancakes, try my 2 ingredient cottage cheese flatbread. It’s perfect for wraps or sandwiches and made with cottage cheese and egg whites.
Protein Pancakes Recipe - 40 Grams of Protein!
Ingredients
- 2 large Eggs
- ½ cup Sour cream or plain full fat Greek Yogurt (note 1)
- 2 servings Protein powder (note 3)
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- Cooking spray, butter, or coconut oil for greasing the pan
Method
- Place a non-stick skillet on the stove over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or use a little butter or coconut oil and let melt.
- Mix the eggs, protein powder, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the sour cream or Greek Yogurt and mix to combine.
- Using a ¼ cup measure, pour out the batter into the skillet. I was able to make 3 at a time. They are ready to flip when bubbles start to form on the top and around the edges are set.
- Serve with butter, sugar free syrup, and chocolate chips or blueberries.
Notes
- Liquid: Originally this recipe used water or almond milk as the liquid. I had some people express that their pancakes were dry. I went to the drawing board and discovered that the only way around this is to include fat in the batter. Now I use either ½ cup (120g) of sour cream or full fat Greek Yogurt in place of the liquid. I tried FF Greek Yogurt and they were still dry. You really need full fat Greek Yogurt (4% milk fat), light sour cream (10.5% milk fat), or full fat sour cream (18% milk fat).
- Protein Pancakes for 1: This recipe is really easy to cut in half and make just one serving.
- The nutrition listed is for protein pancakes using the Premiere Vanilla Protein powder and light sour cream...absolutely delicious!
- You can try this with other protein powders but I cannot guarantee it will work. I have heard that Quest protein powder also works well for protein recipes. It really needs to be a protein powder that tastes good on it's own!
Charlotte says
i never leave comments but this recipe is amazing!! i combined protein powder flavours and it still worked a dream, love it!
James says
Followed the recipe, turned out super runny. I don’t even know how you can make 3 at a time. (1) 1/4 cup “pancake” immediately spreads the whole pan, and makes a crepe.
jenniferbanz says
Hi James, did you use the recommended protein powder?
Glorua says
I added three dischord protein powder instead of two.
Alycia says
I used Olly's Vanilla flavored plant based protein(I cannot use any Whey protein) and it was delicious! I made 6 pancakes total and I added some banana slices to half of them for a boost of flavor! Although they were still delicious on their own. The texture was not pancake texture but more so custard-like, which I enjoyed! I' didn't need syrup or anything!
Lisette Callis says
some whey powder doesn't taste nice i know.. i'm looking for one that's right. Quest has toxins in it i don't like..i bought their cookies and cream, maple bars, chips.. look nothing like those products nor taste like them.. bulk nutrients has nice powder in aus..they get their stuff from us so you could get it from there as well.. not totally natural.. i got some plain.. made disgusting banana pancakes lol.. will try this but halve the recipe.
LaDonna says
Is your batter runny???? They cook up ok but the batter is really watery. I use it in a Mickey Mouse waffle maker.
Jonathan says
This is amazing! I had low expectations after trying protein pancake recipes in the past but I got the craving again and I'm glad I tried this mix!! I used "MyProtein" brand vanilla whey and they turned out sweet. My girlfriend says they're better than normal pancakes. Give em a try!
Sue says
I followed the recipe exactly and they were horrible. They were so runny they turned into one giant pancake. It was more of a crepe. Not fluffy at all. They tasted awful.I won't be doing this again.
Stacy Poulin says
Wow. I never comment on recipes but i had to leave a note. Ive tried different protein pancakes and most don't taste just right. These were amazing! I used BNI protein. Just amazing!
Rachel says
Just tried these this morning using Ghosts Vegan powder-pancake batter flavor. They tasted great, if a little dry! Going to try the cream cheese add in next time to see if that helps!
Stacy says
Thank you so much for this. I love pancakes but cannot have grains. I tried coconut & almond flour ones but could not find a good substitute... till now.
Lindsey says
Okay, I'M MAD because I've been making a version of this recipe with a banana for YEARS. I thought it NEEDED the banana... turns out, it does not. These were easier to flip, less prone to burning or sticking, and honestly almost identical in texture to the banana version. Thank you so much for this recipe, I was definitely skeptical.
Note: I substituted liquid egg whites for the eggs
Ashley says
My husband, who is a big fan of carbs, has been missing his weekend pancakes...I just made these with Quest peanut butter powder and they were really good. I also melted some peanut butter and sugar free syrup together to make a low carb topping and it was great. Definitely took care of those Sunday morning pancake cravings ?
Jennifer H White says
This is the 3rd protein recipe I have tried. I used 1 scoop of peanut butter flavored Quest protein powder with your other ingredient in half measure (wanted to see the taste). It was delicious. Fluffy and light (I did throw them in my Ninja). By far the best to date.
Dottie says
We used blue berry protein powder. They were thin but loved the taste. Finally a recipe that's not eggy!
Kori says
I replaced the the eggs with flaxseed (1 Tbs ground flax seed and 3 Tbs water per egg) and used whole milk because that was what I had on hand. That with Quest protein powder in chocolate and chocolate chips! It’s not as low carb as the original, but I need some carbs to power me in the morning! This feels like I’m eating a brownie, but I’m getting a solid breakfast!
Christina says
How many eggs did you use per batch?
Kasey says
Can you make these with the liquid premier protein? Would you just leave out the water/almond milk? Thanks!
jenniferbanz says
Liquid protein drink would not work for this recipe
Jaime Henry says
These were really good! I topped them with peanut butter. My husband and I really enjoyed them.
Bethany Barbieri says
Hi! I recently was looking for a simple, easy, and high protein protein pancake recipe and stumbled across this recipe. I actually made them with Orgain vanilla plant-based protein powder and they turned out delicious, both texture and taste! I love eating them pre and post-workout. I just had one question though...how many pancakes is considered one serving? I would typically eat 2-3 at a time, especially since I made them rather small last time, but wanted to know what roughly the serving size should be. Thanks!
jenniferbanz says
This recipe makes 2 servings.
TG says
Not bad. I felt like they were a little dry and the eggs made them cook super quick but overall quick and easy!
Dana Williams says
Tried this out today with Quest cinnamon crunch protein powder. Delicious, it was like cheating and eating French toast!
Cheyenne says
I made these using Rivalus Clean Gainer protein powder in the creamy vanilla. They were thin but very delicious. I added some smores chocolate chips to my hubby's and he really enjoyed them.
Angelica S. says
I used the plain quest baking protein added Stevia & Cinnamon to the batter to sweeten and they really hit the spot! With sugar free syrup and sugar free whipped cream! The best! Thanks for posting!
Jennifer says
I love these pancake but I find them to be a bit dry. I have tried using soymilk but it didn't help so today I tried using an ounce of fat free cream cheese and that did the trick. I just microwaved the cream cheese for 15 secs and it helped make mix in well. It tastes the same just a bit smoother.
jenniferbanz says
That's a great idea!
Jessica Allossery says
My pancakes were dry too! Thanks for the tip - I think I'm going to try adding a banana to moisten the batter a bit next time.
alis says
can you make these in a big bath and freeze them?
jenniferbanz says
I haven't tried that but if you do, please let me know it works out for you!
Maia Layne says
Made these with chocolate chips, and used vanilla whey protein powder. tried making them before with a plant based chocolate one and it was not very good. definitely recommend this recipe! so easy and good
Manjeri says
The pancakes turned out to be terribly bitter. I'm so heartbroken
Amanda says
These were so easy and delicious! I used one scoop vanilla Shakeology and 2 scoops Vital Proteins Unflavored collagen. Added a dash of cinnamon and used Ripple unsweetened vanilla pea “milk”!!
Jessica | House Full of Summer says
Hi! Is this 252 cals per pancake? Or is this for the entire batch? Thanks!
jenniferbanz says
for half of the batch
Gracie says
I tried this with vega plant based protein and greens powder that was berry flavored, Ahmad to add Moreno water to it, but they turned out DELICIOUS. Thank you
Carly says
I used Vega vanilla protein (plant based). Mine were a bit thicker than the picture looks probably since using a different protein powder, but I didn’t mind! I was thinking I could try another tbsp of water next time. I’m newly diagnosed as gestational diabetes, so I’m happy I have these to get me through! Most recipes had bananas & oats which are blood sugar no-no’s (for me!) Looking forward to adding some variations (cinnamon) Thank you! Now I just need to find a good SF syrup!
Kalli Love says
Try ChocZero!! It is THE best all natural, sugar free syrup
Sherri Carrasco says
I’m not sure what happened but these tasted awful ? but the texture was the closest to real pancakes I’ve seen from a keto pancake recipe before... maybe it was the protein powder I used? I’ll try again for sure! Love your recipes! Thank you for experimenting in your kitchen so I don’t have too!!
jenniferbanz says
Yeah, if your protein powder is not tasty, your pancakes are not going to be good.
Jordan says
Its the baking soda use less ... Im actually going to try making stiff egg whites next time and then folding the protein in instead of baking powder
daryl marie says
The recipe calls for baking powder not baking soda.
Rebekah E says
What was your proportion prefer!
Terri Haarz says
My husband made these for me today using a Quest vanilla. They are so good! Next time I may add some lemon zest and blueberries.
jenniferbanz says
Lemon and blueberries are the perfect combo!
Tara says
Definetly 5 stars. Exactly what I was looking for, knowing going in that these were not 'real' pancakes. They turned out dry but I dip them in a little Greek yogurt and they are YUM. I made it using Dyna Whey Banana Chocolate protein powder which is cost effective ( I bought it at superstore) and low carb and I tripled the recipe and added some almond butter. You could also dip them in sugar free syrup. Thank you very much !
Laura says
I have made these successfully with GNC brand protein powder (and added Pumpkin pie spice for a bit more flavor) and they were delicious and a fluffy texture. I also experimented with Bone Broth protein powder- but they’re basically inedible. Very salty. I had to throw out the batter.
Diane says
I know many don't care for bananas, but in the second batch I added a banana and cinnamon and the taste really was great. Also used one whole egg and 1/4 c egg beaters and that worked just fine. Will try adding some fruit like blueberries or maybe peanut butter powder the next time. My husband liked both, especially since they were only 2 freestyle WW points for the whole batch versus the Kodiak which is 11 pts for a 1 cup bath.
Lorraine says
Perfect! Looking for ways to utilize a tub o' whey power! Yummy, texture great. Worked fine with coconut milk (carton type). Thanks!
Ss says
Even im on a ww sp.. but this one is also low fat low points!!!! I made it just after i found it immediately. Its exactly as i wanted low points liw fat loq carbs high protein.. i didnt lije tge banana ones. I used Kazein(newzeland whey vanilla) it was a little rubbery.. i dnt knw but still nice. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Bowen says
Great taste but the texture is a little gritty, that's to be expected though!
Annette says
Is the nutrition information that you included for the entire recipe or for 2 pancakes out of possible 6?
jenniferbanz says
It's for 1/2 of the recipe
Alicia Ferguson says
If I made these ahead would they freeze well? 🙂
jenniferbanz says
I am not sure, they might?
Melody says
I just made these this morning, turned out pretty good although a little bit dry but I will definitely will be making them again. I used Premium Gold 100% whey powder double rich chocolate flavor. They tasted a lot like cake which I am absolutely ok with! Thanks for the recipe.
Stephanie says
Thanks for making me waste my protein. These came out terrible.
jenniferbanz says
The recipe states: "You can try this with other protein powders but I cannot guarantee it will work. I have heard that Quest protein powder also works well for protein recipes. It really needs to be a protein powder that tastes good on it's own!"
Steph says
Wow. Why is this comment so mean? And could you have made an error? Mine were great!