High Protein Blueberry Oat Pancakes (Gluten-Free)
These High Protein Blueberry Oat Pancakes are an excellent alternative to traditional buttermilk pancakes. Made from scratch with oat flour, protein powder, and cottage cheese, they offer the perfect balance between wholesome and the classic light, fluffy texture you crave (makes eight ~4-inch pancakes).
High-protein breakfasts are often associated with staples like oats, cottage cheese, eggs, and protein shakes, which got me thinking –what if we used these ingredients to make high-protein pancakes? 🤔 Introducing my easy blueberry protein pancakes!
Whipping up these high protein pancakes is a breeze; just blend the dry ingredients, mix in the wet ingredients, add blueberries, and the batter is ready to hit the griddle. The result? A hot stack of flavorful, perfectly sweetened, tender, and fluffy blueberry pancakes packed with protein and fiber.
That said, this recipe satisfies your sweet tooth AND keeps you feeling full, energized, and focused! So, why not kickstart your morning with a plateful of blueberry oat protein pancakes? Your body and taste buds will thank you!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Protein-packed. This recipe yields 2 servings of 4 medium-sized, approximately 4” pancakes, boasting about 12 grams of protein per serving!
- Fiber-loaded. With whole oats in the mix, these pancakes provide a healthy dose of fiber, supporting digestive health and keeping you feeling full longer.
- Gluten-free and sugar-free. The flexibility of the pancake batter ingredients lets you ensure your pancakes align with your dietary restrictions.
- Flavorful. Combining oat flour, protein powder, buttermilk, cottage cheese, cinnamon, vanilla, and blueberries creates a mouthwatering pancake breakfast experience.
- Golden and fluffy. You can’t beat the texture of a freshly cooked pancake that’s golden and a little crispy on the outside yet tender and fluffy inside.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Whole oats. I like grinding oats to a fine consistency. It gives the pancakes a nutty, slightly sweet base flavor. Plus, oats are a good source of fiber and protein. Use certified gluten-free oats to ensure this recipe is gluten-free (see ‘Variation’ for more gluten-free flour alternatives).
- Protein powder. I tested this recipe with unflavored Quest multi-purpose protein powder, which already contains some ingredients ideal for making thick, fluffy pancakes (see ‘Variations’ if you’re using regular whey protein isolate powder).
- Baking powder. As a necessary leavening agent, it helps produce light, fluffy, and perfectly risen pancakes.
- Baking soda. It also leavens the pancakes, creating the perfect rise and golden brown color.
- Cinnamon. It adds a touch of warm, aromatic flavor.
- Cottage cheese. This is an excellent way to sneak a protein-rich ingredient into pancakes. But DO NOT use fat-free cottage cheese. It must be 2% or full-fat, as the fat contributes to a moist and tender texture.
- Eggs. Eggs provide structure and contribute to the overall protein content.
- Buttermilk. It assists in the leavening process and helps balance the sweetness with a hint of tanginess. DO NOT substitute whole milk or DIY buttermilk (milk+vinegar) here. You need whole cultured buttermilk for this recipe to work.
- Extra virgin olive oil. It adds moisture and helps create a tender texture.
- Vanilla. Use good-quality pure vanilla extract to infuse your pancakes with rich, aromatic flavor.
- Stevia. This is a good natural sweetener option if you prefer a sweeter pancake without the calories of traditional sugar (see ‘Variations’ for alternatives).
- Blueberries. I used frozen Wyman’s of Maine wild blueberries, thawed and drained well, but you can use any thawed and drained frozen or fresh blueberries.
- Coconut oil. I highly recommend cooking these pancakes in coconut oil. It holds up to high temperatures, resulting in perfectly browned pancakes with soft, flavorful interiors.
How to make high protein pancakes with blueberries
Step 1: Grind oats with dry ingredients. Blend the oats, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and protein powder in a blender or food processor until the oats are ground into a flour texture. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.
Step 2: Blend wet ingredients. Add the cottage cheese, eggs, buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla, and stevia (if using) to the blender or processor and blend until smooth.
Step 3: Prepare pancake batter. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk until just blended, being careful not to overmix! Let the batter rest for a few minutes, then gently fold in the blueberries.
Step 4: Cook. Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat with a bit of coconut oil, then pour about ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet and cook until the surface begins to bubble. Then, flip and cook the other side until the middle is set. Repeat until all the batter is cooked.
Recipe tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. You want to whisk the wet and dry batter well, but don’t go overboard! It should be smooth and pourable, but some lumps are okay.
- Preheat the skillet properly. Make sure your skillet or griddle is fully preheated on medium heat before dropping the batter. You should hear the batter sizzle as soon as it contacts the cooktop.
- Do grease the skillet. Even with non-stick cookware, it’s important to grease it. I used coconut oil, but avocado oil, butter, or ghee also works.
- Size matters. This recipe works best with smaller pancakes because of the delicate nature of the oat flour-based batter. Use ¼ cup of batter for 4” pancakes or 2 tablespoons for silver dollar pancakes.
Variations
- Flour options – You can’t just work with a protein powder like its flour. You must add a quality, minimally processed flour base like oat flour. However, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, amaranth flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour (not gluten-free) also works.
- Whey protein – I also tested this recipe with regular whey isolate protein powder. The pancakes weren’t as fluffy, but delicious nonetheless. If using regular whey isolate protein powder, use ½ cup of oat flour for a fluffier pancake (or stick with the ⅓ cup for a more dense, crepe-like consistency).
- Optional sweetener – Instead of Stevia, you can incorporate maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, or coconut sugar for natural sweetness. Remember that if you’re using a flavored protein powder, you may not need additional sweetener.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: After cooling, store leftover blueberry oat pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: To freeze, layer stacks of oat blueberry pancakes separated individually by parchment paper in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQ
These protein pancakes are best enjoyed immediately after cooking. However, you can reheat the pancakes without drying them out by wrapping them tightly in aluminum foil and warming them in the oven or air fryer at 300℉ for a few minutes.
Both fresh and frozen blueberries work well. Fresh blueberries offer a burst of juiciness, while frozen blueberries can help prevent discoloration in the batter. If using frozen, thaw them in the fridge or under cold water and drain them well beforehand.
Serve these delicious pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of high-protein Greek yogurt, or a sprinkle of additional fresh blueberries. A dusting of powdered sugar, a spread of nut butter, or a few chopped nuts sprinkled on top would also be great. Oh, and take advantage of my blueberry compote to pour on top!
More high-protein pancake recipes
- Chocolate Protein Pancakes
- Strawberry Protein Pancakes
- Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
- Protein Buttermilk Pancakes
- Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes
If you love this high-protein blueberry pancake recipe, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Protein Blueberry Oat Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup whole oats
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 28 g unflavored Quest Nutrition baking mix/protein powder *see notes for swaps
- 1/3 cup 2% cottage cheese *can also use full-fat cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup whole cultured buttermilk
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 packet of stevia *optional for added sweetness
- 1/2 cup Wyman’s of Maine wild blueberries thawed and drained well (these little blueberries are easier to cook in pancakes)
- Virgin coconut oil for cooking
Instructions
- Blend oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and protein powder in a blender or food processor until oats are ground into a flour texture.
- Pour oat mixture into a medium size bowl and set aside.
- Add cottage cheese, buttermilk, olive oil, eggs, vanilla, and stevia (if using) into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Combine the egg mixture and the dry oat mixture and whisk until just blended. Do not over mix.
- Let the batter sit for a few minutes to thicken.
- Gently fold in blueberries.
- Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add a little virgin coconut oil to the warm skillet and pour about 1/4 cup pancake mixture onto skillet.
- Cook until pancake begins to bubble, flip and cook the other side until middle is set.
- Make sure not to get the griddle/skillet too hot so that the exterior browns before the middle can finish setting. Adjust the heat, as needed.
Notes
- Don’t substitute the buttermilk for milk or DIY buttermilk (milk+vingear). You need the cultured buttermilk for this recipe to work.
- Also, I don’t recommend fat-free cottage cheese. You need the fat for moisture and texture.
- Quest baking mix has some thickening ingredients added to the whey making it ideal for baked goods. I have tested this recipe using regular vanilla whey isolate (I used Puori vanilla whey) and left out the added stevia since the protein powder is already sweetened. They were delicious, but not as fluffy as the original recipe. When substituting with regular whey protein powder, use 1/2 cup of oats for a fluffier pancake or stick with the 1/3 cup for a more dense, crepe-like pancake.
- Make small 1/4 cup size pancakes so they are easy to flip, due to the delicate nature of the oat flour.
Nutrition
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Those look absolutely scrumptious!! We love blueberry pancakes around here – and I love how healthy/protein-full these are.
Thanks Emily! Yes, I am always trying to sneak protein in wherever I can. ๐