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.
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 eggs + 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. Looking for more cottage cheese recipes? Try my Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip or Crustless Quiche if you have extra to use up. If you try these cottage cheese pancakes, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
