Nothing says fall like these light and fluffy, warmly spiced pumpkin protein pancakes! This pancake recipe makes two servings of satisfying pancakes for a healthy breakfast with just 6 simple ingredients. They taste amazing and can be whipped up in your blender in less than 5 minutes, for a complete and wholesome meal.
When pumpkin season rolls around, I’m all about pumpkin cheesecake bars, pumpkin baked oatmeal and these wonderful homemade pumpkin protein pancakes. This pumpkin pancakes recipe is so perfect to whip up for a lazy weekend breakfast and quick and easy enough to make for busy mornings. And with a combination of pumpkin puree and cozy pumpkin pie spice, they’re packed with plenty of delicious pumpkin flavor. You’re definitely going to love them!
In fact, they’re so delicious that I rarely crave traditional pancakes anymore. They just don’t do it for me.
The combination of flour and syrup leaves me feeling pretty lethargic and low energy, shortly after eating them. In addition, they don’t keep me satisfied for very long, which is exactly why I am such a big fan of these pumpkin protein pancakes. Let’s get to all of the delicious details!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
This protein pancakes recipe is made with rolled oats, egg whites, and cottage cheese, so they are more balanced than a traditional pancake with a good amount of complex carbs and protein. I love that these are not a sugar overload. To avoid extra sugar from the maple syrup and to add a bit of healthy fats, try topping them with coconut butter or almond butter. So good!
Here’s everything you need to make these pancakes:
- Rolled oats – Oats give these pancakes plenty of staying power! They also keep these pancakes gluten free. Oats are technically a gluten-free food, but they can be processed with the same equipment that gluten foods are processed with, so if you definitely need gluten-free, look for a certified gluten-free option.
- Egg whites – Egg whites add fluffiness and lots of protein to this pancake recipe.
- Cottage cheese – Gives these pancakes a nice boost of protein and keeps them perfectly moist.
- Pumpkin puree – Use 100% pure canned pumpkin for this pancake recipe. Don’t grab pumpkin pie filling by mistake, which has added spices and sugar.
- Maple syrup – Adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Feel free to swap for brown sugar or honey.
- Pumpkin pie spice – The perfect blend of spices to give these pancakes that warm, cozy, fall flavor. See the “tips” section, below, for a way to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend.
- Optional – add your favorite mix-ins like chopped walnuts or maybe some mini chocolate chips!
- Coconut oil – for cooking the pancakes. Feel free to swap this with cooking spray or a different oil.
How to Make Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
These healthy pumpkin pancakes are incredibly easy to make and come together in less than 5 minutes in your blender. Here’s the simple process:
- Blend. Place all ingredients (rolled oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, pumpkin, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice) into a blender. Blend until you have a nice thick pancake batter.
- Cook pancakes. Drop pancake batter onto a heated nonstick skillet that has been coated with oil or cooking spray. Cook pancakes until edges are bubbling and then flip and cook for about two minutes more or until edges are golden brown and pancakes are cooked though.
- Eat and enjoy! Serve pancakes with your favorite pancake toppings and enjoy!
Tips for Pancake Success
These pancakes could not be easier to make, but here are a few tips so that they are perfect every time!
- Old-fashioned rolled oats work best in this recipe. Quick-cooking oats will work in a pinch. Do NOT use steel cut oats.
- Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling for this recipe.
- Need a substitute for pumpkin pie spice? Use 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger or simply just use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- The pancakes are ready to flip when the edges are set and you see little bubbles on the surface of the pancakes.
- Place cooked pancakes in a 200ºF oven to keep them warm, while cooking the rest of the pancakes.
Pancake Add-ins & Toppings
Feel free to get creative and add in any favorite ingredients! Toss berries, mini chocolate chips, seeds or chopped nuts into the batter!
Another great way to change up your pancakes is with fun and delicious pancake toppings.
I like to serve pumpkin protein pancakes with some chopped walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup. You can also go all out and add a variety of different toppings. Here’s some ideas to get you thinking:
- Syrups. maple syrup, honey, fruit syrups, chocolate syrup
- Nut butter. peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, Nutella
- Fresh fruit. blueberries, apricots, strawberries, raspberries, apples, peaches, pears, banana slices, pom seeds
- Dried fruit. raisins, cranberries, figs, apricots, goji berries, dates
- Nuts. almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds
- Other toppings. cream cheese, jelly, whipped cream, yogurt, sprinkles, chocolate chips, shredded coconut
Serving Suggestions
These easy pumpkin pancakes pair well with a variety of breakfast sides. Below are some of my favorite sides to serve with a pancake breakfast.
- Hash browns or breakfast potatoes. Yes, please!
- Fresh fruit or fruit salad. To keep this breakfast on the lighter side, fruit is such a great option.
- Yogurt. Serve on the side or add a spoonful on top of your pancakes.
- Bacon, sausage, or ham. Love savory breakfast meats with the sweetness of the maple syrup!
- Eggs. Make a small omelette or scramble a couple of eggs to serve on the side, or perhaps even over easy and served on top.
How to Freeze Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Pumpkin protein pancakes freeze really well. Sometimes I double or even triple the recipe, and keep extra pancakes stored in the freezer for busy weekday mornings.
- Once you’ve cooked your pancakes, let them cool to room temperature. You want all of the steam to be gone, so you are not left with wet pancakes.
- Place pancakes on a rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper and pop them in the freezer for one hour. This will flash freeze them, so that once stored together the pancakes don’t stick to one another.
- Transfer frozen pancakes to a large freezer bag and store in the freezer. Pancakes will keep well for around two to three months. Be sure to write the date on the outside of the bag, so you know when they should be cooked.
- When you are ready to eat your pancakes, you can either pop them in the microwave for a minute or two (times vary depending on the microwave) or place them in your toaster oven until heated through.
More Healthy Pancake Recipes:
- Almond Flour Pancakes
- Grain-Free Banana Pancakes
- High Protein Blueberry Pancakes
- Peanut Butter + Banana Power Pancake
- Best Vegan Pancakes
- Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Thanks so much for reading! You can watch the video down below and if you make this recipe I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below. And be sure to follow me on YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more healthy food inspiration!
Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup egg whites about 6
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Pop everything into the blender and blend until you have a pancake-like batter.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over a medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with coconut oil or cooking spray and drop cup rounds of batter onto the pan. Cook until edges are bubbling and then flip and cook another two minutes or until edges are golden brown and pancakes are cooked though.
- Top pancakes with any favorite toppings, such as chopped nuts and maple syrup. Makes 2 servings.
Comments
Sandie says
Wondering if there is any substitute for the cottage cheese in the Protein Pumpkin Pancakes?
Dani says
I’ve never tried it but I would think Greek yogurt OR ricotta cheese would do the job.
Karina says
I use greek yogurt all the time in my protein waffle recipe (similar to this) and it works great! Depending on the quality of the ricotta, it may be a bit watery and you may have to take that into account in the recipe. 🙂
Robin says
Looks great. I think I will try to use greek yogurt instead of the cottage cheese.
Dani says
Would love to hear how it turn out. Keep me posted!
Christine says
Is it supposed to be pumpkin spice for the last ingredient?
Dani says
Yes…. sorry about the confusion. It’s fixed now.
Kelli says
Just checking, is the additional 1 tsp. pumpkin puree actually supposed to be pumpkin pie spice?
Dani says
YES! Thanks for pointing that out… I just fixed it.
Tina says
Love this recipe. I haven’t had breakfast yet and now I know what I’m eating. I have used just the oats, cottage cheese, egg whites, vanilla and baking powder recipe for a few years now and love it. I think this will be a nice change. Thanks for posting and all the tips. I really need to have these on hand. My other recipe is a single serving recipe and takes so long to make each morning. I will definitely use your tips on freezing these.
Sheri says
I hate to waste all of those egg yolks. Any idea how it would work with using the full egg or half eggs and half whites?
Dani says
Absolutely – for every 2 egg white use one egg. Whole eggs would be perfectly delicious in this recipe.
Katelyn says
Hi, I’m wondering if the batter could be made ahead of time and frozen, maybe thawed over night and cooked up quickly in the morning? Or am I asking too much of my pancakes? 🙂
The Squishy Monster says
Great video. Your directions are so clear and I love the accessibility of this breakfast staple…healthy AND delicious…win all the way!
Cara says
I also make my pancakes with oats, eggs and cottage cheese! So much easier, and so much more filling than “regular” pancakes – and yet they taste just the same 🙂
Deborah says
I have been making protein pancakes for years and they are a staple in my fridge, always have them on hand.. My recipe is pretty close except I add either a ripe banana or mashed sweet potato and a little agave. I always use the cartons of all egg whites (trader Joes has cartons of cage free egg whites)the cottage cheese makes them so moist and you can just grab and go for a quick snack.. But my favorite is peanut butter and raspberry jam on a pancake. I believe I first saw the recipe right here on your blog years ago and have been tweeking it since..
Anna says
Very interesting reciepe! Will try use cottage cheese and canned pumpkin, which never used before – always fresh raw graded one, which cooks fast and wonderfully tasty 🙂 I recently switched to GF food and make pumpkin pancakes with Bob’s Red Mill GF all purpose flour which is made out of couple different beans ( which are very good source of protein as well )and I use my own raw milk kefir . I don’t trust canned products and cottage cheese has a long list of ingridients on label 🙁 even though I like the taste of it . I am from Russia originaly where pumpkins grow for food and we use it in many dishes ( never had canned ones in stores ).I also like for the change pumpkin with graded apples in pancakes. Try and you would love it ! No sugar requierd though for the butter since pumpkin and apples sweet enough if used raw. Bon appetite!
Norma says
Could whey protein be added ?
Alix says
Hey Dani! I tried making these this morning and I doubled the recipe. They came out mushy in the middle and I cooked them long enough. Could this be because of the cottage cheese? Thanks!
Hope says
Thank you so very much for this recipe. My son is a body builder and he LOVES this recipe. I enjoyed it as well. I made 10 pancakes with the recipe. Each pancake is only 1 point on weighwatchers!
Melissa says
If I don’t eat dairy, can I leave out the cottage cheese? I just want to make sure they will come out right because they look so delicious!
Dani says
These aren;t going to work without the cottage cheese:(. Maybe you can try some type of non-dairy substitute, like coconut or soy yogurt?
Bonnie says
I just finished making these and they are super tasty!
The only thing I would do different next time is to spread out the little blob of batter on the pan so the pancake is a little thinner. I found the one I made that was kind of big and thick was a bit doughy but the two small ones I made were wonderful.
I highly recommend!
CJ says
Is there a substitute for egg yolk?
Linda says
Hi We loved the pancakes. In your video you mentioned that you had some recipes to use up the left over egg yolks. Where can I find these on your site?
Thanks
Jessica says
hi, i was wondering
how many pancakes will this recipe make. you said two servings but how many are in one? i want to make them about the same size as yours. thank you
Marlene says
Delicious! I used low fat cottage cheese and light maple syrup.
Sally says
What is light maple syrup?
Petra from NL says
Dear Dani,
Made these today. I used whole eggs (3) as I haven’t found the eggwhites yet here in the Netherlands. I used sweet potato instead of pumpkin puree and cinnamon instead of the spices. DELICIOUS!
I will make these more often for sure. I think the hubby will like them too.
Dani says
🙂
Erin+Johnson says
These are so good! I use 3 whole eggs instead of 6 egg whites though because the egg white version sticks too much to my pan.
Dani says
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.
Jeannette says
Great recipe and easy to make, I substitute the pumpkin purée for mashed sweet potato and it tastes delicious.
Sally says
Love this recipe! I’ve been making it for awhile, recently I was out of pumpkin and swapped it for overripe banana and left out the maple and spice and tossed in some mini chocolate chips. Delicious!
Regina J says
Can steel cut oats be used instead???
Charlene says
These pancakes are delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe! 😀
Dani says
Anytime, Charlene! So glad you enjoy them 🙂
Leïlla says
Delicieux
Mo says
If I were to use oak flour will it still be 1 cup?
Dani says
I think so!
Mary beth Gutierrez says
Hi Dani,
I love your recipes, I make them all them and I love your channel! You may have said this already but what are the macros/calories on these pancakes? Thank you!
Dani says
That info is at the bottom of the recipe card 🙂
Sally says
I love these pancakes and have been making them for a few years now. I would like it if they could be a little more fluffy and less dense. Any ideas? baking powder/soda perhaps? I have trouble getting them to cook all the way through. Thanks!
veganko says
not dani but there’s a trick you add 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsbp of lemon juice to activate it and it will help with fluffyness
Dani says
Love this! Thank you Veganko.
Mae says
Made these for breakfast this morning and they were delicious and hearty! Me kids loved them, I loved them, and my husband, who isn’t a big pumpkin fan, loved them too! Will be making these again soon. Not sure why people are trying to make these without cottage cheese, but if it’s because you don’t like it, no worries-you can’t tell there’s cottage cheese in them at all.
Dani says
So glad you enjoyed them Mae! I’m a super big fab of them as well.
karen says
Can I replace the cottage cheese for yogurth , banana or protein powder? I am not sure whats the role of the cottage cheese in this recipe lol!
Dani says
You can definitely switch with some yogurt 🙂
Jane Baudelaire says
I made these today and found the texture to be gummy. Any idea on how to prevent this or what causes it? I’m excited to try some of the variations mentioned in the comments. This is a great base recipe to play with.
Dani says
That’s a great question Jane! I’ll have to experiment a bit 🙂
Julie says
I love these pancakes an I found the 3 eggs to work best. They freeze really well. Great recipe.
Dani says
Thanks Julie. So glad you enjoyed them.
Julie says
With the state of the economy nowadays this recipe has been a life saver.
Anna says
We really enjoyed these! I left out the maple syrup in the recipe and at them with fresh raspberries.
Veena says
Great recipe! I used 4 whole eggs and Greek yogurt and came out perfect!
Debra says
These are very good. I followed your recipe but mine did not turn out fluffy like your picture. Can you tell me why?
Rebecca says
I made a double run of these exactly as the recipe called for and they were great! It came out to 4 servings of 3 pancakes each. Topped with pecans, syrup, and whipped cream and you can’t go wrong.
Dani Spies says
YAY! I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Rebecca. Thanks for taking the time to review and letting me know.