High Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes (They’re Low Carb Too!)

Almost everybody loves pancakes or has fond memories of them from their childhood.

However, the typical pancakes full of sugar, flour, and vegetable oil are not something that we should eat with any regularity.

On the positive side, some tasty pancake recipes manage to be quite healthy too.

In this article, we’ll look at how to make cottage cheese pancakes.

These cottage cheese pancakes are flourless, low-carb, high in protein, and very easy to make too.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes and Sour Cream Dip.

Ingredients

Makes 8 medium-sized pancakes

The pancakes require the following ingredients;

  • 1 cup (225 g) cottage cheese
  • 3 large eggs
  • 5 tbsp (35 g) coconut flour
  • 1 tsp butter
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 tsp extra butter (for frying)
  • Sweetener (optional)

Firstly, cottage cheese is a fresh curd cheese that is high in protein and low in calories and carbohydrate.

For more information on it, see this guide to cottage cheese.

I think these pancakes taste fine without any sweetener, but it does depend on personal preference.

If you prefer a sweet taste, you could either add a little of your favorite sweetener to the mixture or use them with a sweet condiment/topping.

How To Make Cottage Cheese Pancakes

One of the best things about these pancakes is just how easy they are to make.

To make them follow the simple steps below;

  • Firstly, put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a smooth mixture. After mixing, the “batter” will have a reasonably thick consistency.
  • Next, add some butter to a frying pan and heat it. Ensure you thoroughly coat the surface of the pan so that the batter won’t stick.
  • Once the butter is hot, add some of the batter depending on how many pancakes you want to make and the available space. The listed ingredients will make eight medium-sized pancakes, but you could make larger (and fewer) pancakes if you prefer.
  • Cook the pancakes on one side for 2-3 minutes or until whenever they start to brown. Once they have a golden-brown color, flip them over and cook the other side for a further 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, transfer to a plate, and add any desired toppings. Serve.

Nutrition Facts (per 1-pancake serving)

If you were wondering about the nutritional value of these pancakes, then here is their full nutrition profile per pancake.

All nutrition facts are calculated per one pancake, based on the USDA’s Food Composition Database.

Calories and Macros

Calories 87 kcal
Carbohydrate 2.0 g
Fiber 0.5 g
Sugar 1.2 g
Fat 6.2 g
Saturated Fat 3.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4 g
Protein 6.0 g

Vitamins

Vitamin % RDI
Vitamin B2 8.8 %
Vitamin B12 6.6 %
Vitamin B5 4.8 %
Vitamin A 3.8 %
Folate 3.6 %
Vitamin B6 2.3 %
Vitamin D 1.9 %
Vitamin B1 1.75 g
Vitamin E 1.4 %
Vitamin B3 0.4 %
Vitamin C 0.3 %
Vitamin K1 0.3 g

Minerals

Mineral % RDI
Selenium 14.1 %
Phosphorus 9 %
Sodium 8.6 %
Manganese 5.3 %
Calcium 3.8 %
Iron 2.9 %
Zinc 2.6 %
Copper 2.5 g
Potassium 2.1 %
Magnesium 1.6 %

As shown in the nutrition data, these cottage cheese pancakes are fairly nutritious.

Remember, this nutrient profile is for just one pancake.

In other words; if you eat four of them, they will provide quadruple the amount of vitamins and minerals.

Key Point: Cottage cheese pancakes are fairly low in calories, high in protein, contain minimal sugar, and provide a good range of vitamins and minerals.

Cottage Cheese Pancake Topping Ideas

Cottage Cheese Pancakes On a Plate With Sour Cream Side.

If you are not feeling creative, then here are seven topping ideas that go well with the pancakes.

1) Warm Mixed Berries and Whipped Cream

  • Put a variety of your favorite berries in a pan, and heat them until they start breaking down into a (kind of) sauce texture.
  • Once they have a soft and juicy texture, remove them from the heat and top the pancakes with them.

This warm berry sauce creates a sweet and fruity combination, and it is a much healthier choice than typical jams and fruit preserves found in stores.

If you are feeling hungry, then try combining the berries with some whipped cream.

2) Melted Butter

  • If you are looking for something simple, then just put a large pat of butter on top of the hot pancakes and watch it melt.

Pancakes covered in melted butter may be simple, but they are delicious too.

3) Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Spread

  • For a healthier version of Nutella, add some pieces of dark chocolate into a pan.
  • Set the temperature to low heat and watch the chocolate start to melt.
  • Once the dark chocolate starts melting, add some peanut butter to the pan and mix it into the melted chocolate.

Keep mixing until the sauce is a smooth consistency, and then take off the heat and pour over the top of the pancakes.

4) Salty Dark Chocolate Sauce

  • For a tasty salty chocolate spread, melt some dark chocolate on a low heat and add a pinch of salt (or roughly ¼ of a teaspoon).
  • Stir the salt into the chocolate well, ensuring it mixes in throughout. Once hot, cover the pancakes in it.

For chocolate lovers, this one is difficult to beat.

5) Cream Cheese and Chive

Love cheese?

Then top your cottage cheese pancakes with some cream cheese.

  • Mix one ounce (30 grams) of cream cheese with a ½ teaspoon of onion powder and 1 tbsp of finely chopped chives.
  • Spread the cream cheese and chive mixture on top of the pancakes.

For me, this is the tastiest way to eat these pancakes.

6) Coconut Vanilla Cream Sauce

To make a vanilla cream sauce topping, use the following steps;

  • Use a hand blender to mix one egg yolk, one tsp of butter, three tablespoons of coconut cream, and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  • Add the sauce to a pan and heat. It is only a small amount, so it won’t take long to get hot. Add a sweetener if you prefer a sweeter taste, but it isn’t necessary.
  • Once the mixture gets hot, leave it to cool for a minute and then pour it over your pancakes.

This coconut vanilla sauce provides a tasty flavor.

7) Melted Cheese

Melted cheese makes almost everything taste better, including pancakes.

This topping does not need a lot of preparation either.

All you have to do is place a thin slice of cheese on top of each pancake and then put them under the grill.

After this, wait for a minute or two to allow the cheese to melt.

8) Pancakes and Sour Cream

Lastly, another quick and easy option.

For this one, simply prepare a side of sour cream and use it as a dipping sauce for the pancakes.

Final Thoughts

Regular pancakes are far from being a health food, but these pancakes manage to offer a good nutrition profile.

We can eat the pancakes alone or as part of a bigger meal, and they provide substantial amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

If you are looking for a healthy snack, then cottage cheese pancakes are an excellent option.

Lastly, if you can’t find cottage cheese in your local stores, it is surprisingly easy to make at home.

All you need is milk, vinegar, and a few flavoring ingredients – see this guide on how to make homemade cottage cheese.

Photo of author

Michael Joseph, MSc

Michael works as a nutrition educator in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He believes in providing reliable and objective nutritional information to allow informed decisions.

11 thoughts on “High Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes (They’re Low Carb Too!)”

  1. Ok it’s all good and fine, healthy and all, but not once have you said hope they taste are they good? Tasty? And indication that people might ENJOY the taste? Just they are healthy, then how do you convince people to eat them???

    • I will start buying all the necessary ingredients and try it out. As my wife is on diet on doctor’s advice, I am doing a lot of research to cook healthy meals for my family.

    • You could do if you wanted, but the amounts would be different.

      Typically, AP flour requires about 3.5x the amount of coconut flour, so you would need around 120 grams of it.

      I would also try to use just one egg (coconut flour doesn’t contain gluten, so it requires more eggs to stick together).

  2. As soon as I took my first bite – I was like,”this is the best pancake I’ve ever had!” Coconut flour gives it just the right amount of sweetness and although flatter than typical pancake – it was fluffy and light. I didn’t add a sweetener either. I put sugar free raspberry jelly and a raspberry syrup on top! Delish!! ( even my husband liked them – bonus!)

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