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This Protein Pancake Bowl has 27 grams of protein without any protein powder! It’s the perfect comforting high-protein breakfast that actually tastes like pancakes and can be customized with your favourite mix-ins.
Table of Contents
If you love the idea of a protein-packed breakfast but hate the chalky taste of protein powders, this one’s for you. This Protein Pancake Bowl has 27 grams of protein, no powder needed! And it tastes like a fluffy pancake, similar to my healthy cottage cheese pancakes and oat flour pancakes.
It took me five rounds of testing to get the texture of this just right, and the final version is soft, golden, and spoonable, almost like a cross between a baked pancake and a warm breakfast cake. There’s a reason this one went viral on the Choosing Chia Instagram page!
This pancake bowl is Perfect for busy mornings, post-workout fuel, or whenever you’re craving something cozy but still nourishing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 27 grams of protein (no protein powder): While protein powder has it’s place, like in these Fluffy Protein Pancakes, sometimes it can overwhelm recipes with a chalky powdery taste. This recipe is made with cottage cheese for a natural protein boost, so it tastes like a real pancake, not a protein bar.
- Easy blender recipe: Just blend, pour, and bake. No fancy equipment needed.
- Customizable: Toss in berries, chocolate chips or even matcha powder like I add to these healthy matcha pancakes.
- Perfect for meal prep: Bake it the night before and reheat for a warm breakfast in seconds.
Key Ingredients
- Cottage cheese: This is the key ingredient to make this pancake bowl high in protein! You can substitute plain Greek yogurt, but the texture may be slightly different. If you have leftover cottage cheese also make a batch of this Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse!
- Oats: I recommend quick oats for easy blending. You can also use oat flour, all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour instead.
*This is a recipe overview. Please refer to the recipe card below for the full recipe with measurements.
How To Make A Protein Pancake Bowl
Step 1: Add all of the pancake bowl ingredients to a blender or small food processor.
Step 2: Blend until smooth.
Step 3: Pour into a small baking dish, ramekin or oven safe bowl.
Step 4: Add your favourite toppings.
Step 5: Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes and warm and golden on top.
Mix-Ins And Add-Ins:
- Blueberries, raspberries, or chopped strawberries
- Sliced banana
- Chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- Nuts or seeds (sliced almonds would be great!)
- A spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter
- A spoonful of chia seed jam
How To Store
Let the pancake bowl cool completely, then cover and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven or toaster oven before serving.
Jess’s Tips
- Blend until completely smooth: For the fluffiest texture, make sure the batter is fully blended so there are no lumps from the oats or cottage cheese.
- Use a small oven-safe dish: An individual ramekin or small baking dish (about 5-8 inches) works best to get that perfect pancake-like rise. You can use a rectangle dish or a round dish like I use for these Chocolate Baked Oats.
- Don’t skip the baking powder or soda: These help the pancake bowl rise and get fluffy.
- Broil at the end for a golden top: For a slightly crisp, caramelized top, broil the pancake bowl for the last 1–2 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
- Add mix-ins after blending: Fold in berries, chocolate chips, or nuts after the batter is blended to keep their texture intact.
- Let it cool slightly before digging in: The bowl will be very hot after baking, so give a few minutes to cool off before digging in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For even more protein add one scoop of unflavoured or vanilla protein powder and reduce the oats slightly to balance the texture. You may also need a splash more milk if the batter feels too thick. Protein powder is also great in these Peanut Butter Protein Bars!
Yes! This pancake bowl is made with simple whole ingredients like oats, eggs, and cottage cheese. With 27g of protein, it’s a balanced and filling breakfast.
This pancake bowl has the best texture when baked in the oven, but if you’re in a pinch you can microwave for for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes, depending on your microwave’s power. The texture will be slightly gummier than baked.
Try These Breakfast Recipes Next!
Breakfast
Fluffy Almond Flour Pancakes
Breakfast
Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Breakfast
Raspberry Chia Pudding
Breakfast
Tiramisu Overnight Oats
If you tried this Protein Pancake Bowl or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
Protein Pancake Bowl
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Protein Pancake Bowl is packed with 27 grams of protein without protein powder!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quick oats or oat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk of choice
- Optional: berries, chocolate chips, or nuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a small oven-safe baking dish, bowl or ramekin. (I use 5×7 inch baking dish.)
- Add all ingredients (except optional mix-ins) to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the greased dish. Fold in berries, chocolate chips or nuts if using.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- For a crispier top, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end.
- Top with your favourite toppings like syrup, nut butter, or fruit and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Blend until smooth for the fluffiest texture.
- Use a small 5–8 inch oven-safe dish for the best rise.
- Don’t skip the baking powder or soda for a fluffy result.
- Broil for 1–2 minutes at the end for a golden top.
- Fold in mix-ins after blending to keep their texture.
- Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Protein: 27g
I make this recipe whenever I am having a sweet tooth and WOW is all I can say. It taste just like a pancake!! It is so yummy !!!
Thanks for the review Lauren! So happy you love the recipe!! 🙂
Love this! Easy, quick, delicious and healthy!
Thanks Judy! Glad you enjoy the recipe!
What’s the best way to reheat this in the oven? I’m planning to meal prep it and keep for 2 days.
You can reheat it at 350 F for 8-10 minutes!
Can you replace the cottage cheese with something else, I don’t like cheese and have allergies
Hi Lynennette, you can replace it with greek yogurt if you don’t have a dairy allergy
Hey Jess ~ I enjoy your recipes and this one sounds pretty awesome! Wondering if you can suggest substitutions for the egg and cottage cheese to make this vegan?
Thanks!
Hi Kathi! This one might be a little tough to turn vegan. I’d recommend checking out my recipe for vegan blueberry pancakes and using that batter instead!
Hi want to try this recipe but does it have to be cottage cheese . Is it because of the protein.
This one’s a favourite in our home! It’s so filling and tastes like I’m eating dessert for breakfast but it’s still healthy!
So happy you loved it!!