Banana Protein Pancakes (made with protein powder)
These protein pancakes were the very first recipe I shared on my website, and I’ve made them well over 100 times since. For years, Dave and I made these every Saturday morning before heading to the gym, they were our go-to fuel for busy weekends.
Made with bananas, egg whites, and protein powder, they’re packed with protein yet incredibly easy to make. I love that you can mix everything in one bowl and cook them all at once if you have a large skillet, making them perfect for tired mornings.
Back when I ran my meal prep business, pancakes were one of the most popular options. They store well, reheat beautifully, and are so fun to eat. Who doesn’t love pancakes!
If you have extra ripe bananas, try my Gluten Free Protein Banana Bread for another high protein option. And if pancakes are your thing, don’t miss my Blueberry Protein Pancakes, they’re a must-make!
If you need a high protein breakfast but don’t want to eat eggs every morning, these protein pancakes are the perfect solution. Each serving packs 31 grams of protein, and they’re thick, fluffy, and reheat beautifully in the toaster oven or microwave. Plus, they’re gluten free and dairy free, making them a great option for almost any diet.
For meal prep, double or triple the recipe and take advantage of the hot skillet to make extra for the week. They store well and make busy mornings effortless—just heat and eat!
Ingredients
- Banana -Ripe bananas will creates a sweeter pancake, the more brown spots the better!
- Egg Whites – egg whites give the pancakes their structure and add to the overall protein count too. Don’t want to use just egg whites? Use 3 whole eggs instead. I have not had luck with an egg substitute for this recipe and don’t recommend replacing them with flax eggs.
- Protein powder (vegan) – this recipe uses a vegan, pea protein based protein powder. For best results, I recommend using the same kind of protein. I love Promix Vanilla Protein for these pancakes.
- Gluten free flour of choice – use your favorite gluten free flour. You can use a 1-to-1 gluten free flour or oat flour. You could also make these grain free protein pancakes by using coconut flour, cassava flour or tigernut flour.
- Baking powder – baking powder helps the pancakes rise and lets them be fluffy.
How to make protein pancakes with protein powder
Add ripe bananas to a large bowl. Mash the bananas with a fork. Add egg whites to the mashed bananas and stir well. Add dry ingredients (protein powder, gluten free flour, baking powder, cinnamon) to the bowl. Stir well to fully incorporate all the ingredients. The batter will be thick. Divide out the mixture into 6-8 pancakes onto a hot skillet (set to about 250F) After 4-5 minutes, flip the pancakes and cook on the other side 3-4 minutes until firm to the touch. 
Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Top tips
- Use ripe bananas for sweetness and to give the batter the right consistency.
- Don’t have ripe bananas? Microwave them for 20 seconds to help soften them before peeling and mashing.
- Use a non-stick griddle! I recommend a ceramic non-stick griddle if you don’t already have one on hand.
- Spread the batter out with the back of your spoon to thin them out. The pancake batter is thick and will need your help a little.
- Unlike traditional pancakes, you won’t see as many of the bubbles on the top, you have to check the underside of the pancakes to see if they are ready to flip. The bottom should be golden brown.
- How to know if they are done? Press down on the pancakes with your finger! If they are soft, they need another minute. If they feel firm and dense they are done!
- If you are cooking the pancakes 1-2 at a time, keep the other pancakes warm by turning the oven on 200F and store the cooked pancakes.
Ways to customize
Change up the flavors in these pancakes with different add-in ingredients or toppings. Some of my favorites include:
- Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips
- Fresh or frozen fruit – Blueberries, chopped strawberries, raspberries
- Coconut flakes
- Chopped nuts or seeds like walnuts, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds,
- Sprinkles – adding sprinkles instantly makes these protein pancakes feel so festive and fun
- Dried fruit: cranberries, cherries, raisins, chopped dates
- Vanilla extract or almond extract – vanilla will make these fluffy gluten free protein pancakes taste just like a cake, and almond extract will give them more of an almond cookie taste
- Cacao nibs – these are unsweetened but add great crunch
- Freeze dried fruit – adding in some crushed up freeze dried fruit can give you all the flavor of your favorite fruit without adding any extra liquid. Freeze dried strawberries or blueberries would be so fun!
- Spices: Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, dried ginger, cloves
Topping ideas
- Chocolate chips
- Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries
- Banana slices
- Maple syrup or honey
- Butter or ghee
- Yogurt frosting (mix together 1/4 cup yogurt with 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon) or my favorite cashew frosting
- Chocolate tahini spread (this tastes just like chocolate frosting)
- Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter)
- Jam or jelly
- Chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- Whipped cream (regular or dairy free)
Banana Protein Pancakes
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 medium Banana - Mashed
- 6 large Egg Whites - 3/4 cup of liquid egg whites
- 2 servings Vegan protein powder - vanilla or chocolate
- 3 tablespoon gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - Optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon - Optional
Instructions
- Preheat a large nonstick pan or griddle (use medium heat).
- Mash banana in a large bowl. Tip: to soften banana, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds before mashing.
- Combine the egg whites the mashed banana until well incorporated.
- Stir in the vegan protein powder and gluten free flour and mix until the lumps are minimal.
- Add the baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir until incorporated, but don’t over mix.
- Spray pan or griddle with nonstick cooking spray and spoon pancake mixture into pancake sized circles (it will be thick, you may have to flatten the mixture out a bit). 1 Serving is 3-4 pancakes.
- Protein Pancakes are ready to flip when the bottom side is lightly brown (usually 3-5 minutes).
- Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes before removing from heat.
Notes
- Fridge: Store extra pancakes in the fridge 3-4 days in a well sealed container after cooling on the counter.
- Freezer: Allow them to cool completely, place parchment paper or wax paper between pancakes and freeze in a freezer safe bag up to 3 months
Nutrition Information
Common questions
Can you make protein pancakes without banana?
If you want to make these gluten free protein pancakes without banana, you can use 3/4 cup of applesauce or 1 cup of pumpkin puree in place of the bananas in this recipe. You may also want to add a little sweetness (add a little coconut sugar or brown sugar) to the batter.
What is the best protein powder for pancakes
For me, vegan plant based protein powders are the best. They absorb liquid like flour does (thus replacing some of the flour in traditional recipes) and don’t dry out like whey protein tends to.
This recipe was created and tested with vegan protein powder. I personally like to use Promix (pea protein) or Four Sigmatic Peanut Butter Protein Powder (blend of vegan protein). But you can use any kind of plant based protein that you have on hand.
How to freeze
- Cool the pancakes completely in the fridge.
- Once cool, place the pancakes on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Freeze the pancakes in a single layer on the baking sheet until frozen solid.
- Once frozen, stack them in a freezer safe bag or container with a small piece of parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick
- Use the toaster oven, air fryer or microwave to reheat.
So good! I topped them with strawberries and greek yogurt!
How do they freeze if you make big batches?
I’ve never tried it but I believe they should hold up well! If you try it let me know!
I will only eat protein pancakes! Delicious!
how big is your scoop??– I use a different organic pea protein than NOW
Hi Heidi!
My scoop is typically around 30 grams. Enjoy!
thank you! Aany idea what that is in tablespoons or teaspoons?
or even cup measurement : – )
2 Tbsp or 1/8 cup is equivalent to 30 grams
Did you use the NOW Pea Protein pictured above?
It sure is Sarah!
hey there!
I just came across your website and I see you’re a huge fan of protein pancakes. I run a small, artisan pancake company where we make a gluten free pancake mix that’s high in protein, low in carbs and no added sugar (ProCakes).
I’d love to send you some if that interests you! You can email me at (removed)
Love your work!
best,
Caren
One question for you – can you substitute applesauce for the bananas, and if so, how much do you use?
Christy, you can use applesauce but it will change the texture. I would add about 1/3 of a cup of applesauce to the mix if you are substituting the banana. It will be grainy and may need some additional stevia if you are using unsweetened applesauce. I plan on posting an applesauce recipe in the future!