These gluten free, low fat, high protein, golden beauties are as delicious as they are nutritious. These Protein Pancakes have a slightly sweet taste, and an almost caramelized crust from the bananas, which pairs amazing with simple syrup or a mountain of berries and nut butter.
When Dave and I started dating, it quickly became our routine to wake up and go to the gym. We would make a simple pre-workout meal of usually oatmeal and protein powder and head to the gym. A great way to start the day; getting in a good workout!
One rainy Saturday morning I wanted to do something different so I told Dave that I could make us some protein pancakes! To my surprise, I received an “I think I’ll stick to my oatmeal and protein powder I’m used to.” He didn’t believe there would be any way the protein pancakes would give him the energy to get through his workout.
Let me back up for a moment. I have been experimenting with cooking protein pancakes for years. Trying different recipes from all over the internet, cookbooks, and even my own creations. This, after watching thousands of hours of the Food Network!
My experimenting, trial and errors, and lots of failed attempts lead me to these conclusions:
- Wheat flour, no matter what kind, always left me hungry within an hour.
- Using only protein powder as the base created a crumbling mess or a tasteless sponge. Neither of which were appealing on a Saturday morning.
- I also struggled with how to replace the oil and milk in my mom’s recipes I ate as a kid.
What I’ve discovered is:
- Simplicity is key
- Coconut flour has an amazing ability to keep you full for hours, creates soft protein pancakes that don’t crumble, and is extremely low carb.
- Mashed up bananas or apple sauce are a great replacement for oil and an extra egg white can make up for the lack of milk.
- All of this allows us to add protein powder without it turning into a spongy or crumbling mess.
- Pea protein is the mother of all cooking proteins. More on this later!!!
Needless to say, I continued with my Saturday morning protein pancakes, and let Dave have his oatmeal and protein powder. I made my usual protein pancakes, and added blueberries to the mix, knowing that this would make them irresistible to Dave (he adores blueberries). He quickly changed his mind and ate half of my breakfast!
We continued on with the day and when 2 pm rolled around Dave mentioned that he really wasn’t hungry for lunch yet, even though we had breakfast around 10:30. Dave clearly had no idea how coconut flour keeps you satisfied for hours! He was hooked and that is how my Saturday morning tradition became ours.
Here’s the recipe I hope you enjoy it and it becomes your new Saturday morning protein pancakes as well.
I understand that a few of these ingredients are new to everyone. You can purchase pea protein, coconut flour, and stevia online. Below I’ve included a $10.00 promo code link to a VitaCost I use, Happy Shopping!
- 1 Scoop Pea Protein
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
- 1 Banana, Mashed
- 3 Egg Whites
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla (Optional)
- 1 Packet Stevia (or sweetener of your choice)
- ½ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 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 , stevia, vanilla, and cinnamon with the mashed banana.
- Stir in the pea protein powder and mix until the lumps are minimal.
- Add the coconut flour to the mix (notice the batters thickness).
- 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 2-3 pancakes.
- Protein Pancakes are ready to flip when the bottom side is lightly brown (usually 3-5 minutes).
- Continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes before removing from heat.
Another Tip! I taught Dave to push gently on the top of the protein pancakes, if it feels firm and dense, the pancake is ready to serve. If it still has a little give or is mushy, it needs another minute.
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!
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