Gluten free protein pancakes are the perfect healthy breakfast.
Packed with protein and fiber, these high protein gluten free pancakes only have 7 ingredients and are so easy to make, no blender needed. These easy healthy protein pancakes are thick and fluffy and can even be made in advance.
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Why you will love these protein pancakes
- Gluten free high protein pancakes are so easy to make, you only need one bowl and a few healthy ingredients
- This recipe for the easiest gluten free protein pancakes makes between 6-8 pancakes, the perfect amount for 2 people. You can easily double this recipe to make extra!
- Gluten free protein pancakes are just as yummy the next day, great for meal prep!
- Top these with strawberry chia jam or serve with oven poached eggs for a healthy filling breakfast or brunch!
Ingredients
- Banana – bananas provide natural sweetness and help create the structure for the pancakes. Ripe bananas will creates a sweeter pancake, so the more brown spots the better!
- Egg Whites – egg whites the pancakes stay together as you are flipping them and are really essential to this recipe. I would not recommend using a flax egg for these. You could use 3 whole eggs instead of 6 egg whites, but I don’t love the taste.
- 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 Nuzest or Octonuts Almond Protein (which is paleo and vegan) but you can use whatever you have on hand that fits this description. Be sure you like the flavor of your protein powder, as it will influence the flavor of the 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. These pancakes are pretty dense so the baking powder is needed to create the right texture!
How to make gluten free protein pancakes
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl
- Combine the mashed banana and whisk in the egg whites. Be sure the egg whites are combined with the banana before trying to incorporate the dry ingredients.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
- Stir the ingredients until there are no more lumps.
- Spray the skillet with non-stick spray. Use a large spoon to divide out the batter. This recipe makes between 6-8 pancakes. The batter is going to be very thick so use a spoon don’t try to pour it! Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Flip them and cook 3-4 more minutes until firm to the touch
Top tips
- Use ripe bananas that are easy to mash! Ripe bananas are also sweeter and since there is no other sweetener in this recipe, that is important!
- Use a non-stick griddle! I recommend a ceramic non-stick griddle if you don’t already have one on hand.
- Don’t be afraid to spread the batter out with the back of your spoon to thin them out. If they are too thick, they will be hard to cook all the way through
- 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 don’t have a griddle where you can cook all of these at once, turn your oven on 200F and store the cooked pancakes in the oven while you make the rest to keep them warm.
Recommended kitchen tools
Common questions
How to freeze protein pancakes
- Start by cooling the pancakes completely in the fridge first.
- 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.
What to add to pancake mix
These dairy free protein pancakes are great on their own. You could also add some fun ingredients right to the batter before cooking!
- Dairy free chocolate chips or cacao nibs
- Blueberries, chopped strawberries, raspberries
- Coconut flakes
- Chopped nuts or seeds
Healthy pancake toppings
- 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)
- Granola
- Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter)
- Homemade jam or your favorite store bought jelly
- Chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
What kind of protein powder should be used
This recipe for wheat free protein pancakes was created and tested with vegan protein powder. I personally like to use Nuzest (pea protein) or Octonuts Almond Protein (this is sweetened with coconut sugar and has great ingredients). But you can use any kind of plant based protein that you have on hand.
Vegan, plant based protein takes the place of flour in traditional recipes. Whey based protein or collagen peptides do not absorb as much liquid as plant based and therefore cannot be substituted.
How to store low fat protein pancakes
Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for 3-4 days in a well sealed container.
Freezer: Stored in a freezer safe bag, these pancakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months! See tips above on how to freeze so they won’t stick together!
Substitutions
- Banana: If you don’t have banana or cannot tolerate bananas, you can use applesauce or pumpkin puree in place of the banana. You will need about 3/4 cup of applesauce or 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Also add 2-4 tablespoons of maple syrup, coconut sugar or honey to sweeten since you won’t have the natural sweetness from the banana.
- Gluten free flour: Use whatever gluten free flour you have on hand. If you are using coconut flour, reduce it to 2 tablespoons.
- Protein powder: If you don’t have protein powder, you can replace it with 2/3 cup of gluten free flour plus 1-2 tablespoons of coconut sugar or maple syrup. To add protein without protein powder, you can add in 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts (this is about 10 grams of protein) and use oat flour, which is higher in protein than the other gluten free flours.
- Egg whites: If you don’t love only using egg whites, you could use 3 large eggs in place of the egg whites. However, your pancakes will have a slightly “eggy” flavor.
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Protein Pancakes
Gluten free protein pancakes are the perfect healthy breakfast. Packed with protein and fiber, these pancakes only have 7 ingredients and are so easy to make! No blender needed! Gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free and no refined grains!
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Servings: 2
Calories: 3g
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 medium Banana - Mashed
- 6 Egg Whites
- 2 servings Vegan protein powder - Nuzest
- 3 tbsp. gluten free flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract - Optional
- 1/2 tsp. 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
Storage:
- 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.
- Chocolate chips or cacao nibs
- Blueberries, strawberries (sliced), raspberries
- Coconut flakes
- Chopped nuts or seeds
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
280
Fat
2
g
Carbohydrates
35
g
Fiber
6
g
Sugar
15
g
Protein
31
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?Let others know by rating and leaving a comment below!
Miranda McLane
Thursday 18th of June 2020
So good! I topped them with strawberries and greek yogurt!
Deanna
Monday 10th of September 2018
How do they freeze if you make big batches?
Samantha
Friday 14th of September 2018
I've never tried it but I believe they should hold up well! If you try it let me know!
Erica
Tuesday 13th of March 2018
I will only eat protein pancakes! Delicious!
D2
Wednesday 6th of December 2017
how big is your scoop??-- I use a different organic pea protein than NOW
Samantha
Wednesday 6th of December 2017
Hi Heidi! My scoop is typically around 30 grams. Enjoy!
Sarah
Saturday 21st of October 2017
Did you use the NOW Pea Protein pictured above?
Samantha
Sunday 22nd of October 2017
It sure is Sarah!