Buttermilk Protein Pancakes

Protein pancakes have been all the rage ever since the rise of Kodiak Cakes. While we love the idea of a healthier pancake breakfast, there is a point where some pancakes become too healthy. If we’re going to eat pancakes, we want them to actually taste like pancakes; otherwise, why are we even wasting the calories? That’s where our buttermilk protein pancakes come in.

These buttermilk protein pancakes are semi-healthy high protein pancakes that still taste like pancakes. They’re fluffy and moist and just a little bit sweet, so you can enjoy the true flavor and texture of a classic pancake breakfast while adding some extra protein to your diet. 

We’re not going to sugarcoat it (no pun intended). Our buttermilk protein pancakes are not the type of healthy pancake that’s just a mixture of oats and banana pretending to be a pancake. They’re made with flour and sugar and salt and buttermilk, all of which you could argue are “unhealthy” ingredients. But we’ll argue that anything made from scratch with fresh, high quality ingredients can be considered healthy, because these pancakes don’t contain any of the unrecognizable ingredients you might find on the back of a box of store-bought pancakes.

So if you’re a fellow pancake lover in need of a slightly healthier version of your favorite weekend breakfast, give these high protein buttermilk pancakes a try. If nothing else, you can fuel up on them after an early morning workout and feel good about giving your body the protein it needs to thrive.

Buttermilk Protein Pancakes Ingredients

You can easily make delicious high protein pancakes from scratch with the simple addition of protein powder to a traditional buttermilk pancake recipe. No banana, no oats, and no overly healthy ingredients necessary – these protein pancakes are meant to still taste like pancakes!

Here’s what you’ll need to make our protein pancakes recipe:

• All purpose flour
• Whey protein powder – chocolate or vanilla
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Buttermilk
• Egg
• Vegetable oil
• Vanilla extract

You’ll also need butter or cooking spray to grease the pan before cooking, plus butter and maple syrup for serving.

We like to use this 100% whey protein powder for its macro ratio and delicious flavor. We definitely recommend this brand if you’ve never tried protein powder before! It’s made with minimal ingredients and its fine texture makes it super easy to blend into shakes, smoothies, and recipes like these protein pancakes.

How To Make Buttermilk Protein Pancakes

Making pancakes from scratch is actually quite easy, and these buttermilk protein pancakes are no exception. Simply combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and then mix the two together until you have a batter. Then, cook them on a griddle or large frying pan and enjoy!

Here are step by step instructions for how to make our buttermilk pancakes with chocolate protein powder:

1. First, add the flour, protein powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Next, whisk the buttermilk, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a separate, larger bowl.
3. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined – the batter should be slightly lumpy.
4. Preheat a large griddle (we like to use our cast iron griddle for a nice, even crisp on the pancakes) over medium-low heat. Add about a half tablespoon of butter to the griddle and spread it around while the pan heats, so the whole cooking surface is greased.
5. Then, use a quarter-cup measuring cup to scoop pancake batter onto the griddle, spreading each scoop out into a roughly 5-inch diameter pancake. Cook until you see bubbles beginning to form and pop on the top surface, about 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully flip the pancakes and cook until both sides are lightly browned, about 2 to 3 more minutes.
6. Continue cooking the pancakes in batches until you’ve used all the batter, lowering the heat if they start browning too quickly and adding more butter to the pan between batches as needed.

The important thing is to not over-mix the pancake batter. Too much mixing removes the air from the batter, which leads to dense pancakes. Less mixing will yield fluffier, lighter pancakes that melt in your mouth.

Note that you can use cooking spray to grease the pan instead of butter, as a healthier alternative.

Buttermilk Protein Pancakes: Serving Suggestions

You can’t have pancakes without drenching them in maple syrup! Top your pancakes with a pad of butter and drizzle a high quality maple syrup (not the sugary, processed “syrup” that doesn’t actually have any maple in it) over them to enjoy a high protein version of your favorite sweet breakfast food without compromising on flavor.

Serve buttermilk protein pancakes with a side of fresh berries and coffee, tea, or juice to round out your weekend breakfast. We love eating raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries with our pancakes.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers

You can keep leftover pancakes sealed in a zip-top bag in the fridge for up to one week. Or, you can even freeze them if you made a big batch! Place small squares of parchment paper between pancakes to prevent sticking, and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months.

There are a number of ways to reheat leftover pancakes; a few popular methods are outlined here.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

While these buttermilk protein pancakes aren’t quite as healthy as some protein pancake recipes out there, they’re an easy way to get some added nutrients out of an otherwise indulgent breakfast. With about 9 grams of protein per pancake, you can treat yourself to Sunday pancakes and get a head start on your protein fix all in one go.

That sounds like the perfect post-workout Sunday brunch food, if you ask us 🙂

Try our easy buttermilk protein pancakes recipe if you want an extra protein boost in your weekend breakfast! Don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below to let us know what you think of this recipe.