Kickstart your mornings with this vegan protein pancakes recipe. Made with just 5 easy ingredients, they have no eggs and no banana in them, yet are super thick and fluffy!
The Best Vegan Protein Pancakes
Having a protein-packed breakfast helps keep me energized for the day ahead.
I never used to be someone who ate protein with breakfast, often choosing cereal or toast. While quick and easy, I was always hungry two hours later. Since proactively eating high protein breakfasts, I’m more satisfied and full for hours.
My favorite breakfasts include protein French toast, protein oatmeal and protein waffles. Recently, I’ve been obsessed with vegan protein pancakes.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- No eggs or banana needed. Unlike most protein pancakes, these have no banana or eggs out there.
- 5 ingredients only. Simple and easy ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right this second!
- Ready in 5 minutes. Seriously, it would take you longer to toast some bread.
- Vegan and gluten free. Naturally vegan (no dairy or eggs) and easily made gluten free.
These pancakes are so quick and easy to make, and tick all the boxes- thick, fluffy, and naturally sweetened. I sometimes pair it with a protein shake for the ultimate breakfast!
Ingredients needed
You’ll love the simple and short ingredient list to make this pancake recipe. You’ve probably got everything in your pantry right now. Here is what you’ll need:
- Self rising flour– A combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. You can buy it pre-made in the grocery stores or make your own.
- Protein powder– Brown rice protein powder is preferred, as it yields fluffy and thick pancakes.
- Sweetener OR sugar– Any zero calorie sweetener works, or white, brown, or coconut sugar.
- Apple cider vinegar– Mixed with the milk to curdle.
- Milk– I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works.
How to make protein pancakes without banana
Mix the dry ingredients: Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until combined.
Mix the milk and vinegar: Add the milk and vinegar to a bowl and let it sit for five minutes, to curdle.
Create the batter: Combine the wet and dry ingredients until a smooth batter remains.
Cook the pancakes and serve: Cook the pancakes in 1/4 cup portions over medium heat, flipping halfway through. Serve warm with maple syrup and your favorite toppings.
Tips for success
- Cover the pancakes as they are cooking. Trapping the heat in the saucepan will help the pancakes puff up and be extra thick and fluffy.
- Protein powder types matter. If the protein powder you’ve used is whey protein or isolate protein, you may find your pancakes will be thinner and flatter.
- Always grease the pan before adding the pancake batter. We don’t want pancakes stuck on it!
Ways to add more protein to pancakes
Protein powder isn’t the only way to add protein to pancake batter. Here are some other ideas-
- Cottage cheese– Non-fat cottage cheese (smooth or blended) adds 15-20 grams of protein per serving, with no cheesy flavor.
- Silken tofu– Smooth silken tofu acts similar to cottage cheese.
- Greek yogurt– Non-fat or low fat Greek yogurt packs in over 20 grams of protein per serving (one cup).
- Eggs– Whole eggs or egg whites can add a healthy and delicious boost of protein. Opt for whites for minimal calories.
- Nuts and nut butter– Peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut or seed butters add healthy fats and 10-12 grams of protein per serving.
Flavor variations
The beauty of these pancakes is that they act as a blank canvas that can be flavored in a plethora of ways. Here are some ideas:
- Chocolate chip– Fold through some chocolate chips. Skip the sugar by using sugar free chocolate chips.
- Blueberry– Add half a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Apple cinnamon– Finely dice a small apple and add it to the batter, along with a few shakes of cinnamon.
- Banana– Add half a mashed banana.
- Maple walnut– Fold through 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and drizzle with plenty of maple syrup.
Storage and meal prep info
Wondering what is the best way to store leftovers? Here are best practices for pancake storage:
- To store: Make a double batch of protein pancakes and store leftovers in a sealable container or covered, for up to 1 week. Batch cook these pancakes to have breakfast sorted for the week!
- To freeze: Place leftovers in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Make ahead: Do not prepare the pancake batter in advance, as it will thicken up and be difficult to work with. Instead, make the pancakes and reheat them when ready to enjoy.
- To reheat: Microwave pancakes for 10-20 seconds, until warm.
More healthy pancake recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown rice protein or pea protein are best for using in recipes as they react well with other ingredients and have a pleasant flavor.
When made with the full amount of protein powder, there are 20 grams of protein per serving.
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Vegan Protein Pancakes with 5 Ingredients | 20 Grams of Protein
Ingredients
- 1 cup self rising flour
- 1/3 cup protein powder * See notes
- 1 tablespoon granulated sweetener of choice
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes, to curdle.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter remains.
- Add oil to non-stick pan and place it over medium heat. Once hot, pour scant 1/4 cup portions of the batter and then cover the pan. Once bubbles appear and the edges go brown, remove cover, flip the pancakes and cover again for a minute. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
- Serve the pancakes immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
I only wish that, for your sake, they could just bottle the smell of a Cinnabon and make that into a candle or something (who am I kidding, they probably do). The fact that you all don’t have Fage or dark chocolate m&M’s is a crime, in my opinion. But then again, Europeans have crispy M&M’s, which are one of my greatest loves.
These look fantastic–my advice? Roll them up, slice, turn on side, ice. Insta mini cinnabons 😀
DUDE. I saw cinnabon cereal, hot cereal AND coffee today! I need a green card…seriously.
I can TOTALLY see why cinnabon cinnamon roll was on your list, those are INCREDIBLE! I hope you finish a whole one on this trip….I will be disappointed in you if not 😛 These sound great, and I am always a fan of pancakes! I do have a foodie list, and it is HUGE…..its actually a spreadsheet of every state….how nerdy hahaha
Tina….Confession. I ate one for breakfast AND one for an afternoon snack. I even picked out the biggest one 😉
I think we need to share spreadsheets 😉
Cinnamon <3
I've never really traveled anywhere with foodie gems…so I haven't gotten to experience any "awesome" cuisine..just yet 😉
Wait until you come to Australia!
WHAT IS THIS DELICIOUSNESS?! I cannot wait to try these out.
Thanks, Jessica- Please do!
Well that’s just great. Now I want pancakes again.
So I totally had a chat with Gigi today about you and we need to have a pancake date.
oh Cinnabon is serious! They have them in the malls in NJ and you can’t be within 100 feet of them with out being carried over by the cinnamon sugar smell.
I think it physically carries you. 🙂
I like traditional foods in different countries …from authentic places!!
I think you need to recap some of the amazing food you’ve eaten- Especially the snails!
Arman – these photos are amazing!! I must have these pancakes – they look so good!!!!!
Thanks, Heather- hope you try them out!
I always try to eat at least a few local/traditional dishes from the country or region that I’m visiting. In my opinion you can’t get to know a different culture better than through food. It tells you so much about the people, culture, traditions, history… E.g. the reason there is so much Mexican food in the LA area is the historical background, obviously! And this is amazing!
I had a vague food list for my trip, and quite happy to have eaten most things I’ve wanted to try (besides lobster roll 🙁 ). And I still have that pop tart that I’ve bought at the airport. I think I’m going to eat it on the weekend after the next…yes, I plan things like that, LOL! 😀
WHAT! Well, lucky for you, I ate two lobster rolls 😉
Haha, I hope the pop tart is as good as you perceive it to be!
That is one thing I love about travelling – trying all the new foods!
I love cinnamon so much so these pancakes need to be made!!
YES! PS- catch ups this week please when I’m back- I’ve got a couple of days off!
I literally have issues going to the mall just because the Cinnabon smell is going to HAUNT ME DOWN. and seriously i’m so upset i’m not there right now! although i could eat these pancakes as perfect as they are in their eggy state and ask to be lifelighted to the NYC hospital? and it would be worth it for more than one reason.
and JUDGE ME that while i studied abroad i made it a point to have a different flavor of McFlurry from every mcdonalds. 1) they’re healthier abroad somehow which shocked me because they’re more delicious and yes i justified that 2) stroop waffle mcflurry in amsterdam, the kit kats, the cadbury, the magnum in paris omg if the fast food is on point we can’t even get back into the gelatos and pizzerias and ok i’m done before i start cryiiiiiiiiing
I will NOT judge you because dude- that is genius. We have a ‘golden Gaytime’ one here in Australia. Google it. It’s ridiculously amazing.
not only did i google golden gaytimes.. but you also have BUBBLEGUM SQUASH wtf.. i hope no one ever sees the fact that i was on the australia mcdonalds website menu. but of course you have way more mcflurry choices than we do (except ive always wanted to ask them to blend up their apple pie into one for me).. although not like i can ever eat one again because of my damn allergies =l WAIT. your mission: create an epic allergy friendly mcflurry for me and then hand deliver it!?!?!
WTF is bubblegum squash?
I will invent an apple pie mcflurry for you. True story- I am working on recipes without eggs for you and it’s a biatch.
My favorites are the green peanut M&Ms. I can’t stand the blue ones. I can totally understand why the purple ones made it to your list.
Maybe I would try to lie and say no to the question whether food plays are big part on my travel bucket list. But as you’ve been involved in my USA plannings I think there’s no sense in denying that food is my travel bucket list.
Favorite chain: Nando’s in the UK and Starbucks everywhere (if that counts as a restaurant) ;-P
I HATE the blue ones too! Giving you ideas was one of the best things ever- When I go to the UK, you bet I’ll be picking your brain!
Starbucks definitely counts!
WHen I was in the US for 4 months, I gained 7 kilos. I think it was because of the cinnamon rolls. So YES, I am with you on that obsession!
Last timre I went there I think the only thing on my list was:’ ALL THE THINGS FROM WHOLE FOODS’. And seriously, my suitcase was STUFFED with their products (cooking spray, hell yes! and 74389743892 packs of Justins AB (more convient than the jars) etc. etc.).
I printed this. I beg my schedule to allow me to make these on Friday morning on my first day of vacation.
I’ve gained weight since being here and I’m so pumped!!!! Haha!
Red Lobster. Sadly, it’s a let down. As are ALL of your chain picks (unless you are super drunk or hungover). I’m just offering my good will advice. Now, some might argue my point, but if you’re traveling to the USA? Avoid these chains at ALL COSTS! Seriously. They’re cheap, but it doesn’t reflect our cuisine. Main stream casual dining is just fast food with a wait staff.
I don’t know where you’re traveling exactly….you said northern regions? Steer clear of chains. Anything you can Google is probably a bad idea. Olive Garden and Applebees are nasty. Avoid Ruby Tuesdays, Outback Steakhouse, Chilis, and Macaroni Grill at all cost. These are chain restaurants, and the food is sub par. If you’re visiting the USA, try to eat at local eateries. You will LOVE anything local. If it’s a chain, you will be disappointed…. and probably sick to your stomach afterwards. My email address is part of my post. PLEASE ask me for tips. I want you to love your experience!
Thanks for the offer, the post wasn’t inferring that as my intention- I plan on eating at them but also some amazing local places!
Ahhh cool. Just watching out for you! I look forward to seeing a detailed review of each meal. I hope you have a blast (and I hope you find the biggest Cinnabon roll you can find!).
Thank you!
I walk past a Cinnabon on the way out of dance class every week, and I’ve still never had one. I’m lucky that I can get full fat Fage here, but not so lucky that I’ve cut dairy out for the time being 🙁
WHAT? You should be faceplanting Fage!
Haha I laughed at the Applebees one. They do have a neat name I guess, I just never thought about it. And yuuuumm to cinnabons. They’re so delicious, but soooo bad for you. Hope you’re loving your trip so far!
It would have been even better if you had come to NYC- me and Charlotte missed you!