Start your day with these reader-favourite nutritious protein pancakes! Made with just banana, protein powder and eggs, these flourless pancakes come together in minutes. The best part? They're packed full of protein to keep you satisfied into the AM.
These no-frills protein pancakes pack a hefty protein punch. With a combination of eggs and protein powder (working to a 20g protein per serve supplement), a finished stack serves up over 30g protein – similar to a small chicken breast!
As a nutritionist, I’m often asked for quick, easy protein-packed breakfast ideas. High protein foods are slow to be digested, making a decent serve at brekkie a great nutritional strategy to keep satisfied into the morning (1). These pancakes fit the protein brief and can be whipped up in around 10 minutes!
Free of grains, they’re ideal for those gluten-free too. Instead, a banana is used to provide energy (carbohydrates) and natural sweetness.
Ingredients Needed
Simple does it for these protein pancakes – only three ingredients are required:
Protein powder. This recipe is suitable for flavoured or plain whey or pea protein powder. There will be subtle differences in the end dish, depending on what you use – the whey batter blends creamier, leading to a slightly fluffier pancake! I’ve tested collagen protein powder here and found it didn’t work well – this might be due to how collagen dissolves.
Eggs provide structure, leavening (that little rise as it cooks!), flavour and richness from the nutritious yolk fat. Two eggs definitely pull their protein weight, offering up 10g of the good stuff! #gains.
Banana is used for nature sweetness, a yummy banana flavour and glorious carbs aka energy. Go for a ripe yellow fruit – more of the starches will have converted to sugars, meaning it’ll be sweeter.
Feel free to play beyond these base ingredients – try blending in spices (like cinnamon), spinach (for green goodness) or cocoa powder (for a chocolatey boost). If you find something that works, leave a comment below!🙏
Step-by-Step: How to Make Protein Pancakes
Peel the banana and discard skin. Add the banana, cracked eggs and protein powder into a food processer or blender. Secure the lid.
Blend until a thick, yet pourable and smooth, batter. If it’s too stiff, add a splash of water. If it’s too runny, add a sprinkle of protein powder.
Add batter into a milk jug. Pour batter rounds into a preheated buttered frypan over medium-low heat.
Pan fry until golden and you can easily flip with a spatula. Repeat on the other side and with remaining batter.
Kitchen Tips
I’ve found the below tricks helpful when making these protein pancakes:
Blend ingredients together to save time and ensure a uniform batter. Otherwise, you can whisk in a bowl by hand, just make sure to really mash the banana prior so it’s not clumpy.
Pour batter mixture into a small milk jug. Once the frying pan is greased and hot, pour batter direct from the jug into the pan. This will help ensure perfect pancake rounds!👌
Look out for signs that your pancakes are ready to flip, like a golden brown colour and edges that slightly pull away. The pancake should lift easily off the griddle or frying pan when ready to flip. If not, cook for a bit longer.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy for breakfast or a post-workout meal. While totally ace by themselves, pancakes are always infinitely better with toppings (and the extra goodies add nutritional diversity and bulk out the meal!). You could try:
An extra protein boost by adding a dollop of Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, chopped nuts or sprinkle of hemp seeds.
Bumping up the sweetness by scattering over chopped seasonal fresh fruit, stewed fruit, fruit compote or a drizzle of maple syrup.
Adding texture with a sprinkle of crunchy granola or muesli, your favourite chopped nuts, a drizzle of tahini, shredded coconut or an assortment of seeds.
Or for just an insanely good time drizzle peanut butter overtop and a sprinkle of chopped dark chocolate. Yum!
3Tbsp*pea or whey protein powderor more to reach a thick pourable consistency
1ripebananaor around ⅓ cup mashed
2eggs
Method:
Heat a fry-pan over a medium to low heat. Grease well with oil or butter – so they don't stick!
Blend together banana, eggs and protein powder. The mixture should be a thick pourable batter, that’s not too runny or stiff. If it’s too stiff, add a splash of water. If it’s too runny, add a sprinkle of protein powder. You’re after a thickness where you can pour it into the pan and it spreads out just a little.
Pour batter into a milk jug. Hot tip: the pouring spout will help you get perfect pancake circles!
Pour pancake mixture into pan. Depending on your fry-pan size, you may need to do a few batches. Leave to cook until golden in colour or you can easily flip with a spatula. Repeat on the other side.
Notes:
* Protein powders can come in different total weight measurements per serve (e.g. 24g, 40g…), depending on ingredients, which can impact the viscosity and thickness of the batter – this is why a range of 3 Tbsp or more has been given. Start at 3 Tbsp, blend and check thickness. If the batter looks to thin (quite jiggly when you give it a wiggle) then add more protein powder. You’re after a thickness where you can pour it into the pan and it spreads out just a little. Avoid turning the heat up high – this will cook (or burn!) the outside of the pancake before the middle has a chance to cook through.
Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
If you enjoyed this dish, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help others discover my recipes online (and your reviews make my day! 🙂 ). Happy cooking and baking. Danijela x
Simple and delicious! Consistency was good, was a bit hard to flip but other than that a very easy recipe.
Would be yummy with a bit of cinnamon added into the batter.
These are so good! I use chocolate protein powder and a bit of vegan pancake mix and they come out great! I top with peanut butter and dark chocolate buttons 😋
Absolutely love this recipe!! Can’t believe something so yum only has a few ingredients… I added a vanilla protein powder to my mix! Highly recommend this recipe.
Amazing recipe! The pancakes came out so fluffy and sweet without any added sugars. Stewed berries and coconut flakes is the move 🙂 Thanks for the healthy recommendation.
Loved the taste, comfort. And ease.
Added sime cinnamin as a suggested.
I attempt to get some oats in as gluten free and know they are heart healthy and dtick to your ribs. I added 1/4
Cup of rolled oats that i previously blended into oat flour. And some water just to kerp nice and thin
I added a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon to the batter and vanilla extract before blending! Then I added some frozen wild blueberries when cooking and they turned out great! I love how filling they are.
Loved this recipe! Since I just needed a single serving, I used 1 banana, 1 egg, 2 tbs. of Inspire Whey Protein Isolate Banana Nut Bread Protein Powder, 1/3 c. fresh blueberries and a dash of cinnamon. Breakfast was phenomenal…didn’t need butter or syrup. Thanks for sharing and putting me on the right path!
Sooo tasty! Used a banana protein powder that gave extra banana flavour and topped the stack with a little Nutella, will definitely be making these again. Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Chantelle, thanks for your question. Serving size is for one person. You can make the pancakes as big or little as you like – this will impact how many pancakes you get. I recommend not making them too big as they’ll be hard to flip. I hope that helps xx
We made these this morning. I made a X2 recipe did add about 1/2 tsp of baking powder and a teaspoon of lemon juice. The family was impressed with the texture and flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
I made these this morning with vanilla protein powder and a pinch of cinnamon. Fantastic, especially since I need to stay off grains for a while. I indulged and had a bit of heavy cream on them.
These are really good. I mixed in a tbsp of PB2 Chocolate Peanut Butter powder and it was very good. I topped it with a little bit of sugar free cool whip, that I mixed with the same PB2 powder, and some sliced strawberries and blueberries. This is definitely making a staple in our weekend breakfast for my husband and I.
Hi Aurelia, thanks for your question. The nutritional value can vary for this recipe based on whether you use whey/pea protein. But they’ll sit under 400 cal (without added toppings), with over 30g protein/serve and around 30g carbs. I like using Cronometer for nutritional analysis, it’s quite specific x
It does cook from outside in. I enjoy the taste! Very banana-ey and moist. I made about 9 pancakes about 2 inches wide. It was very thin and still runny after 3 tbs of vanilla protein powder. Definitely sweet enough. Maybe I’ll try a bigger banana. I tend to get the smaller sizes.
Thank you for your kind comment and star rating :). Yes, I’ve found the quantity of protein powder needed here can really vary based on blend used (whey vs pea, protein content/serve…) – some absorb more liquid than others, which impacts the viscosity and thickness of the batter. Sometimes another 1/2 to 1 Tbsp can really thicken it up – but they do still fry well on the thinner side. Thanks again x
Daniela, these a fabulous just the way they are! (I use one scoop of Gold whey protein.) I usually make a half batch, put a teaspoon of nutella on it, and roll it up to eat it. I’m curious to find out how they freeze, but half batch or full…there’s never any leftovers to experiment with!😃
Thanks so much for your comment Valerie, so glad you enjoy them! I love the nutella-wrap idea – genius, I’ll have to try it. I’ve had a few people share they freeze and reheat well, so might be worth a triple batch next time 😉 x
Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
If you enjoyed this dish, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help others discover my recipes online (and your reviews make my day! 🙂 ). Happy cooking and baking. Danijela x
52 Comments
Simple and delicious! Consistency was good, was a bit hard to flip but other than that a very easy recipe.
Would be yummy with a bit of cinnamon added into the batter.
Thank you so much for the feedback and kind star rating Katie! So stoked you liked them 🙂 I’m definitely going to try cinnamon next time! x
These are so good! I use chocolate protein powder and a bit of vegan pancake mix and they come out great! I top with peanut butter and dark chocolate buttons 😋
That’s awesome Sophie! Thanks for sharing your tip too, sounds great re vegan pancake mix! xx
Best pancake recipe out there. Beats *regular* pancakes to be honest. I used a vanilla falovred powder from myprotein and it’s just awesome.
Aw that’s so good to hear Ronnie! 🙂 Thanks for your comment x
Absolutely love this recipe!! Can’t believe something so yum only has a few ingredients… I added a vanilla protein powder to my mix! Highly recommend this recipe.
Yum, vanilla protein powder would be a great addition! Thanks for your comment 🙂 x
These were delicious! I added some cinnamon and organic greens powder—so yummy! I will for sure be making these again 🙂
Thanks for your comment Aliyah – love the tips, I’ll have to try them with those additions! x
Tried these this morning with vanilla protein powder and a pinch of allspice. They are amazing def a new go to breakfast.
Thanks for your lovely comment Nikki! Love the tip on the pinch of all spice – bet that’s delicious with your vanilla protein powder (chai vibes?!) xx
It was so good! you don’t even need a blender. Tastes great with a little bit of syrup or fresh fruit!
Thanks so much for your feedback and comment Liz. You’re right too, I have made them before without a blender and they work really well.
Amazing recipe! The pancakes came out so fluffy and sweet without any added sugars. Stewed berries and coconut flakes is the move 🙂 Thanks for the healthy recommendation.
Pleasure Jimmy! Thank you for the kind review x
Loved the taste, comfort. And ease.
Added sime cinnamin as a suggested.
I attempt to get some oats in as gluten free and know they are heart healthy and dtick to your ribs. I added 1/4
Cup of rolled oats that i previously blended into oat flour. And some water just to kerp nice and thin
Thank you for your kind comment and rating Regina! Loved your tips, cinnamon is a great idea xx
I added a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon to the batter and vanilla extract before blending! Then I added some frozen wild blueberries when cooking and they turned out great! I love how filling they are.
Ooo nutmeg and cinnamon! With wild blueberries! Sounds delicious. Thanks for your kind comment Julia xx
Loved this recipe! Since I just needed a single serving, I used 1 banana, 1 egg, 2 tbs. of Inspire Whey Protein Isolate Banana Nut Bread Protein Powder, 1/3 c. fresh blueberries and a dash of cinnamon. Breakfast was phenomenal…didn’t need butter or syrup. Thanks for sharing and putting me on the right path!
Hi Terra! So glad you enjoyed it – blueberries and cinnamon sounds ace! Thanks for your kind rating xx
Sooo tasty! Used a banana protein powder that gave extra banana flavour and topped the stack with a little Nutella, will definitely be making these again. Thank you for the recipe!
Ooo double banana! Nice! And banana + nutella = very happy tastebuds. Thanks for your kind feedback xx
Pelase confirm serving size? If 1 is selected is that physically just 1 pancake?
Hey Chantelle, thanks for your question. Serving size is for one person. You can make the pancakes as big or little as you like – this will impact how many pancakes you get. I recommend not making them too big as they’ll be hard to flip. I hope that helps xx
We made these this morning. I made a X2 recipe did add about 1/2 tsp of baking powder and a teaspoon of lemon juice. The family was impressed with the texture and flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Pleasure, glad the family enjoyed them!
I made these this morning with vanilla protein powder and a pinch of cinnamon. Fantastic, especially since I need to stay off grains for a while. I indulged and had a bit of heavy cream on them.
Thanks for your comment Jenny! So glad you enjoyed them. Cream sounds like a delicious addition.
These are awesome. If I cooked up a batch of these, how many days would I have? I cook for the week on Saturdays.
Hi CJ! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I find they’re good for 3-4 days – they taste best reheated.
These are really good. I mixed in a tbsp of PB2 Chocolate Peanut Butter powder and it was very good. I topped it with a little bit of sugar free cool whip, that I mixed with the same PB2 powder, and some sliced strawberries and blueberries. This is definitely making a staple in our weekend breakfast for my husband and I.
Thanks for the kind feedback Kim – love your tip off adding the choc PB…YUM! xx
This recipe looks fantastic
What is the nutritional value?
Please and thank you
Hi Aurelia, thanks for your question. The nutritional value can vary for this recipe based on whether you use whey/pea protein. But they’ll sit under 400 cal (without added toppings), with over 30g protein/serve and around 30g carbs. I like using Cronometer for nutritional analysis, it’s quite specific x
Beautiful
W hood
Thank you Maahir! 🙂 x
This is an easy to make dish. Great taste. Will add cinnamon next time.
Thank you for your kind rating and words Sheri! Cinnamon would be a great addition x
It does cook from outside in. I enjoy the taste! Very banana-ey and moist. I made about 9 pancakes about 2 inches wide. It was very thin and still runny after 3 tbs of vanilla protein powder. Definitely sweet enough. Maybe I’ll try a bigger banana. I tend to get the smaller sizes.
Thank you for your kind comment and star rating :). Yes, I’ve found the quantity of protein powder needed here can really vary based on blend used (whey vs pea, protein content/serve…) – some absorb more liquid than others, which impacts the viscosity and thickness of the batter. Sometimes another 1/2 to 1 Tbsp can really thicken it up – but they do still fry well on the thinner side. Thanks again x
Have you ever tried making extra and freezing them? Curious how they would do.
Hi Brent, I haven’t but now you’ve got me curious. I reckon they might handle a freeze, but I’ll need to test it. Watch this space!
I normally don’t like pancakes. These were delicious!
That truly is the best kind of feedback – thanks Chris! 🙂
these are easy to make, freeze & reheat . Nice snack totake when I need extra protein in the day. I added a splash of vanilla& some cinnamon ~ yummy
So great to hear – love the idea of enjoying them as a snack! Thanks Shanna 🙂 x
Daniela, these a fabulous just the way they are! (I use one scoop of Gold whey protein.) I usually make a half batch, put a teaspoon of nutella on it, and roll it up to eat it. I’m curious to find out how they freeze, but half batch or full…there’s never any leftovers to experiment with!😃
Thanks so much for your comment Valerie, so glad you enjoy them! I love the nutella-wrap idea – genius, I’ll have to try it. I’ve had a few people share they freeze and reheat well, so might be worth a triple batch next time 😉 x
It will be really helpful ifyou can add the nutritional information as well.
Thanks for the recommendation Carla, I will look into it 🙂 x