Banana Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Banana Cottage Cheese Pancakes are fluffy, tender, and packed with protein from cottage cheese and eggs. A ripe banana adds natural sweetness while blending the cottage cheese creates a smooth batter without any noticeable curds. These are easy enough for a weekday breakfast but also great for meal prep because the pancakes reheat really well. Add fresh fruit, a drizzle of maple syrup, peanut butter, or whatever toppings you’re craving.

• Higher in protein: Cottage cheese and eggs add more protein than you’ll find in a basic pancake recipe.
• Fluffy and tender: Baking powder gives the pancakes plenty of lift while banana keeps the centers soft.
• No cottage cheese texture: Blending the wet ingredients makes the cottage cheese smooth and creamy.
• Naturally sweet: A whole ripe banana adds sweetness without needing sugar in the batter.
• Easy to meal prep: Refrigerate or freeze leftovers for quick breakfasts later in the week.
• Simple ingredients: No protein powder or specialty ingredients needed.

• All-purpose flour or whole wheat flour: Either works for these pancakes. All-purpose flour will give you the lightest texture, while whole wheat flour creates a slightly heartier pancake.
• Baking powder: Gives the pancakes their rise and fluffy texture.
• Kosher salt: A small amount balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
• Eggs: Three large eggs add structure, richness, and protein.
• Cottage cheese: The star ingredient. Once blended, it creates a creamy base and adds protein without leaving noticeable cottage cheese curds in the pancakes.
• Milk: Loosens the batter just enough to make it scoopable. Use your preferred milk.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and a little extra sweetness.
• Ground cinnamon: Pairs perfectly with the banana without overpowering it.
• Banana: Use a ripe banana for the best flavor and natural sweetness. The more spotted it is, the sweeter your pancakes will be.

• Blend the wet ingredients. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, banana, vanilla, and cinnamon to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
• Make the batter. Pour the blended mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir just until combined. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
• Cook the pancakes. Heat a lightly buttered griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Scoop about ½ cup batter per pancake and gently spread it into a circle.
• Flip and finish. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and bubbles begin forming around the edges. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through.

The biggest thing with this batter is not overmixing it after you add the flour. Blend the cottage cheese mixture until completely smooth, but once it meets the dry ingredients, switch to gently stirring. Mix only until you don’t see large streaks of dry flour. Letting the batter rest for about 5 minutes also gives the flour time to hydrate and the baking powder time to start working. And keep your griddle around medium-low heat. Because these pancakes are thick, cooking them too hot can brown the outside before the center has enough time to cook.

They don’t taste like you’re eating a bowl of cottage cheese. Blending the cottage cheese with the eggs, banana, and milk makes it smooth, so what you notice in the finished pancakes is a soft, tender texture and banana flavor with a little cinnamon and vanilla. The cottage cheese is doing a lot of work behind the scenes without taking over the flavor.

I wouldn’t go crazy with this section, but the brief shows this is worth covering. Try these with maple syrup, peanut butter, sliced bananas, fresh berries, chopped walnuts or pecans, cinnamon, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt. For mix-ins, blueberries or mini chocolate chips can be gently folded into the finished batter. Avoid adding too many because these pancakes are already fairly thick.