Fluffy Greek Yogurt Protein Pancakes

Name: Fluffy Greek Yogurt Protein Pancakes
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; ½ cup (about 2 scoops) (60 g) vanilla whey protein powder; 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon (optional); 1 cup (245 g) plain 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt, at room temperature; 3 large (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) milk, any kind, at room temperature, plus up to 2 tbsp (30 ml) more if needed; 1 tbsp (20 g) pure maple syrup; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the griddle, divided into 3 portions; 1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries, rinsed and dried (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, golden pancakes made with Greek yogurt, whey protein, and blender-ground oats. Each serving has about 25 g of protein, and the pancakes stay soft instead of turning rubbery.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 32 min
Makes: 12 pancakes (3-inch/8 cm), 3 per serving

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pancakes
1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup (about 2 scoops) (60 g) vanilla whey protein powder
2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon (optional)
1 cup (245 g) plain 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
3 large (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) milk, any kind, at room temperature, plus up to 2 tbsp (30 ml) more if needed
1 tbsp (20 g) pure maple syrup
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
For cooking and serving
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, for greasing the griddle, divided into 3 portions
1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries, rinsed and dried (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large nonstick griddle or 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet
Blender or food processor
2 mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
Whisk
¼-cup (60 ml) measuring cup or scoop
Thin spatula
Baking sheet with wire rack (optional, for keeping warm)

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs, yogurt, and milk out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead. Cold yogurt makes a stiffer batter.
Use a whey or whey-casein blend protein powder. Plant-based powders absorb more liquid, so see the substitutions.
Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and set a baking sheet with a wire rack inside, if you want to keep finished pancakes warm.
Measure the oats and protein powder by weight if you can. Protein powders vary in density.

1
Grind the oats
- Add the rolled oats to a blender or food processor.
- Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds to make a fine flour with a few small flecks.
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Ready when: The oats look like coarse flour, with no whole flakes left.
Tip: Don't blend to a powder-fine flour. Some texture keeps the pancakes tender.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- Tip the oat flour into a large bowl.
- Add the protein powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, if using.
- Whisk for 20 seconds to spread the baking powder evenly and break up any protein powder clumps.
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Ready when: The mixture is one even color with no visible lumps.
3
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt and eggs until smooth.
- Whisk in the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla until no streaks of yogurt remain.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth and pourable, like thin custard.
Tip: Cold yogurt and eggs leave little lumps. Room-temperature ingredients blend more easily.
4
Combine the batter
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Fold with a whisk or spatula for about 15 seconds, just until no dry flour remains.
- The batter will be thick and spoonable, like thick pudding.
- If it holds a stiff mound, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra milk.
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Ready when: The batter slowly flows off the spatula and has no dry pockets. A few small lumps are fine.
Tip: Overmixing makes the pancakes tough.
5
Rest the batter
- Leave the batter on the counter for 5 minutes.
- The oat flour and protein powder absorb liquid and the batter thickens a little.
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Ready when: Small bubbles appear on the surface and the batter is slightly thicker.
6
Heat the griddle
- Set a nonstick griddle or 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes.
- Add one-third of the butter (about 1 teaspoon) and spread it with a spatula.
- Protein pancakes brown fast, so keep the heat gentle.
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Ready when: A drop of water sizzles gently and doesn't spit. The butter melts without browning.
Tip: If the butter browns right away, the pan is too hot. Lower the heat for a minute.
7
Pour and cook first side
- Scoop the batter in ¼-cup (60 ml) portions onto the griddle, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between pancakes.
- Make 4 pancakes per batch.
- Gently spread each into a round about 3 inches (8 cm) wide.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- If using berries, press a few into each pancake right after pouring.
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Ready when: The edges look set and matte, and a few bubbles pop and stay open on top.
Tip: Don't flip early. Thick yogurt batter needs time to set underneath.
8
Flip and finish
- Slide a thin spatula under a pancake and flip it in one move.
- Cook the second side for 1½ to 2 minutes without pressing down.
- Press down and the pancakes turn dense.
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Ready when: Both sides are golden brown. The pancake springs back when lightly pressed in the center and a toothpick comes out clean. Eggs are cooked through at 160°F (71°C).
Tip: The first pancake is a test. If it browns in under 1½ minutes, lower the heat.
9
Repeat with remaining batterOven 200°F / 95°C
- Move finished pancakes to a wire rack set on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep warm.
- Wipe the griddle, add another teaspoon of butter, and cook the second and third batches the same way.
- You should get 12 pancakes in total.
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Ready when: All 12 pancakes are evenly golden and cooked through in the center.
Tip: Keep warm pancakes in a single layer. Stacking them traps steam and makes them soggy.
10
Serve
- Stack 3 pancakes on each of 4 plates.
- Top with berries and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Add a spoonful of extra Greek yogurt if you like.
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Tip: Serve right away. The pancakes are softest when hot.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the heat at medium-low. Protein powder browns quickly and a hot pan gives dark outsides and raw centers.
Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing makes protein pancakes tough.
Wait for bubbles that pop and stay open before flipping. Flipping too early tears the pancake.
Brands of protein powder differ. If the first pancake is dense, thin the batter with 1 tablespoon of milk. If it spreads too much, rest the batter 5 more minutes.

Make ahead

"Mix the dry ingredients and store them airtight for up to 1 month. You can mix the full batter the night before and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 12 hours. The baking powder loses some lift overnight, so stir in ¼ teaspoon extra baking powder just before cooking, and thin with a splash of milk if it has thickened."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 1 hour, loosely covered. Fridge: cool completely, then store airtight for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze in a single layer on a tray, then bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from fridge in a toaster or a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes. Reheat from frozen in a toaster, or microwave for 30 to 45 seconds."

Substitutions

vanilla whey protein powder → Plant-based vanilla protein powder (pea/rice blend). Plant powders absorb more liquid. Add 2 to 4 extra tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) of milk until the batter is thick but spoonable.
plain 2% or nonfat Greek yogurt → Plain skyr or whole-milk Greek yogurt. Skyr works at the same amount. Whole-milk yogurt gives richer, slightly softer pancakes.
old-fashioned rolled oats → Oat flour. Use 90 g (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) and skip the blending step.
unsalted butter → Neutral oil or coconut oil. Use the same total amount, about 1 tablespoon (15 ml).