Light & Fluffy Banana Protein Pancakes are a healthy breakfast with 5 simple ingredients that taste amazing and fill you up! Whipped egg whites, protein powder and ripe bananas make up these low-fat and low-carb pancakes, for a complete and wholesome meal.
Protein Pancake Recipe
These Protein Pancakes are a fantastic low calorie breakfast loaded with wholesome goodness. Unlike most banana pancakes that can be flat and dense, we use a special technique to make them light and fluffy. They are the best protein pancakes you will make!
Whether you follow a low carb diet or are just looking for a wholesome breakfast recipe, these protein pancakes are filling and delicious. When I am craving something hearty for breakfast like pancakes, these are one of my go-to recipes for my kids and I.
Healthy Pancake Recipe
We grew up enjoying a hearty stack of rich buttermilk pancakes every Sunday. It was one of the few things my Dad cooked in our family, but boy were they delicious! I still love a good buttermilk pancake, but they aren’t necessarily the most sensible choice to make every week. These protein banana pancakes are a much healthier recipe.
Banana Protein Pancakes
I have tried versions of banana protein pancakes using protein powder in the past but they tend to be dense and unappealing. One day a light went off in my head…whipped egg whites!
By beating the egg whites alone, like you would for a meringue, it would make the batter much lighter and airier. The process worked wonderfully. They were like eating banana clouds!
Why are my protein pancakes burning?
Bananas have lots of natural sugars in them. If you cook these protein pancakes at too high of a temperature, they will burn on outside and not cook through the center well. It is important to cook these banana pancakes in a non stick skillet over medium-low heat.
Best Protein Powder for Pancakes
Another reason that protein pancakes can burn is the protein powder you use in the recipe. We use a low-carb and low sugar protein powder which results in a beautifully light and fluffy pancake. If you are using a protein powder that is higher in sugar, they will more difficult to cook.
I highly recommend Naturade Whey Protein Booster for a protein powder that doesn’t have any added sugars and therefore only has 1 carb per serving.
Another issue I have seen people run into, is the consistency of the batter. Some protein powders will make the batter too thick. If you run across this issue, just thin the batter a little with some water or milk until it is a good pancake batter consistency.
Can I freeze Protein Pancakes
This recipe makes two servings, so if you are flying solo you can toss the leftovers in the freezer. Layer the pancakes between parchment paper in a resealable bag and you will have a great breakfast option for the future! If you are heading to work and need a last minute breakfast, pop a few of the pancakes in the microwave. Cook them for a minute and you have an easy and healthy breakfast for an amazing grab and go meal.
Protein Pancake Consistency
Banana Protein Powder Pancakes don’t have the same consistency of a traditional pancake with flour, but they are equally wonderful in their own right! Top them with some honey yogurt and fresh fruit for the ultimate breakfast.
If you are looking for the same exact consistency as a regular pancake that is loaded with flour, this recipe is not for you. The absence of any flour will obviously create a different consistency.
Are pancakes a good source of protein?
Regular pancakes have minimal protein and are loaded with carbs. Protein Pancakes on the other hand have tons of protein and minimal carbs. This particular recipe for protein pancakes has a whopping 22g of protein per serving. That is a great way to start the day and fill you up and we all know how important protein is!
Are protein pancakes healthy?
If you are making clean protein pancakes with healthy toppings like fruit and Greek yogurt, they incredibly healthy! Bananas, strawberries and raspberries are all great options. Add a drizzle of natural peanut butter for even more protein and great flavor.
I like to use a healthy protein powder and avoid those with added sugars and subsequently higher carbs.
Low-carb breakfast recipes
Check out more great more low-carb breakfast recipes below. They are packed with protein and full of delicious flavors! Whether you want something quick and easy on-the-go or are looking for a great breakfast bake to serve to guests, we have got you covered.
- Light & Spicy Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burritos – This grab and go option is a fantastic meal prep option for a healthy breakfast.
- Goat Cheese & Pesto Veggie Scramble – This protein packed breakfast is loaded with amazing flavor.
- Easy Microwave Scrambled Egg Cup Recipes – Another great meal prep option, these premade jars are a great way to enjoy loaded scrambled eggs in just minutes.
- Ham and Cheese Egg Bites – These egg muffins made with cottage cheese and ham are a fantastic breakfast on the go.
Light & Fluffy Banana Protein Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 40 g vanilla protein powder
- 1 large very ripe banana
- 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- In two clean bowls, separate the eggs carefully so none of the yolk gets into the egg whites.
- Beat the egg whites on high for 2 minutes until they form soft peaks. (It is important that your bowl or beaters don't have any oil, fat or yolks on them, or the egg whites won't form peaks. Soft peaks are defined as barely holding their shape. The peaks flop over immediately when the beaters are lifted.)
- Add the egg yolks along with the remaining ingredients to a medium bowl and beat until smooth.
- Gently fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the banana mixture until roughly combined. Fold half of the remaining eggs whites into the mixture and finally the last portion until everything is well combined.
- Heat a skillet over low heat. Scoop 1/4 c. of the mixture onto the skillet and cook for 60-90 seconds on each side.
- Serve immediately.
- OPTIONAL: Top with fresh fruit and/or 1/3 c. plain non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with 1 Tbsp. honey.
Cora says
doesnt cook
John Doe says
Followed this recipe all the way through. Came to making the pancakes on low/medium and they wouldn’t cook through. Horrible consistency.
Becca says
They turned out goopy in the middle and overdone on outside. I tried different temperatures and make pancakes a lot. It just didn’t have enough dry ingredient and I measured the protein powder with a scale.
Viv says
Can I use 1/2 cup apple sauce in place of the banana?
Danielle Green says
I’ve never tested it that way, but I’m afraid 1/2 cup wouldn’t be quite enough and the batter may be runny.
Jacqueline says
These are excellent. I’ve tried 2 ingredients banana pancakes many times and they’ve never worked. This recipe does! I used plain whey protein powder and added monkfruit and vanilla extract. I used barely a 1/2 tsp of butter to fry them in a nonstick pan and they turned out light and fluffy and really nicely flavored. I’ll prob be making this regularly now. Thanks!
Richie says
really really good. I added some dark choc chips on the top and when you flip the pancake they melt a little and make it all gooey.
Brilliant reciepe and super healthy for my weight cut!
Madeline says
My pancakes didn’t cook all the way through, and when I tried to cook them longer, the outsides got burnt. It made a mess, and they were wet sticky and egg Y on the inside.
Carl Hayman says
Tasty and awesome recipe but 2 eggs is 140 cals, a 40g scoop of protein is 140 cals, a banana is
Frank says
Hey there, the recipe says it yields 8 pancakes, would you be able to clarify for me if the nutritional information is in relation to a serving of four or two pancakes? Cheers, the recipe tastes great imo!
“NUTRITION INFORMATION: YIELD: 2 SERVING SIZE: 4 pancakes“
Danielle Green says
It yields two servings of 4 pancakes, so the nutritional info is for 4 pancakes.
Elizabeth says
Thought they would be meh. Actually enjoyed them.
em says
I’ve experimented with a LOT of ways to get the protein down, and this is by far one of the best!!! Took < 20 minutes for the whole thing, and turned out (not too) sweet, fluffy and filling. I put organic honey on top with some raspberries and did 1.5x the cinnamon called for in the recipe. Love it and will be trying out chocolatey variations of this very soon!
Kitlain says
I tried these and they were so good! I’m going on a keto diet so I will definitely be making these again! Also, the texture was just like a pancake!
Jessica Challis says
After multiple disasters trying to create pancakes with pure protein, no oats etc, I gave this one a go and am so pleased. Sat here eating now and chuffed I could eat a satisfying breakfast, that feels like a diet cheat, while sticking to the rules! They’re so light, fluffy and tasty. The other recipes I have tried have literally turned into burnt looking scrambled egg.
Some Leeway in cooking time, to promote more even cooking through with less burn I just kept heat super low, and covered for suggested time
Hina Abbas says
So fluffy,so yummy.My husband is very picky but he simply loved it.Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe.
K says
They didn’t work 🙁
All mush
Jessica says
These pancakes were delicious! I used a vegan protein powder and they still came out great! I did add a little bit of extra water to get the correct consistency.
Evy says
Not sure what I did wrong but the batter was so airy and fluffy that it turned to moosh when I tried to flip it in the pan and every pancake ended up in the bun 🙁
Ellie says
Sooo had a little accident when separating the egg whites and yolks 🤣 so i blended the whole eggs in my vitamix for a minute on super low cos I don’t have a mixer yet 🤣 and then i threw in the banana too and then i poured everything in a bowl added the rest of the ingridients and we only have unflavored whey protein and omg – these were delicious!! Even hubby loved them – and he is pickyyy! 😂 thanks Danielle! Hope u’re doing awesome!
Rachel says
Thank you Danielle! Yes! My goal this year was to learn how to make protein pancakes- I’ve failed miserably in the past. 😅 but these were soooo easy to follow through. I used a chocolate protein powder & guestimated the 40g. I just mixed it longer to make sure consistency wasn’t too thick. So excited to start incorporating these to help get some extra protein into my day!
Bev says
I started a low carb & no sugar diet recently and these protein pancakes are absolutely PERFECT! They’re easy to make and so delicious! I love that even though theres no sugar added, these pancakes are still sweet and enjoyable. I topped these with some almond butter and they were so good! Thanks for sharing!
Amanda Caudill says
I don’t normally make protein pancakes but I’m trying to increase my protein and count macros so I tried your recipe. It was AWESOME! So cool it didn’t need flour (I’ve made almond flour ones before that just end up being weird). I used a blender since I don’t have normal beaters and my egg whites weren’t as fluffy as they should be but it was still delicious. I added a tiny bit of maple syrup in my batter since my protein powder is so bland. Thanks for a good one!