Easy Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes

These cottage cheese banana pancakes are fluffy, moist and full of delicious banana flavour. Simple and easy to make they are ready in minutes (no blender required!). These pancakes are also nutritious, made with whole wheat flour, low in fat and high in protein. Enjoy for breakfast or even as a snack.

See also cottage cheese banana muffins!

These cottage cheese banana pancakes are an easy, healthy and delicious way to include more cottage cheese in your breakfast and use up your overripe bananas. Naturally sweet bananas are an ideal ingredient to pair with tangy cottage cheese.

There is no need to use a blender as the banana and cottage cheese are simply mashed together with a fork before being whisked into a thick, fluffy batter.

I based this recipe on my banana yogurt pancakes, replacing the yogurt with cottage cheese and tweaking the proportions. I used a little less banana but added a generous amount of cottage cheese for more protein and a more satisfying breakfast.

Despite being made with whole wheat flour these banana cottage cheese pancakes are fluffy, soft and moist. This is simply because I didn’t use too much flour – just enough to bind the ingredients and give these pancakes structure. The batter is thick, yet light, and the pancakes rise nicely as they cook.

Cottage cheese banana pancakes ingredients and substitutions

• Cottage cheese: I used the full fat variety. Low-fat is fine to use as long as it's creamy.
• Bananas: use very ripe/overripe bananas for maximum sweetness and banana flavour.
• Eggs
• Flour: I used whole wheat (wholemeal) flour, but you can use all-purpose (plain). Oat flour will not produce equally fluffy pancakes and is not a suitable alternative.
• Baking powder
• Oil: use any.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1. Combine dry ingredients: To a small bowl add the flour and baking powder and stir thoroughly using a whisk. Set aside.

2. Mash banana and cottage cheese: To a large shallow bowl add the banana and cottage cheese. Mash the banana gradually incorporating the cottage cheese until the mixture is sticky and creamy (though you should still be able to see lumps of cottage cheese).

3. Add eggs: Whisk in the eggs and oil until fully incorporated.

4. Assemble batter: Gradually add the flour mixture stirring in with a whisk just to combine. Do not overstir the batter (or your pancakes won’t rise well).

5. Cook pancakes: Place your pancake pan over a medium heat for a minute or so (until hot) then lower the temperature and either mist the pan with cooking spray or add 1-2 teaspoons of oil and spread evenly (I used a scrunched-up piece of paper towel to do this). Add spoonfuls of batter and spread them a little to form round pancakes (without making them too thin). Cook the pancakes over a low heat (so they don’t brown too quickly) for 2-3 minutes then turn over and cook for 2 more minutes or so.

TIP: These pancakes will expand as they cook so don’t overcrowd the pan. Wipe the pan after each batch to remove any residue.

6. Serve: Serve hot. Keep ready pancakes covered while you wait for the rest of the batch to cook. Makes 12 pancakes.

Serving suggestions

These healthy cottage cheese banana pancakes are delicious served the classic way with a knob of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup (although you won’t need to add much as they are naturally sweet).

A lighter alternative involves sprinkling a little powdered sugar over the pancakes before serving (as in Polish-style pancakes).

Other serving options include fruit compote, yogurt (natural or flavoured), fresh fruit, such as berries, chocolate sauce, or your favourite pancake topping.

These pancakes are also sweet enough to enjoy as a snack on their own, either hot or cold (great for lunchboxes!).

Variations

I love these fluffy cottage cheese and banana pancakes as they are, but you can add your own flavour twist to this recipe. Optional ingredients you can use include:

• Cinnamon and/or ginger (great with banana recipes including banana muffins)
• Pumpkin spice
• Vanilla extract
• Lemon zest (see also lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes)

TIP: I recommend using only a small amount of these optional extras. ¼ teaspoon of the spice and vanilla as well as zest of ½ lemon should be sufficient.

Can I prepare the batter in advance

I do not recommend it. Even if you cover it with cling film the top layer of the batter is still likely to darken if left in the fridge overnight. You’ll be tempted to stir it to get rid of the dark colour (remember that overstirring produces flat pancakes).

For best results cook your easy banana cottage cheese pancakes as soon as you’ve prepared the batter (which is ready in as little as 5 minutes!).

Top tips for making cottage cheese pancakes with banana

• Do not overstir the batter.
• It is important to preheat the pan before cooking the pancakes. Do this over a medium rather than high heat. It is equally important to lower the temperature before making the pancakes, so they do not brown too quickly.
• Keep the pancakes covered to help them stay moist.
• Leftover pancakes can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
• Freezing: Place the pancakes on top of a large plate and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost on top of a large plate in the fridge overnight.

More healthy, easy pancake recipes to try next

• Double Chocolate Banana Pancakes
• Healthy Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
• Raspberry Pancakes (Whole Wheat)
• Chia Seed Pancakes (Whole Wheat)

See also these other easy breakfast recipes!

Recipe

Keep in touch!

If you make this easy cottage cheese banana pancake recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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