I reworked my Vanilla Protein Pancakes with Greek yogurt and one pantry swap, and I’ll show the simple trick that makes the batter foolproof.

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I never thought a pancake could feel like a little kitchen mystery until I made my version of Vanilla Protein Pancakes. With oat flour and a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt the batter somehow puffs into these unbelievably fluffy rounds that almost bounce when you touch them, its weird and kinda thrilling.

The tang from the yogurt wakes up the vanilla and makes each bite interesting, not just sweet and forgettable. If youre curious what Pancake Protein mornings could actually taste like, or why folks rave about Greek Yogurt Pancakes, this will make you question everything you knew about breakfast.

Try it, you’ll see.

Ingredients

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Oat flour: lots of fiber, slow carbs, keeps you full and steady energy.
Vanilla protein powder: packs protein helps muscle recovery, can taste sweet or processed.
Greek yogurt: creamy protein, tang, probiotics makes batter thicker and tender.
Eggs: high quality protein, fat and vitamins helps pancakes hold together.
Milk: calcium and extra carbs, thins batter and adds mild sweetness.
Maple syrup or honey: natural sweetener quick energy, adds caramel like flavor.
Melted butter or coconut oil: adds richness, fat for satiety and flavor.
Baking powder and baking soda: leavening agents, make pancakes light and fluffy.

Ingredient Quantities

3/4 cup rolled oats ground to oat flour (or 3/4 cup oat flour)

1 scoop (about 30 g) vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (full fat or low fat)

2 large eggs

1/3 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened almond)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, optional

1 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil

1 tsp neutral oil or butter for the pan

How to Make this

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1. Pulse the rolled oats in a blender or food processor until they become a fine oat flour, or just measure 3/4 cup oat flour if you already have it.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together the oat flour, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/8 tsp salt so it’s evenly mixed.

3. In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey if you want it sweeter.

4. Stir 1 tbsp melted butter or melted coconut oil into the wet mix so it folds in smoothly.

5. Pour the wet into the dry and gently stir just until combined. Dont overmix; a few small lumps are fine. If the batter seems too thick add a splash more milk.

6. Let the batter rest 5 minutes so the oat flour hydrates and the baking agents start doing their job. This helps make them fluffy.

7. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium low to medium heat and brush or wipe in about 1 tsp neutral oil or butter. Test with a drop of batter to check temp; it should sizzle gently not burn.

8. Spoon about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake onto the skillet, leave space to spread. Cook until bubbles form on top and edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden and cooked through.

9. Keep finished pancakes warm in a low oven if making a batch. Serve with extra yogurt, fruit, nuts or maple syrup and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Blender or food processor to pulse the oats into oat flour
2. Measuring cups and spoons (3/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1 tbsp, tsp)
3. Two medium mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
4. Whisk and a rubber spatula for folding, scraping and stirring
5. Small bowl or microwave-safe cup to melt butter or coconut oil
6. Nonstick skillet or griddle and a thin spatula for flipping pancakes
7. 1/4 cup scoop or ladle to portion batter evenly
8. Baking sheet or oven-safe tray and a wire rack to keep pancakes warm in the oven

FAQ

Q: Can I make these pancakes gluten free? A: Yes, use certified gluten free rolled oats or gluten free oat flour, and check your protein powder for gluten. If everything says gluten free youre good, otherwise swap to a certified GF protein.

Q: I need them vegan, can I skip the eggs and dairy? A: Sort of. Replace 2 eggs with 2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 tbsp water (let sit 5 min), use plant based yogurt and a plant protein powder. Theyll be denser and less fluffy but still tasty.

Q: Batter too thick or thin, what do I do? A: Add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin, or a tablespoon of oat flour to thicken. Let the batter sit 5 minutes so oats absorb liquid, dont overmix, little lumps are fine.

Q: How hot should the pan be and when do I flip? A: Use medium low heat, coat pan with a bit of oil or butter. Wait until edges look set and bubbles form on top, then flip gently. If it browns too fast lower the heat.

Q: Can I freeze leftovers and how do I reheat them? A: Yes. Cool, layer with parchment and freeze in a zip bag. Reheat in a toaster or oven at 350 F (about 175 C) for 8 to 10 minutes, microwave works in a pinch but they go a bit soggy.

Q: My pancakes are dry or chalky, what went wrong? A: Probably too much protein powder or overcooking. Use the scoop size in the recipe (about 30 g), add a splash more milk or an extra tablespoon of yogurt, and cook on lower heat so they dont dry out.

A Pancake That Powers Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Oat flour (3/4 cup): swap with 3/4 cup whole wheat flour or 3/4 cup all purpose flour, batter may need 1 to 2 tablespoons more milk. For gluten free try 3/4 cup almond flour but you might cut back a bit on the melted fat since almond flour is denser.
Vanilla protein powder (1 scoop): use plain whey or pea protein in the same scoop, or if you have no protein powder add 3 tablespoons extra oat flour plus one extra egg or 2 tablespoons nut butter to keep the texture and protein up, works surprisingly well.
Vanilla Greek yogurt (1/2 cup): swap with 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt plus 1 teaspoon vanilla if all you have is plain, or use 1/2 cup sour cream or 1/2 cup buttermilk for similar tang and moisture.
Two large eggs: for egg free use two flax eggs made from 2 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes. Or replace each egg with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce so 1/2 cup total, pancakes will be a bit sweeter and moister.

Pro Tips

1) Let the batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking, it really helps the oat flour soak up liquid so the pancakes aren’t gummy. If it looks too thick after resting add milk a tablespoon at a time, dont dump a lot or you’ll make them runny.

2) Keep the pan on medium low and test with a tiny drop of batter, you want a gentle sizzle not a roar. Cooking slower fixes the dryness that protein powder can cause and stops the outsides from burning while the middle stays raw.

3) If your protein powder makes the mix chalky or dry, add a little extra fat or moisture, like another tablespoon of yogurt, a splash more milk, or an extra teaspoon of melted butter. Using full fat yogurt helps texture, but low fat works too if you up the liquid a bit.

4) For batch cooking, keep finished pancakes in a single layer on a wire rack in a low oven so they stay crisp, or stack with a sheet of parchment between each if you gotta pile them. Wipe the pan between batches with a paper towel and a tiny dab of oil so burnt bits dont build up and make the rest taste bitter.

A Pancake That Powers Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I reworked my Vanilla Protein Pancakes with Greek yogurt and one pantry swap, and I'll show the simple trick that makes the batter foolproof.

Servings

servings

Calories

278

kcal

Equipment: 1. Blender or food processor to pulse the oats into oat flour
2. Measuring cups and spoons (3/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1 tbsp, tsp)
3. Two medium mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
4. Whisk and a rubber spatula for folding, scraping and stirring
5. Small bowl or microwave-safe cup to melt butter or coconut oil
6. Nonstick skillet or griddle and a thin spatula for flipping pancakes
7. 1/4 cup scoop or ladle to portion batter evenly
8. Baking sheet or oven-safe tray and a wire rack to keep pancakes warm in the oven

Ingredients

3/4 cup rolled oats ground to oat flour (or 3/4 cup oat flour)
1 scoop (about 30 g) vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (full fat or low fat)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened almond)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, optional
1 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
1 tsp neutral oil or butter for the pan

Directions

Pulse the rolled oats in a blender or food processor until they become a fine oat flour, or just measure 3/4 cup oat flour if you already have it.
In a medium bowl whisk together the oat flour, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/8 tsp salt so it's evenly mixed.
In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey if you want it sweeter.
Stir 1 tbsp melted butter or melted coconut oil into the wet mix so it folds in smoothly.
Pour the wet into the dry and gently stir just until combined. Dont overmix; a few small lumps are fine. If the batter seems too thick add a splash more milk.
Let the batter rest 5 minutes so the oat flour hydrates and the baking agents start doing their job. This helps make them fluffy.
Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium low to medium heat and brush or wipe in about 1 tsp neutral oil or butter. Test with a drop of batter to check temp; it should sizzle gently not burn.
Spoon about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake onto the skillet, leave space to spread. Cook until bubbles form on top and edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Keep finished pancakes warm in a low oven if making a batch. Serve with extra yogurt, fruit, nuts or maple syrup and enjoy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.