These healthy Banana Protein Pancakes can be whipped together in a matter of 10 minutes, and only a blender is required! Made with oatmeal and banana, they’re high in protein and fiber, making for an ultra-filling and healthy breakfast. Say hello to your new favorite pancakes! {Gluten-free & dairy-free}
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The BEST Protein Pancakes Recipe
I’ve done my fair share of pancake experiments over the years, and out of all my pancake experiments, these super easy banana protein pancakes are definitely one of my go-to recipes, along with these Pumpkin Protein Pancakes, which are great for the Fall!
Loaded with simple ingredients like oatmeal, banana, eggs, and protein powder, these healthy banana pancakes are not only super tasty but are also a good source of protein and fiber and so easy to make! And did I mention they’re great for meal prep?
Plus, each pancake has about 5 grams of protein for a super satisfying breakfast!
For more healthy pancake recipes, check out these Protein Pancakes without Bananas, Chocolate Banana Protein Pancakes and Strawberry Banana Pancakes. Or, if you want to get a head start on your breakfast meal prep, whip up a batch of this Homemade Protein Pancake Mix!
Why We Love These High Protein Banana Pancakes
- No added sugar: These banana oat protein pancakes are naturally sweetened with ripe bananas, so no additional sugar is required. Enough said.
- Full of protein: There’s about 20 grams of protein for a serving of four pancakes, which is much more than traditional pancakes. As a Registered Dietitian, I know how important it is to start your day with plenty of protein! These pancakes help solve the protein problem without requiring you to down shake after shake.
- Packed with fiber: The banana, oats, and chia seeds add a dose of fiber to these pancakes. Fiber equals fullness. Specifically, oats contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help regulate your blood sugar and even prevent heart disease!
- Easily customizable: You can eat these fluffy pancakes plain because they resemble that banana bread kind of taste. Or, if you’re feeling decadent, you can top them up with all your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
- Oats: Quick or rolled oats are blended into an oat flour as the base of the pancake batter.
- Chia seeds: To add extra fiber and healthy fats. You can use ground or whole chia seeds, or sub in ground flax seeds.
- Large eggs: Help bind the pancakes together while acting as a source of protein.
- Egg whites: Used as a substitute for additional eggs to provide extra protein to the pancakes, while reducing saturated fat. You can use the egg whites from whole eggs and save the egg yolks or purchase a carton.
- Banana: Adds natural sweetness and moisture to the pancakes. Use ripe bananas for the best flavor.
- Baking powder: This helps the pancakes become more light and fluffy.
- Flavoring agents: Cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract add extra flavor.
- Protein powder: This is optional, but will provide an extra boost of protein. You can use whey or a plant-based protein powder.
How To Make Protein Pancakes with Bananas – Step-by-Step
- Add all of the ingredients for the pancakes to a high-speed blender.
- Mix together all of the ingredients until combined and smooth.
- Preheat griddle or a large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray or use a bit of coconut oil. Using a tablespoon, scoop pancake mixture on the pan so it forms a medium-sized circle (use about 2 heaping tablespoons of pancakes mixture for each pancake).
- Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side or until edges start to harden and bubbles start to form on top of the pancake.
- Flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
It literally takes 10 minutes to whip these babies up!
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Use an overripe banana to infuse maximum sweetness into these pancakes. I like to store any overripe spotty bananas that are about to go bad in the freezer. They come in handy for recipes like these!
- You can use egg whites from a whole egg or purchase a carton of egg whites. We always like to have a carton of egg whites in the fridge to incorporate into things like omelettes or pancakes.
- If you include the protein powder, try to look for one that’s low in sugar and has minimal processed ingredients. I generally like to use Good Protein powder.
- If the pancake batter is sitting for a while, it may start to thicken up slightly. You can thin it out by adding a bit of regular milk or a milk alternative such as almond milk.
Recipe FAQs
You can use large flake oats or quick oats for the purpose of this recipe. The only type of oats that I don’t recommend are steel cut since they are too hard and won’t blend well to form a smooth pancake batter.
It’s possible that the pan isn’t quite hot enough so you may need to turn up the heat so that the pancakes become firm enough on one side before flipping.
The other reason the pancakes may be falling apart is that you might be trying to flip them too soon after pouring the pancake batter on the cooking surface. It’s generally best to leave them alone until you see bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancakes. When you reach this point, you can flip the pancakes.
Definitely! The protein powder increases the protein content and adds some additional sweetness, especially if you use a flavored type. You can use a whey protein powder or a plant-based protein powder depending on your dietary preferences.
I’ve personally tested out this recipe using whey and a vegan protein powder, both vanilla flavored and the unflavored variety. I tend to prefer the vanilla protein powder as it makes the pancakes a bit sweeter and gives them more flavor, but you can certainly use unflavored if you prefer.
If you don’t have any protein powder on hand or prefer not to use it, you don’t have to add it in. Keep in mind that it will increase the protein content of these pancakes in addition to the eggs and egg whites. If you choose not to incorporate it, the protein content will be slightly lower.
How to Store
Refrigerator: These banana protein pancakes can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or covered with saran wrap for up to four days.
Freezer: Alternatively, you can freeze them in a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc bag for up to one month. It helps to add a piece of parchment paper between the pancakes to keep them from sticking.
How to Reheat
You can reheat the pancakes by either popping them in the microwave for a couple of minutes or placing them in the toaster or toaster oven until heated through.
Optional Toppings
Now, pancakes wouldn’t be all that exciting without those delicious toppings.
Here are some tasty ideas:
- Fresh banana slices
- Natural peanut butter or almond butter
- Hemp hearts
- Chocolate chips
- Shredded coconut
- Maple syrup
- Chia seed jam
- Berries
- Other fresh fruit
The options really are endless.
The best part is you can switch up the flavor profile for any given day!
Recipe Variations
- Add fruit: Mix some blueberries or diced strawberries into the blended batter before cooking the pancakes.
- Add chocolate chips: You can toss some chocolate chips right in the batter for extra chocolatey goodness.
- For extra protein: Add some hemp hearts, extra protein powder, Greek yogurt or even cottage cheese.
More high protein recipes:
- Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes
- Banana Protein Muffins
- Protein Banana Bread
- Protein French Toast
- Cottage Cheese Bagels
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Banana Protein Pancakes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1 large ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder optional
Instructions
- In a blender, mix together all of the ingredients until combined and smooth.
- Preheat griddle to medium-high. Spray with cooking spray. Using a tablespoon, scoop pancake mixture on the pan so it forms a medium circle (use about 2 heaping tablespoons for each pancake).
- Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side or until edges start to harden and bubbles start to form on surface. Flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Top with sliced banana, peanut butter, chocolate chips, coconut and maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
- For best results, use a very ripe banana to incorporate more sweetness into the pancakes.
- You can use a whey or vegan protein powder for the purpose of this recipe. My favorite protein powder to use is this vegan Good Protein powder. It’s so delicious and comes in lots of different flavors. My favorite flavors to use in these pancakes are Vanilla Milkshake and Salted Caramel! Use the discount code ELYSIAC30 for 30% off your first order!
- You can use egg whites from a whole egg or purchase a carton of egg whites.
- If the pancake batter is sitting for a while, it may start to thicken up slightly. You can thin it out by adding a bit of regular milk or a milk alternative such as almond milk.
- The nutrition information included is calculated for one pancake and includes the use of vanilla protein powder.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in February 2020, but was updated in May 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.
Added chocolate chips and another batch added blueberries. Cooked them In tiny waffle maker makes about 6. Delicious. I eat them on the go and sometimes top with peanut butter.
Super easy to make. Thank you!
Ooh I love this idea!! So brilliant making them in a waffle maker! I bet they were delicious with the chocolate chips and blueberries too…such a great on the go snack idea! :)
Hello Elysia, would there be any substitute for the egg whites?
Thank you:)
Hi Cathy, I haven’t personally tried it myself but you could maybe try using cottage cheese as a substitute for the egg whites. It’s a higher protein option similar to the egg whites. If you find that the pancake batter is too thick once you add the cottage cheese, you could always add a bit of milk or milk alternative to thin out the batter a bit. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!
8-10 pancakes is the portion/serving size for one person? How many servings does this recipe make?
The recipe makes 8-10 pancakes total, so about 2-3 servings depending on how many pancakes you choose to have. Hope that helps!
Does this mean that the macros you posted are for one pancake or 2-3?
The macros listed are for one pancake, but the entire recipe makes about 8-10 pancakes. So if you were to have more than one, you would have to multiply those nutritional values by the number of pancakes you choose to have. Hope that makes sense!
Just made these and they’re great! I’m notoriously bad at making pancakes and these turned out delicious.
That’s awesome! So glad you were able to up your pancake making game ;)
I tried these last week and they were really good! I didn’t have chia seeds so I used a little bit of extra oats. They still turned out great!
So happy you enjoyed them and glad they worked out with the addition of some extra oats! Thanks for returning to leave a review!
Can’t wait to try this! Can I use regular flour instead of oats, and if so, how much would be ideal?
I haven’t tried subbing in regular flour but you can certainly try it! I would start with maybe half a cup of flour, blend the mixture and then increase the amount if desired until you reach a pancake batter consistency. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!
This is the first banana pancake recipe that had chia seeds in it. Loved them! Super easy to make and simple ingredients.
So happy you loved the pancakes Lisa — the chia seeds are definitely a great addition and help add that boost of nutrients! :) Thanks for swinging back to leave a review!
Hi! Flavor was delish but it came out a bit dry and tough. What did I do wrong ?
Hmm it’s tough to say without having a few more details. A few things I can think of:
1. The type of protein powder used. Certain protein powders could result in a more dry/tough texture.
2. How long was the pancake mixture sitting prior to cooking? The chia seeds tend to absorb excess moisture, causing the mixture to thicken up more over time, which could result in pancakes that are more dry and tough. In this case, you may want to add some extra liquid to the mixture if it seems too thick before cooking.
3. How long after cooking did you consume the pancakes? They tend to get more dry as they sit.
4. Is it possible that they may have been overcooked?
You could also try leaving out the chia seeds next time to see if that helps with the texture. They add some additional nutrients, but aren’t essential to the recipe. Hope that helps and I’m glad you enjoyed the flavour!
Do I put in a 3rd egg is I don’t have a carton of egg whites? Or what do you recommend ?
Half a cup of egg whites is equivalent to four large eggs, so you would need to sub in four eggs to replace the egg whites. You could also try making chia or flax eggs if you don’t want to use that many eggs in the recipe. To make one chia or flax egg, soak 1 tbsp of chia seeds or ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water. Allow to thicken for 5 minutes. Use as you would a regular egg. Hope that helps!
Amazing thank you!! Just made them and they are delicious :)
That’s awesome — so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback :)
There are no quantities on the recipe, am I missing something??!!
The quantities are at the bottom of the post in the recipe card :)
Hands down the best protein pancake I have found. The texture is almost identical to regular pancakes.
Yay!! Love getting that kind of feedback! So happy you enjoyed the recipe :)
These came out great! I like to add more protein powder and a little more banana :) how much is the serving size, one pancake?
So glad you enjoyed the pancakes! Can’t go wrong with a little extra protein powder and banana! And yes, the nutritional information is for one pancake, so typically the recipe makes about 2-3 servings.
Can I store unused batter in the fridge?
You should be able to keep the batter in the fridge for a day or two. It may thicken up the longer that it sits, so you may need to add some additional liquid (i.e. egg whites or milk/milk alternative) to the mixture if you find that it’s too thick. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Omg so good I’m so glad google brought me here after a good workout I looked up protein pancakes because I’m so tired of smoothies 🤮 I surprisingly had all the ingredients and whipped it up (blended) lol super fast. I added frozen blueberrie🤌🏽✨✨
I’m so happy that you found these pancakes too! I totally get it with the smoothies haha…nice to have other options to get that protein post-workout. Love the addition of the blueberries too! Thanks so much for stopping by :)
These come out perfectly delicious every time!! A high protein breakfast I’ve enjoyed throughout my pregnancy guilt free !
So happy you’ve been enjoying the pancakes Shelli! I appreciate you stopping by to comment :) Best of luck with your pregnancy and new baby!
I would love to try this recipe but don’t have any chia seeds. Do you think that ground flax would be a good substitute?
Thanks
Yes flax would work well too! Or you could leave the chia seeds out altogether as it won’t significantly alter the recipe. Hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it out!
These were great-had to stop myself from eating more than one serving!
I totally get the struggle! I have that same issue when eating these pancakes!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe :)