Start the day off right with these fluffy and delicious chocolate protein pancakes! Super easy to make in a blender, these flourless banana and chocolate chip pancakes are made with oats, egg whites and protein powder to keep you energized throughout the day. Best healthy protein pancakes ever! {Gluten-free, vegetarian, & dairy-free-friendly}
Pancakes are never a bad idea, in my opinion, especially when they’re fluffy, rich and chocolatey like these homemade chocolate protein pancakes. Sweetened naturally with banana and studded with ooey gooey chocolate chips, they’re delicious, easy to make, and so irresistible!
These oatmeal blender pancakes are high in protein and the perfect way to fuel you up and kickstart the day. Make them in advance for meal prep or whip them up in the morning for an easy breakfast or snack throughout the week.
Either way, with the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and moist and fluffy texture, they’re a must for any chocolate lover!
For more healthy protein pancake recipes, be sure to try my Banana Protein Pancakes and Pumpkin Protein Pancakes too. Or get a head start on breakfast with this Protein Pancake Mix Recipe!
Why we love these chocolate banana protein pancakes
- High protein: Made with protein powder, eggs, egg whites and chia seeds, these chocolate protein pancakes are rich in protein with about 5 grams of protein per pancake. A great way to start the day full of energy!
- Great for meal prep: Make up a big batch of these pancakes to enjoy throughout the week. They are freezer-friendly and can be easily reheated.
- Quick and easy: Made in a blender, the pancake batter can be whipped together in a flash and only requires a few minutes of cooking time.
- Healthy: These pancakes are naturally sweetened, in addition to being rich in fibre and antioxidants. A great way to sneak in some extra nutrients and get your chocolate fix too!
Ingredient notes
- Oats: To make these pancakes flourless, we use oats instead of flour. Use quick oats or rolled oats, but avoid using steel cut oats as they will be too tough and gritty when blended.
- Chia seeds: For an extra boost of fibre, protein, and healthy fats. They also help to thicken up the batter for thicker and fluffier pancakes. Use black or white chia seeds.
- Eggs: We use both whole eggs and egg whites to make these pancakes high in protein. You can use the egg whites from whole eggs or purchase a carton of egg whites.
- Banana: Use an overripe banana for this recipe. They are naturally sweeter and lend a better texture.
- Seasoning: Vanilla extract and salt provide some extra flavour to these pancakes.
- Protein powder: You can make these with either whey or plant-based chocolate or vanilla protein powder.
- Cocoa powder: Mixed in with the other batter ingredients for a rich chocolatey taste. Use unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder.
- Mini chocolate chips: Because is there really such thing as too much chocolate?! I like to use mini chocolate chips to incorporate little bits of chocolate into each pancake, but you can also use regular chocolate chips too.
- Milk: The milk is used to thin out the batter if it gets too thick. Dairy or a plant-based milk alternative can be used.
How to make protein pancakes with chocolate chips – step by step
- In a blender, mix together all of the ingredients other than the chocolate chips until smooth and combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Heat frying pan or griddle over medium high heat. 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). You may need to spread it out with the spoon a bit since the mixture will be fairly thick.
- Cook for 2-3 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, shredded coconut and maple syrup, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
- If the batter thickens up while you’re cooking the pancakes, you can mix in an extra tablespoon or two of milk or milk alternative to thin it out a bit.
- For best results, use an overripe banana as they’re naturally sweeter and will add more flavour and sweetness to the pancakes.
- Make sure that the pan is hot before adding the batter. It should be hot enough that you can feel the heat coming off of the pan, but not so hot that it’s smoking.
- Only flip the pancakes once so that they stay nice and fluffy and don’t get deflated from being tossed around too frequently.
- Keep a close eye on the pancakes. Don’t cook them for too long on either side or the pancakes and chocolate chips on the surface might burn.
- Use a wide heavy-bottomed pan or griddle to cook the pancakes. A heavy bottomed pan tends to distribute the heat more evenly so there’s a better chance that the pancakes will cook more uniformly.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop out the pancakes to ensure that the pancakes are all roughly the same size and cook evenly. I like to use two heaping tablespoons for each pancake when making this recipe.
- Use a very thin flipper. If the flipper is too wide or thick, it will be tough to get underneath the protein pancakes to flip them.
Storage and reheating guidelines
Refrigerator: The pancake batter can be made a day ahead of time and stored covered in the fridge until ready to cook. You may need to add a bit of milk before cooking as the batter may thicken as it sits. Cooked pancakes should be cooled before placing in an air-tight container for up 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: Once cooled, freeze the pancakes on a baking sheet until solid and place in a container to store. You can also wrap them individually to freeze. They will keep well for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Pancakes can be reheated from a frozen or chilled state. The quickest way is in the microwave, around 60 seconds if frozen or 30 seconds if chilled. Toaster ovens also work great, or reheat on a baking sheet in the oven at 360F until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, protein pancakes are the perfect option for meal prep! Once cooked these pancakes keep well in the fridge. They’re also freezer friendly and can be reheated from frozen within minutes so they’re a great option for those busy mornings!
These pancakes are made with oats, so they are perfect for those with a gluten intolerance. Just be sure to check that the oats you are using are gluten-free certified.
Protein pancakes can be a great healthier option since they’re higher in protein than regular pancakes and also tend to contain nutritious ingredients like oats and eggs. These protein pancakes are naturally sweetened with banana and are rich in fibre, antioxidants and healthy fats from the oats, chia seeds, cocoa and dark chocolate chips, which makes them a nutrient-dense option.
Protein pancakes often have a slightly denser texture than regular pancakes since they’re made with oats and protein powder. They’re equally delicious though and make a great satisfying option with the addition of the protein-rich ingredients.
Sometimes when making protein pancakes, it can be tempting to add extra protein powder to increase the protein content, however too much protein powder will often result in pancakes with a rubbery texture. Stick to the recommended quantity of 2 tablespoons of protein powder to prevent your pancakes from tasting rubbery.
Protein pancake toppings
You can serve these chocolate protein pancakes as they are, or try topping them with any of the following toppings!
- Sliced banana
- Berries
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Chocolate chips
- Shredded coconut
- Maple syrup
Recipe variations
- Add in fruit: Rather than making these with chocolate chips, you could fold in some chopped fresh berries instead.
- Skip the protein powder: These pancakes can be made without the protein powder if you prefer.
- Mix by hand: If you don’t have a stand blender, you can mix the pancake batter by hand, although the texture may not be as smooth.
More similar recipes
- Strawberry Banana Pancakes
- Banana Egg Pancakes
- Crepes with Almond Milk
- Kodiak Protein Waffles
- Banana Protein Muffins
- Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Protein Overnight Oats
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Fluffy Chocolate Protein Pancakes with Banana
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1 overripe banana
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla or chocolate protein powder
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3-4 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or milk alternative (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender, mix together all of the ingredients other than the chocolate chips until combined and smooth.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Heat frying pan or griddle over medium high heat. 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). You may need to spread it out with the spoon a bit since the mixture will be fairly thick.
- Cook for 2-3 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
- If the batter thickens up while you’re cooking the pancakes, you can mix in an extra tablespoon or two of milk or milk alternative to thin it out a bit.
- For best results, use an overripe banana as they’re naturally sweeter and will add more flavour and sweetness to the pancakes.
- Make sure that the pan is hot before adding the batter. It should be hot enough that you can feel the heat coming off of the pan, but not so hot that it’s smoking.
- Only flip the pancakes once so that they stay nice and fluffy and don’t get deflated from being tossed around too frequently.
- Keep a close eye on the pancakes. Don’t cook them for too long on either side or the pancakes and chocolate chips on the surface might burn.
- Use a wide heavy-bottomed pan or griddle to cook the pancakes. A heavy bottomed pan tends to distribute the heat more evenly so there’s a better chance that the pancakes will cook more uniformly.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop out the pancakes to ensure that the pancakes are all roughly the same size and cook evenly. I like to use two heaping tablespoons for each pancake when making this recipe.
- Use a very thin flipper. If the flipper is too wide or thick, it will be tough to get underneath the protein pancakes to flip them.
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