Fluffy Protein Pancakes without Banana

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These protein pancakes without banana are moist, fluffy, and incredibly delicious. An easy 30-minute breakfast recipe packed with protein to fuel your mornings! They are freezable too, making them great for meal prep.

A stack of pancakes topped with peanut butter, banana slices, and blueberries.

Although protein powder tends to make things dry, with the right proportion, you will yield fluffy, moist, and delicious pancakes that are super satisfying. I also love how versatile these pancakes are, and they can be paired with sweet or savory toppings like the classic maple syrup and vegan Italian sausages!

Unlike most protein pancakes recipe, this one is made without bananas. Hence, it is great if you are out of bananas or are not a fan of them.

💚Why you will love this recipe

Light and fluffy yet incredibly yum
No bananas are involved!
A satisfying high-protein breakfast that will keep you full till lunchtime
Freezable, making them great for meal prep!

🥛What you will need

Ingredients needed like protein powder, flour, milk, applesauce, maple syrup, vinegar, and baking powder.

📃Ingredient notes and substitutions

Flour - I am using spelt flour, but feel free to substitute it with whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or a 1:1 gluten-free blend.
Protein powder - This recipe is tested using both pea and soy-based protein powder. You can opt for any flavor you like, but I find that vanilla works the best. I personally love this Vega vanilla pea protein.
Milk - I love using soy milk to further bump up the protein content of these protein pancakes. However, other kinds of milk, like oat milk, full cream, or skimmed milk, can be used instead.
Applesauce - Gives pancakes moisture and some sweetness. It can be substituted with soy or Greek yogurt.
Maple syrup - Feel free to substitute it with another liquid sweetener (like agave syrup or honey). You can omit it if the protein powder used is particularly sweet.

🔪How to make

Make pancake batter - Combine milk, applesauce, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Mix well, then add flour, protein powder, and baking powder. The batter will be thick but pourable. Be careful not to overmix to prevent rubbery pancakes.

Wet ingredients in a mixing bowl with a fork with protein powder and spelt flour beside.

A bowl of pancake batter with a fork with 2 empty bowls beside.

Cooking pancakes - Grease a non-stick pan, and heat it over medium-high. Scoop around ¼-⅓ cup of batter per pancake. Cook for 2 minutes or until the edges are dry. Flip them over using a silicon spatula, and cook for another minute.

Half-cooked pancakes in a non-stick pan.

2 pancakes in a non-stick pan on a checkered white teacloth.

Serving - Plate up your pancakes and serve them with fruit slices, maple syrup, or any other toppings you like. Enjoy protein pancakes while warm!

✅Helpful tips

Using whey protein powder - I did not test this recipe with whey protein powder. In general, whey protein is less absorbent than a plant-based protein powder; hence I recommend reducing the amount of milk used.
Use a protein powder that tastes good - Use a brand of protein powder you like, as it will affect the taste of your pancakes.
Consistency of batter - The pancake batter will be thicker to yield fluffy pancakes. However, it should still be pourable. Do add more milk if the batter is too thick.
Adjusting the heat - If your pancakes are browning too quickly, dial back the heat to a medium-low.
Keeping pancakes warm - To keep them warm while the others are cooking, place them on a baking sheet in the oven set to the lowest temperature.

✨Variations and add-ins

Chocolate pancakes - Use a chocolate-flavored protein powder, and add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. You could also mix in some chocolate chips!

Blueberry pancakes - Stir in up to ½ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries.

Chocolate chips - To jazz things up, throw in a handful of chocolate chips of choice! I love the Enjoy Life’s chocolate morsels.

Other spices and flavorings - I am only using ground cinnamon in this recipe, but feel free to use other spices like pumpkin spice, nutmeg, or a pinch of cardamom.

Make it gluten-free - Instead of spelt or regular flour, use a 1:1 gluten-free blend. You will also want to make sure your protein powder is certified gluten-free.

Pouring maple syrup over a stack of pancakes with jar of oats, milk, and bowl of blueberries in the background.

🍌Toppings for pancakes

And here comes the exciting part - the toppings! As mentioned above, these protein pancakes are great with both sweet and savory stuff.

Fruits - sliced bananas, chopped apples, fresh or frozen blueberries
Nut butter - Peanut butter, cashew butter, homemade coconut almond butter
Maple syrup or chocolate syrup
Jam or fruit compote
Sweet hummus - dark chocolate hummus, cookie dough hummus
Savory sides - Seitan bacon, vegan andouille sausages, vegan breakfast sausage patties

❄️Storing suggestions

Fridge - Pancakes can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. I recommend storing them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.

Freezer - Place cool pancakes on a baking sheet in one layer, and pop them into the freezer for an hour. Once they are slightly frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag before freezing. This will prevent them from sticking together.

Reheating - You can either reheat pancakes in a microwave, toaster, or on the stove in a greased non-stick pan.

A stack of protein pancakes with a bite cutout topped with peanut butter, blueberries, and banana slices.

❔Commonly asked questions

Why are my pancakes not fluffy?

You might have added too much liquid to the batter if your protein pancakes are flat and thin. Try stirring in a few tablespoons of flour to thicken the pancake batter.

Other than that, you might have used baking powder that has gone bad. Try testing if your baking powder is still active by adding a small amount into some warm water. Bubbles should start to form immediately. If not, it is time to get a new container of baking powder!

Lastly, you might have overmixed the blender, causing gluten to develop. This will yield flat and chewy pancakes.

Can I make them in a blender?

You can make the pancake batter in the blender. However, be careful not to overdo on the blending to avoid chewy and rubbery pancakes.

Are the protein pancakes gluten-free?

These protein pancakes can be made gluten-free by swapping the spelt flour with a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend. Ensure that the protein powder used is certified gluten-free, as cross-contamination might occur during processing.

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