Made with just three simple ingredients, these nutritious Cottage Cheese Pancakes are a healthy breakfast for kids you make in under 10 minutes. They’re loaded with protein and healthy fats—and are also fluffy and delish.
I love making quick and nutritious breakfasts that my kids will actually eat and these Cottage Cheese Pancakes have been in regular rotation lately. They’re an easy toddler breakfast idea that you can make and serve in the moment, or reheat on a future morning.
Everyone at my table enjoys them, they have whole grains, healthy fats, and protein, and the batter comes together so quickly in the blender!
I love them since they are filling and satisfying, but they also have a really tender texture. They’re soft and moist enough for babies to eat, just like my Baby Pancakes, but are also satisfying for older kids and grown ups.
We like to have them with a side of fruit, but any of your favorite pancake toppings work—including Strawberry Sauce, Blueberry Sauce, Cinnamon Applesauce, Vanilla Yogurt, or maple syrup.
These are a wonderful pancake for kids as they have a very tender texture and are free from added sugar.
(You may also like Cottage Cheese Smoothie, Cottage Cheese Pancakes, and Yogurt Dip.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this recipe you’ll need these ingredients so you know what to have on hand or pick up at the store.
- Rolled oats: This takes the place of flour here and adds complex carbohydrates as well as fiber. Look for rolled oats, or “old-fashioned oats” to use here.
- Cottage cheese: This is an unusual ingredient in a pancake, but it’s the key here as it adds substance and body to the pancakes. I prefer to use full-fat cottage cheese for the healthy fats that little kids need. (If you have low-fat on hand, you can use it.)
- Eggs: The eggs help create the fluffy texture and hold the batter together so it cooks through nicely.
Ingredient Substitutions
- To make this recipe gluten-free, simply choose certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- You can add cinnamon and/or vanilla extract to the batter if you like for more flavor.
- Feel free to add toppings such as applesauce, maple syrup, jam, or butter. Or serve with fresh berries.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the very simple process involved in making this recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including the amounts and times.
- Add the ingredients to a blender
- Blend very smooth.
- Cook the pancake batter in a warmed nonstick or cast iron skillet or griddle in butter.
- Flip over to finish cooking.
TIP: I prefer to cook my pancakes in butter as I prefer the flavor and taste, but you could also use a neutral oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can find it, 4% cottage cheese is really delicious in this recipe. 2% works well too. I would advise against using nonfat cottage cheese as the flavor and texture won’t be as good.
They work best if you make the batter in a blender because it smooths out the texture of the cottage cheese and adds air to the batter.
Yes, simply let cool and freeze in a single layer (or multiple layers with parchment paper in between) in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as you can before sealing.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm briefly before serving.
You can also store them stacked between pieces of parchment paper in a freezer bag. Reheat in 15 second increments in the microwave to warm up.
Best Tips for Success
- To make these gluten-free, use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Use 2% or 4% fat cottage cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- Try using ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese for another variation.
- Serve topped with applesauce, apple butter, jam, or maple syrup—or warmed frozen fruit like blueberries.
- Make the pancakes small to medium in size so they’re easy to flip over.
Related Recipes
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I’d love to hear what your family thinks of these if you try them, so please comment below to share!
Quick Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (2% or 4% milk fat)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- berries, applesauce, maple syrup, and/or jam to serve
Instructions
- Add the cottage cheese, rolled oats, eggs, and cinnamon (if using), to a blender.
- Blend on high until super smooth.
- Warm a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add half of the butter and let melt.
- Add a small amount of the batter at a time, spreading thinly and cook for about 3 minutes per side. You want to see little bubbles and for the top to be mostly set before you flip each over to ensure they are cooked through.
- Melt the remaining butter and repeat to cook the remaining batter. Serve warm with desired toppings.⠀⠀
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm briefly before serving.
- Use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese if desired.
- Serve topped with applesauce, apple butter, jam, or maple syrup.
- Make the pancakes small to medium in size so they’re easy to flip over.
Nutrition
This post was first published in December 2019.
Can you substitute flour for rolled oats? My daughter is allergic to oats.
You can use all purpose flour. Just stir it in though, rather than blending it.
My daughter has loved this recipe since she could eat solids!
I added a banana to the recipe to sweeten it a bit and to sneak in some fruit for my 16 month old picky eater. They turned out beautiful! Here’s hoping he’ll eat them haha.
Pancakes are great! I will probably add vanilla and a little sweetener next time.
I docked one star for the macros being off. Calories are 243 and fat is 13g, per serving, for a batch with 2 servings
Could simply be the difference in the programs we’re each using. Since we don’t typically need to count macros for toddlers, I will count it as a win that you enjoyed them!
My picky eater (4 yo) loves these with some chocolate chips and maple syrup. Just don’t tell her there’s cottage cheese in them. These pancakes freeze and reheat really well. It makes life easy in the mornings and makes me happy knowing she’s getting some protein.
Made these for my 5 and 7 year olds, added mini chocolate chips too! Baby and I are dairy free, so I can’t comment for me personally, but my kids seem to love them!
We love these! So easy and nutritious! Oftentimes we make our savoury version by omitting the cinnamon and serving with dips, veggies or cream cheese 🙂
We added a tablespoon of sugar and used steel cut oats. Turned out great! Such a simple recipe. Kids had them with honey and on their own too. Will make again!
Looking for yummy ways to incorporate protein into my kids diets. Can’t wait to try this! Could cocoa be added to make them chocolatey? How much would you suggest?
I would guess 1 tablespoon would do it!
Excellent !!!! So easy, so healthy, so yummy !!! I think this is my favorite pancake recipe so far! We topped it with warmed frozen blueberries and syrup and it was better than going out to a restaurant for breakfast! Thank you
Just made these for my almost 3yo daughter and we LOVED these. So easy, nutritious and yummi.
Made these for my picky two yr old grandson and he approved. Using a star shaped cookie cutter helped too!!
Very impressed! Easy time naked and enjoyed by me and baby 🤗 will definitely make again and most likely batch them to freeze! Thanks for the recipe!
Can you use flour instead of rolled oats (if you do not want to use a blender)? If so how much?
And with rolled oats do you think you have to blend them up?? Thank you!
I haven’t ever made this with flour but it might work similarly with the same amount of whole wheat flour as oats. It’s best to grind the oats up so they are smooth in the batter, and so that the cottage cheese is smooth also.
This recipe looks great! Btw we make your two-ingredient pancake recipe with sweet potato all the time for our 10 month old and she loves it.
I’d love to add some pureed fruit to the batter for these cottage cheese pancakes. How much would you recommend I add in and should I adjust anything else in the recipe?
Thanks for the great blog – we reference it a lot!
I’m glad to hear that about the 2-ingredient pancakes! With this one, adding fruit puree may make them really runny since they are a flat pancake as is. You could probably add a few blueberries or a slice of banana on top of each as it cooks though. enjoy