Cottage Cheese Pancakes are packed with protein and a family favorite — they may just become your favorite pancake ever.
If you know me or weelicious, you know I am not a fan of tricking kids into eating their vegetables. There has been a trend in children’s cooking over the last few years which advocates hiding or disguising the foods our kids should be eating. For example, if you have a kid who doesn’t like spinach, you can just bake a batch of brownies incorporating spinach into the recipe and your child will never know he’s eating his greens.
Aside from being a time consuming way to feed your children, I simply don’t like the idea of deceiving kids, especially when it comes to food and establishing good lifelong eating habits. Inspiring kids to love fruits and vegetables is much more fun, rewarding and easy (yes, I said easy) than you think.
Still, even when you are as committed to nutrition as I am, kids will be kids and not easily swayed from what they do and don’t like. For instance, Kenya wasn’t a huge fan of cottage cheese as a little kid and, trust me, I had tried (and repeatedly failed) to make it taste yummy to him. I’ve topped it with Raspberry Sauce, let him squeeze honey on it, mixed it with diced pineapple (one of my childhood favorites) and attempted many other variations, but each time he took a bite he refused to eat any more.
I embrace and respect the fact that every kid has his own unique palate and that Kenya may just not like cottage cheese, but I still wasn’t ready to give up on it. After all, cottage cheese is packed with protein and is such an inexpensive and nutritious food that it became a personal mission of mine to devise a recipe using it that Kenya would enjoy.
These pancakes were my final try and I was excited to see how they would go over with Kenya. Six pancakes into his breakfast (no exaggeration, SIX), he asked, “what kind of pancakes are these mommy?” It was as if I had gotten caught. I stopped in my tracks and hesitantly mumbled, “cottage cheese pancakes”. He just looked at me and said “they’re really good,” and he’s viewed cottage cheese differently ever since. Just goes to show you when it comes to food, don’t give up on something you believe your kids will ultimately love and remember, honesty is always the best policy!
I want to make sure the unbelievably simple, nutritious and delicious Cottage Cheese Pancakes are at the top of your list as they’re always a kid friendly favorite!
Photos by Gerry Speirs
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup cottage cheese (low fat or full fat will work)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- butter, oil or oil spray
Instructions
- Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and whisk.
- In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
- Heat a large sauté pan or griddle over medium heat, lightly coat with oil or butter and pour about 2 tbsp of the mixture onto the griddle for each pancake.
- Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are set and golden.
- Serve.
- *To Freeze: Let pancakes come to room temperature, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 3 months.
The pancakes though tasty came out really flat. Is there an ingredient missing to make them fluffier?
Hi Rachel! The baking powder is what will make these pancakes fluffy. Did you maybe leave it out?
Just found out my boy has familial high cholesterol ( skinny kid with inherited condition). Looking for recipes where he can still have his favs. Love the high protein in this and good fats. I cooked in avocado oil and added flax. Thank you! My kids loved these!
I had some cottage cheese that was approaching its best before date and found this recipe. We prefer waffles over pancakes and I wondered if the batter would stand up in my waffle maker. It did! I added cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter as others suggested and found the waffles softer than we usually make, but very delicious. I will use this recipe again.
Thanks.
Fantastic! Good to know you can make these in your waffle iron. I love ours!
Delicious!
Great post!
Thanks
I make these with 100% oat flour which I make myself by grinding regular oats in the food processor and then sifting. I let the batter sit for 10 minutes so the oat flour absorbs some moisture and the pancakes are so good. This recipe is the best I’ve ever tried. I especially love adding cardamom to the batter and top with lingonberry jam and ricotta cheese.
Would it work if I baked the whole batter? What would be the best temperature and for how long? My toddler and I love this recipe!! However, when I freeze the excess I feel like it hardens around the edge. I thought maybe baking would get rid of that. Thank you for your awesome recipe!!