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These fluffy Greek Yogurt Pancakes are the ultimate high protein breakfast without protein powder. Quick and easy to make in 15 minutes, they’re tangy, flavorful and surprisingly healthy. Gluten-free, refined sugar-free and packed with 20 g of protein!
If you are looking for healthy breakfast ideas, these oatmeal yogurt pancakes are a keeper. Similar to my cottage cheese pancakes and egg white pancakes, they’re high in protein but do not require any protein powder. At home, we usually cook a large batch on Sunday and keep them in meal-prep containers for our weekly breakfast. I serve them on a stack, drizzled with maple syrup and sliced banana.
Why you will love this recipe
- Fluffy and flavorful – Greek yogurt adds creaminess and tanginess. When it reacts with a leavening agent like baking powder, it makes pancakes extra fluffy. Maple syrup or honey adds a touch of sweetness that will have the whole family hooked. Kids included!
- Healthy and high protein – Making pancakes with Greek yogurt and oats delivers a gluten-free breakfast that is packed with protein and nutrients. A serving has 20 grams of protein, no powder needed.
- Quick and easy – This recipe requires 3 main ingredients, plus baking powder for fluffiness and maple syrup for sweetness. Many readers appreciate that they come together in a blender in minutes.
- Meal prep friendly – These healthy Greek yogurt pancakes can easily be prepped ahead to store or freeze for your weekly breakfasts. Perfect before school and work, or after the gym.
Ingredients and substitutes
This easy recipe calls for just a handful of pantry staples. Here’s the ingredient list along with details and replacement options. Precise quantities (both in cups and grams) can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Greek yogurt – I recommend full fat plain Greek yogurt, it provides a richer flavor and fluffier texture. Sometimes I also use Chobani sugar-free vanilla yogurt, it tastes delicious. To make Greek yogurt pancakes low in calories, use 2% fat or nonfat Greek yogurt. If dairy-free, replace with nondairy alternatives like firm soy yogurt or thick coconut yogurt.
- Eggs – You’ll need 2 whole eggs, preferably AA-grade eggs from free range chickens. If using egg whites, I suggest one whole egg plus two egg whites. Egg whites only won’t provide the same texture.
- Rolled oats – By blending old-fashioned rolled oats you’ll get oat flour, which is unrefined and healthier. If necessary, choose certified gluten-free oats. As an alternative you can use oat flour or swap it for almond flour, whole-wheat or all purpose flour.
- Maple syrup – It adds natural sweetness with no refined sugar. You can replace with honey, agave, date syrup or granulated sweeteners such as brown sugar, monk fruit or a pinch of stevia.
- Baking powder – When a leavening agent reacts with Greek yogurt, it makes pancakes extra fluffy. To avoid a bitter aftertaste and ensure the perfect texture, choose aluminum-free baking powder that hasn’t expired.
- Optionals – Little apple cider vinegar helps with fluffiness and a dash of vanilla extract adds more flavor. Although not necessary, I highly recommend the pinch of salt to balance sweetness and enhance the taste.
How to make Greek yogurt pancakes
My recipe requires a blender. But you can also whisk all ingredients in a bowl, if using oat flour or flour. Down below you will read step-by-step directions, the printable recipe card with more details can be found at the bottom.
- Step 1 – Blend the batter. Add to a blender Greek yogurt, eggs, rolled oats, maple syrup, and baking powder. You can add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt for more flavor, and apple cider vinegar for a fluffier texture. Blend until smooth, but do not overmix. The batter should be thick but still pourable, not runny.
- Step 2 – Preheat the skillet. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Grease it well with oil or butter to prevent sticking.
- Step 3 – Cook the pancakes. Pour one scoop of batter into the hot and greased pan. Cook the pancakes over low/medium heat until the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat the process until you run out of batter, greasing the pan between each pancake.
No blender? Use a bowl.
If you don’t have a blender or prefer using a bowl, you’ll first need to replace rolled oats with oat flour or your favorite flour. Once substituted, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix, or your pancakes may get dense.
Dietary adaptations
- Protein powder – Replace ⅓ cup (30 g) of the oats with 1 scoop (⅓ cup or 30 g) of protein powder, adjusting the batter with more yogurt if thick or more oats if runny. I usually make mine with vanilla vegan protein or casein.
- Gluten–free – Choose certified gluten-free rolled oats or swap it for blanched almond flour and ensure the your baking powder is gluten-free.
- Keto – Replace rolled oats for almond flour and sweeten with monk fruit, erythritol or stevia. Be careful with stevia, as it may add a bitter aftertaste.
- Low calorie – Use nonfat Greek yogurt and replace one of the eggs with 2 egg whites. As a sweetener you can use monk fruit or erythritol. To keep calories down, be mindful about toppings.
- Diary-free – You can make dairy-free yogurt pancakes with firm coconut yogurt or Greek-style soy yogurt. Back when I was in Germany, I often used soy Skyr or quark (from Rewe, if you’re in Germany).
Variations and toppings
- Chocolate protein pancakes – Add 1 ½ tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder before blending. For a double chocolate experience, include some dark chocolate chips.
- Banana Greek yogurt pancakes – For more sweetness, replace 1 of the eggs with ½ ripe banana. I also recommend blending in 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
- Savory Greek yogurt pancakes – Skip maple syrup and vanilla extract, but add more salt and any seasoning you’d like. They taste delicious served with creamy avocado, whipped cottage cheese and over easy eggs on top.
- Yogurt pancakes with flour– If you don’t have rolled oats, replace them with a flour of your choice. Oat flour, blanched almond flour (not almond meal), whole-wheat flour, or regular all purpose flour will all work. I haven’t tested this recipe with coconut flour, but I bet it also works. In this case, ½ cup (50 g) of it should be enough.
- Mix-ins – After blending, stir in the batter diced strawberries, blueberries, chopped apples, chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, almond butter or peanut butter. Coconut flakes are perfect for a tropical twist. I love blueberry yogurt pancakes!
- Toppings – Once cooked, serve your Greek yogurt protein pancakes with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, sliced banana or your favorite fruit, crunchy peanut butter, strawberry jam, my low calorie Nutella or whipped cottage cheese.
Recipe tips
- Use full fat Greek yogurt – For the best results, use at least 2% fat yogurt—the higher, the better. The fat adds richness without needing oil or butter, ensuring your pancakes become fluffy.
- Adjust sweetness – Add as much maple syrup or honey as you like. I’d rather keep them less sweet to then serve with banana or extra maple syrup. If you’re making breakfast for kids, you may need more maple syrup.
- Customize to your likings – For more flavor and texture, stir in the batter diced fruit, fresh berries, mini chocolate chips and peanut butter. You can also dump in a scoop of protein powder, especially if it’s your post-workout breakfast.
- Do not overmix – Just blend or stir until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Mixing too much will incorporate too much air, making your pancakes dense and flat.
Bonus tip for fluffiness – Did you know what’s the secret for the fluffiest pancakes? Adding a bit of apple cider vinegar (ACV) or lemon juice to the batter. When mixed with tangy yogurt, its acidity makes they rise as in the picture.
How to store and freeze
- To store. Let cool, then place the pancakes into an airtight container and refrigerate for a maximum of 4 days. Before eating, microwave for about 30 seconds or reheat in a pan.
- To freeze. Allow to cool completely, then pack individually in zipper bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, reheat frozen Greek yogurt pancakes in a warm skillet, in the microwave or in a toaster.
As an alternative, you can also make the batter ahead and cook the pancakes in the morning. Blend all ingredient until smooth, then place the mixture in a bowl. Just be sure to cover it with plastic wrap or with a lid and keep in the fridge overnight.
Frequently asked questions
You may have cooked them over high heat on a skillet that was too hot. The trick is cooking the pancakes over low/medium heat on both sides, being patient to wait until ready. High heat will make them burned outside but raw inside.
Use full fat Greek yogurt, two whole eggs, and baking powder that hasn’t expired. For extra fluffiness, you can also add ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice. The last tip is avoid overmixing the batter.
Absolutely! You can swap rolled oats for the same amount of blanched almond flour. If on a keto, you should also replace maple syrup for sugar-free alternatives such as monk fruit or low carb syrup. You’ll love them topped with my keto caramel sauce!
This recipe gives 2 medium or 1 large serving, depending on your overall diet and energy requirements. Whenever making them, I usually eat them all on my own – especially if working out before breakfast.
More high protein breakfasts
- Cottage cheese pancakes
- Protein oatmeal
- 4 ingredient Protein pancakes
- Egg white pancakes
- Protein French toast
- Greek yogurt protein muffins
- Egg white omelette
If you try this recipe, make sure to leave a 💌 comment and ⭐️ star rating down below letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you!
Greek Yogurt Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup (180 g) Greek yogurt, full-fat recommended
- ¾ cup (70 g) rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary
- 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup, or honey, to taste
- ½ tsp baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract, optional
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar, optional for fluffier pancakes
Instructions
- Add to a blender Greek yogurt, eggs, rolled oats, maple syrup, and baking powder. You can add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt for more flavor, and apple cider vinegar for a fluffier texture.
- Blend until smooth, but do not overmix. The batter should be thick but still pourable, not runny.
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Grease it well with oil or butter to prevent sticking.
- Pour one scoop of batter into the hot and greased pan. Cook the pancakes over low/medium heat until the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip with a spatula and cook until golden. Repeat the process until you run out of batter, greasing the pan between each pancake.
- Serve drizzled with maple syrup and your favorite toppings, or store for later.
Notes
- To store. Let cool, then place the pancakes into an airtight container and refrigerate for a maximum of 4 days. Before eating, microwave for about 30 seconds or reheat in a pan.
- To freeze. Allow to cool completely, then pack individually in zipper bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, reheat frozen Greek yogurt pancakes in a warm skillet, in the microwave or in a toaster.
- Serving size. This recipe gives 2 medium servings, or 1 abundant serving. Nutritional values are calculated based on 1 medium serving (dividing the recipe by 2).
- Nutritional values. Nutritional values are approximations only, and they may vary based on specific ingredients used. Nutrition facts are calculated for pancakes made with full fat Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup; toppings are excluded.
Great recipe Matt!
Will make it tomorrow
Thank you very much
Hey Constantino,
thanks a lot for your review. I’m so glad you liked my Greek yogurt pancake recipe 😉
Best,
Matteo
I made these this morning, had to sub liquid eggbeaters because eggs cannot be found here due to Avian flu.
I added vinegar hoping it would work with baking powder to make these fluffier’
It did but probably would have been better with whole eggs and higher fat yogurt, but very good and easy to make.
Love that they have a lot of protein.
I mixed plain yogurt with sugar free strawberry jelly and topped with that.
Will make often,I am sure!
Hey Amy,
thank you very much for taking the time to write your review! I’m glad my easy yogurt pancake recipe turned out great. Whole eggs and full fat Greek yogurt would have definitely helped with texture and taste.
Best,
Matteo