These 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Protein Pancakes are a healthy and delicious breakfast idea that can be frozen and reheated in the toaster.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – swap out for a dairy-free substitute of your choice.
- Egg whites – you could also make these pancakes using 4 whole eggs instead of 8 egg whites.
- Pumpkin puree – mashed bananas would also be good here.
- Whey protein powder – I use whey protein powder in this recipe; this is the only type of protein powder that can be used with this recipe. Here is the protein powder I use.
- Pumpkin spice – you can make your own using a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
- Baking powder – there’s no real substitute for baking powder and it’s pretty essential to the recipe.
Topping ideas
- Shredded coconut – unsweetened or sweetened would both be good.
- Almond butter – try another kind of nut butter like sunflower butter.
- Pumpkin seeds – swap out for some sunflower seeds instead.
- Chopped walnuts – chopped pecans or another nut of your choice would be good.
- Maple syrup – honey or jam are also great toppings!
How to make pumpkin protein pancakes
Step 1: Mix together the ingredients.
Mix together the egg whites, pumpkin puree, whey protein powder, pumpkin spice and baking powder.
Step 2: Stir until just combined.
Step 3: Add batter to the frying pan
Heat the butter in a frying pan, then add a small spoonful of pancake mixture to the pan.
Step 4: Flip and then serve.
Flip once the bottom starts to form, then serve with the toppings of your choice!
Tips for the best protein pancakes
There are a few tricks to ensure you get the yummiest, fluffiest pumpkin protein pancakes every time:
- Only use whey protein powder: You need to use whey protein powder for this recipe. Any other kind of protein powder will alter the consistency of the batter and the pancakes may not cook all the way through.
- Make your own pumpkin spice: If you don't have any pumpkin spice on hand, you can make your own using a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
- Don't use pumpkin pie filling: Make sure you're using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. If you use pumpkin pie filling, it will alter the flavour and consistency of the batter, and increase the calorie count.
- Cook over medium heat: The skillet shouldn't be too hot or your pancakes will burn. When in doubt, set the stovetop to medium-low.
- Add your favourite toppings: Top your pancakes with shredded coconut, nut butter, chopped walnuts or pecans, maple syrup, whipped cream, chia seeds and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
You'll need to use whey protein powder for this recipe – no other kind of protein powder will work. Here is the protein powder I use if you're looking for a clean one. I typically buy it at Costco but you can order it online too! When you're looking for a whey protein powder, I recommend choosing one with the fewest ingredients with no artificial sweeteners or added sugar.
You'll need to use pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling. If you don't have any pumpkin puree, you can substitute it for mashed bananas, but pumpkin pie filling won't work for this recipe.
If you find that your batter is too thick or too runny, you likely used the wrong kind of protein powder. Make sure you're only using whey protein powder for this recipe – any other kind of protein powder will alter the consistency of the pancake batter.
You can easily make these healthy pumpkin pancakes dairy free by swapping out the butter for a dairy-free substitute like margarine, and using a dairy free whey protein powder.
Since this recipe only uses 1 cup of pumpkin puree, you'll likely have some leftover in the can. You can use any leftover pumpkin puree to make pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice protein bars or pumpkin alfredo.
Storing and reheating
Since there are only 5 ingredients in these healthy pumpkin pancakes, you can rest assured that weekend meal prep will barely take any time at all. Mix together some whey protein, egg whites, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and baking powder, fry them in a pan and you’re good to go – THAT'S IT!
From there, you can store the leftover pancakes in glass containers or a Ziploc bag for up to 7 days. You can reheat them for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave or for 1 minute in the toaster. I personally like popping them in the toaster since it makes them a bit crispier and fresher. Add on your fave toppings and dig in!
Can you freeze protein pancakes?
These protein pumpkin pancakes are totally freezer-friendly! The bonus of freezer-friendly breakfasts is that everything is ready beforehand, which gives you that much more time to get ready in the morning.
To freeze, store the pancakes flat in a Ziploc bag and freeze them for 2 to 3 months. In the morning, all you have to do is throw them in the toaster for 1-2 minutes or reheat them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
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Meal Prep Tools
- Stock up on pumpkin puree here.
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls to store these protein pancakes.
- They can also be stored in Ziploc bags up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Here is the protein powder I use.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
5-Ingredient Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter, for frying
- 8 egg whites
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups whey protein powder PLEASE NOTE: you DO have to use whey protein powder for this recipe. No other type will work.
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice (or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)
- 1 tsp baking powder
Topping ideas
- Shredded coconut
- almond butter
- pumpkin seeds
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients for pancakes together until just combined.
- Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a small spoonful of pancake mixture to test, making sure skillet is hot enough to add pancake batter. Once bottom of tester pancake starts to form, flip and then remove from heat.
- Add pancake batter by large ladle scoop, cooking four pancakes at a time and flipping once a bottom starts to form, about 5 minutes.
- Freeze pancakes up to 2 months, reheating in microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or reheating in the toaster. Top with optional toppings and serve!
Comments & Reviews
Diana Lynn Kruis says
I was so excited about the Pumpkin Pancakes and made them this morning. I substituted 4 whole eggs for 8 egg whites, as suggested, and used Whole Foods (Meal Replacement) Protein Powder, then followed everything else about your recipe explicitly.
DISASTER!
Pancakes would NOT cook inside before burning in the pan. Lowering the heat didn’t work, so I doctored it with milk & more baking powder per my regular pancake recipe, to no avail. I wasted 2 cups of very expensive protein powder and a cup of pecans in the mix.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Diana – it sounds like you made a lot of substitutions here. Milk would definitely not help and there are no directions to use pecans, especially in the mix. This could definitely account for the pancakes not cooking. I suggest using pecans as a topping after the pancakes have already been cooked. Using them in the batter could disrupt things enough to prevent the pancakes from cooking through. The batter needs to form air bubbles which the pecans could prevent. I’m sorry you wasted ingredients but I always advocate for following a recipe directly in order to ensure success.
Alicia says
I’m new to the protein pancake game, and this was my second recipe I’ve tried. The first left something to be desired due to the ground oat texture and it was almost enough to turn me off making them again but I love pumpkin so I gave this a shot and I’m glad I did! These are really much better than the other recipe and they fries easily on the pan (I used spray at first but then nothing as a non stick pan seemed to suffice) and they are nice and ‘fluffy’ like regular pancakes. I will be making these again 🙂
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed them Alicia 🙂
Emme says
Hi! How much is a serving size of this? It says 2g, but that doesn’t make since.
Taylor Stinson says
Sorry about that Emme – 2 pancakes is a serving and the recipe makes 8 total 🙂
Emme says
Thank you!
Izzah says
Hi,
Where do you get pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice ?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Izzah – I can usually find them both at my local grocery store in the baking isle. Sometimes grocery stores don’t always have pumpkin pie spice (the puree comes in a can and I’ve always been able to find it), so you can make your own pumpkin pie spice at home too: https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-pie-spice-recipe/
Sue says
Hi what protein powder did you use- brand I mean- so I can achieve the same results- my plant based powder didn’t work ?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Sue – I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work with your plant-based protein powder 🙁 I used Kaizen Naturals brand linked here: https://kaizennaturals.com/products/whey-protein?variant=8427521769523
Caroline says
Do you have any suggestions on what to substitute the whey protein powder with? Sounds like a delicious recipe!
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Caroline! You should be able to use rice or soy protein powder as well though I haven’t tried it myself *just a warning*. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work though!
James Matthews says
Hi Just wanted to let you know I have cooked a few of your recipes from here and I am not too sure if you have your metric calculations right.
When I have made the chicken dishes they have turned out amazing your baking recipes are another story.
I have wasted a kilo of protein power following your pumpkin protein bar and now the pancakes! I am not exactly sure why they have failed so MISERABLY but I have noticed that in metric measurements you have been asking for almost double the protein powder. I would love it if you could clear this up for me.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi James – so sorry for the delay in response! I provide Imperial measurements on my website, not metric. I have a plugin that provides the metric equivalent but whenever you are translating a recipe from imperial to metric (especially when it comes to baking) you just aren’t likely to get it perfect, which can result in some recipes not turning out. Because baking is such a science and often relies on exact ratios of wet to dry ingredients, you really do need to follow a recipe exactly according to the original measurements.
I have only tested these recipes using imperial measurements, and I’m very sorry you wasted ingredients as a result of trying the metric equivalent but I just unfortunately can’t test all my recipes using different measurements. I’m definitely going to consider removing the metric equivalent feature as I believe that can mislead people and cause issues as you described. Again, my apologies and I’m happy you have liked the savoury dishes so far!
Kris says
Hey! Dumb question here. Do you use 2 actual cups of protein or 2 scoops of protein powder. I just want to double check before I dive in a make these. Thank you.
Kris
Taylor Stinson says
Not dumb at all Kris! It’s 2 cups – I was going to put the measurement in scoops but then realized each protein powder is probably a little bit different in terms of scoop size. Hope that helps! 🙂
Kris says
Thank you! It does! 🙂
Heidi Shaw says
The protein powder you use really makes a big difference. I made these and LOVED them with my Lean Fit vanilla Whey protein. Everyone loved them! So I made them again at my daughters house with her Vega Protein powder – HUGE FAIL> They were over the top sweet and icky and ‘proteiny’. My granddaughter ate them and they were OK with peanut butter slathered on them, but nothing like the amazing taste of the original ones. Just a heads up if you’re planning on making them- maybe do a half batch first to see if you like the results.
Taylor Stinson says
That is great to know, thanks for sharing Heidi! I found the taste was great with this brand I get from Costco called Kaizen Naturals… I know so many people have a go-to for protein powder for this reason, there are all kinds of tastes and textures out there!
Kristen says
what kind of protein Powder do you use? Whey, pea, etc?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Kristen! It’s whey – I’ve updated the recipe to reflect that 🙂