Healthy apple pancakes made with oats and cottage cheese. They taste decadent, but are packed with protein and fiber. Great for meal prep!
I started realizing that more often than not when we go out for brunch Isaac always orders sweet options like pancakes or waffles. I think it’s because I tend to make more savory breakfasts at home (some of my go-to’s are my egg sausage casserole and egg white bites). Realizing this got my wheels turning and I decided I needed more sweet breakfast recipes to add to the countless oatmeal recipes I already have here on EBF.
And that is exactly how these apple pancakes came about! I used my cottage cheese pancake recipe as a guide to for these apple pancakes and omg, they’re delish!!
Blender Pancakes
The batter for these apple pancakes is made in the blender, which makes it super easy to whip up and easy to pour directly from your blender into the skillet for cooking.
I can not wait for you to try these healthy pancakes for yourself. They’re sweet, they’re comforting and they feel indulgent even though they are 100% healthy in my book…they’re loaded with protein and fiber. One serving (4 pancakes) has 15 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein. Boom, perfect way to start your day!
Ingredients Needed
old fashioned rolled oats – rolled oats are the base of this recipe. Once blended, the oats turn into oat flour! I like using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Rolled Oats, but quick oats will work as well. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but are often cross contaminated so make sure you grab certified gluten-free if needed!
egg whites – acts as a binding ingredient, keeps the pancakes light and fluffy and really amps up the protein! I usually use liquid egg whites (from a container) so I don’t have to crack eggs and waste the yolks. If you prefer, you can also use 2 full eggs in place of the egg whites.
cottage cheese – another protein booster, cottage cheese also helps to keep these pancakes moist. I haven’t tried it, but Greek yogurt would probably be a good substitute for the cottage cheese.
applesauce – make your own homemade applesauce or use store-bought. Just make sure it’s unsweetened if you go that route.
baking powder – a leavening agent.
cinnamon – a must for apple pancakes!
apples – you’ll need about 1-2 apples for both the pancakes and the topping, peeled and finely chopped into pieces. I prefer to use Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Fuji apples, but any variety will work.
maple syrup – this is my favorite natural sweetener. We’re using maple syrup to make the cinnamon apples and for an additional drizzle on top.
Cinnamon Apple Topping
The cinnamon apple topping is legit the best part of this recipe (in my opinion). It’s an extra step but 100% worth it! For the cinnamon apples, I use the same quick microwave method that I use for my apple overnight oats and it works like a charm. It makes instant baked apples! Here’s what you do:
Chop up your apples into bite sized pieces.
Mix the apple pieces, maple syrup and cinnamon to a small microwave-safe bowl. Stir together to coat the apples.
Heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or until the apples have softened a bit and look like baked apples.
What to Serve With Apple Pancakes
We often eat these pancakes on their own for breakfast, but if you’re hosting a brunch or want a more filling meal, here’s what I recommend serving with pancakes:
These pancakes store super well which also makes them great for meal prep! If I make these pancakes on a Sunday, I like doubling the recipe so we have leftovers for the week. Let your pancakes cool before putting them in an airtight container or ziplock bag (I like using my Stasher bags). Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
To reheat, I like to pop them in the toaster oven so they get a little crispy, but you can also reheat them in the microwave. If serving with the apples, I’ll make more cinnamon apples the morning of. I also like eating the pancakes cold, straight out of the fridge. I’m weird like that!
Add oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, applesauce, baking powder and cinnamon into a blender and process until the batter is relatively smooth with a thick consistency. Stir in diced apples.
Heat pan or griddle to low-medium heat and spray with non-stick spray.
Once hot, scoop out about a quarter cup of batter at a time and pour onto pan. You should be able to make about 8 small pancakes.
Cook until little bubbles form and the edges of the pancakes are solid enough to put a spatula underneath. Flip the pancakes and cook for one to two additional minutes.
While pancakes are cooking, prep cinnamon apples by adding diced apples, maple syrup and cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl. Stir to combine and microwave for 30-60 seconds or until apples are soft and look similar to baked apples.
For serving, place four pancakes on each plate, top with warm cinnamon apples and drizzle with maple syrup and/or nut butter.
Video
Notes
Egg whites: You can use 2 whole eggs in place of the egg whites if needed.
Cottage cheese: I haven’t tried it, but Greek yogurt would probably be a good substitute for the cottage cheese.
For meal prep pancakes: Make pancakes as instructed in the recipe. You can also prep the cinnamon apples, but store those in a separate container. Let pancakes cool and place in a sealed storage container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, eat cold with toppings of choice OR reheat the pancakes until warm in the microwave (should only take 30 seconds or so), in a toaster oven or on the stovetop.
These were fast and delicious! We’ve been getting lots of apples in our CSA each week and looking for new ways to use them. The quick “baked” apples turned out great! I swapped ricotta for the cottage cheese because that’s what I had. Thank you for the recipe.
Delicious! I added 2 tsp of coconut sugar so they’re sweet enough for my 3 year old to take on the go without having to worry about any sticky toppings.
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These were fast and delicious! We’ve been getting lots of apples in our CSA each week and looking for new ways to use them. The quick “baked” apples turned out great! I swapped ricotta for the cottage cheese because that’s what I had. Thank you for the recipe.
So happy to hear these pancakes were a success even with the ricotta, Sophie. Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
Delicious! I added 2 tsp of coconut sugar so they’re sweet enough for my 3 year old to take on the go without having to worry about any sticky toppings.
Yay! Happy to hear these apple pancakes were a hit, Janine. Thanks so much for the review and trying them out. I really appreciate it!
Hi. Would this recipe work for making waffles? Would I need to make any modifications? Thanks
I’ve never tried using it to make waffles but I love the idea and I think it would work just fine. Let me know if you try it!
Looks so yummy!! I’m a huge fan of oatmeal. Can I ask what you use for applesauce?
Hey Nicola – Do you mean what brand I use?
What kind of apples do you suggest?
Any types of apples will work, but I prefer Honeycrisp, Fuji or Pink Lady.