These easy low-carb Chocolate Protein Pancakes are the perfect way to start the day! They’re packed with chocolate flavor but only have 5 grams of carbs per serving for a delicious, healthy breakfast.
Who doesn’t love diving into a stack of pancakes in the morning? They are easy to make and always taste delicious!
But traditional pancakes are full of empty carbohydrates and usually topped with sugar-rich syrup. They taste great, but they can lead to blood sugar spikes and low energy throughout the day.
The answer? Instead of traditional pancakes, whip up a batch of these chocolate protein pancakes! They have over 20 grams of protein and only 5 grams of carbs per serving, which makes them perfect for a healthy breakfast, even if you are on a low-carb or ketogenic diet.
You don’t even have to skip the syrup to enjoy your pancakes. Just grab a bottle of sugar-free syrup, which is available at most local supermarkets or online.
How to make chocolate protein pancakes?
Step 1: Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until no lumps remain.
Step 2: Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract into the middle.
Step 3: Fold the batter together gently and set aside for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat.
Step 5: Add 1/4 cup of the batter to the pan at a time. Cook until bubbles form on the top surface, then flip over to cook on the other side, cooking for about 3 – 4 minutes per side.
Serve immediately with some sugar-free syrup or your desired low-carb toppings. I like to put a little whipped cream and a strawberry on top!
Cooking with coconut flour
Unlike traditional pancakes that use all-purpose flour, this recipe calls for coconut flour. If you’ve never cooked with coconut flour before, it’s an incredible alternative that significantly reduces carbs.
Coconut flour is quite dense, so you will use much less than regular flour. By adding enough liquid, it will become very soft and fluffy when cooked.
This is why you need to let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes. This allows the coconut flour to absorb the moisture and give the pancakes a better texture.
Tips for cooking the perfect pancakes
Pancakes are known for being an easy breakfast food. However, there are a few tips and tricks to making the best pancakes possible!
First, don’t over-mix your batter. Leaving some small lumps can help the pancakes form and give them a nice texture.
If the batter is too wet and runny, it will spread into a much larger pancake, which can be difficult to flip. Add some more protein powder, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture seems thick enough. On the other hand, if your batter is too dry, add some milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the batter reaches the right consistency.
When cooking the pancakes, be sure to use a good-quality non-stick pan or a heavy-bottomed pan. A thin pan will cook the pancakes too quickly whereas a good-quality non-stick pan distributes the heat evenly and allows for even cooking throughout.
Optionally, after scooping the batter into the hot pan, you can cover it with a tight-fitting lid to allow the pancake to cook on the top as well. This helps make the pancakes more fluffy and soft.
Storage
These chocolate pancakes can be made ahead of time, or you can store any leftovers you may have.
Once the pancakes are cooked and cooled, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
It’s important to make sure the pancakes are completely cool before putting them in the refrigerator. If they are still warm, condensation will make the pancakes soggy.
When you’re ready to eat them, just heat them up in the microwave and enjoy!
Other healthy low-carb pancake recipes
Looking for more healthy pancake recipes to start your day the right way? Here are a few of my favorites that I know you’ll love:
You can also check out this roundup I created of diabetic friendly pancake recipes for even more great ideas!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Chocolate Protein Pancakes
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tbsp. coconut flour
- 1 tbsp. granulated sweetener
- 1 pinch salt
Wet ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tbsp. cream cheese
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl until no lumps remain.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract into the middle.
- Fold the batter together gently and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat.
- Add 1/4 cup of the batter to the pan at a time. Cook until bubbles form on the top surface, then flip over to cook on the other side, cooking for about 3 – 4 minutes per side.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Info Per Serving
Why do they only last 24 hours in the fridge?
That’s just a conservative estimate. They can tend to become somewhat dry if stored longer
Hi, is there a substitute for the vanilla protein powder?
This recipe needs the protein powder to work, but you can use another type of protein powder if you like. If you substitute the powder for flour it’s no longer a low carb recipe
Am I able to freeze these
I haven’t tried so I’m not sure how well they freeze
Hello. I’m curios why you use coconut flour instead of all purpose flour? And if I have plain protein powder can I use that instead? Thanks!
Coconut flour is used in order to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the recipe. You can use regular all-purpose flour but that will increase the carbohydrates significantly and it will no longer be “keto”. You can use a regular low carb protein powder if you wish
Is 2 pancakes a serving? Does the label number include a drizzle of sugar fee syrup? I am assuming not.
The number of pancakes will depend on how large you make them. The batter portion is meant to serve 2 people. If you make them medium-sized you should have about 2-3 pancakes for each serving. The syrup we link to is calorie-free so won’t impact the nutrition value
Was really good even mu son love it