Blackberry Protein Pancakes

I have a difficult time getting enough protein in my diet, and - with the way I eat - working a high-protein breakfast into my day seems to be the easiest way to work some extra protein into my day

The thing is, I’m not a fan of bacon and eggs. Sure, once in a while is fine, but I can’t do the “default keto breakfast” thing on a daily basis.

So, in my quest to come up with a healthy breakfast I would actually enjoy, I’ve been working on my homemade pancakes game.

See, I’ve always been terrible at making even just regular pancakes. I can design fantastic BATTER for pancakes - classic pancakes ot otherwise - but for someone *else* to make.

Me trying to actually cook a stack of pancakes has always been a recipe for unmitigated disaster. Burnt, undercooked - or both at once - and absolutely mangled.

I’ve gotten a TON of practice lately, in coming up with a delicious protein pancake recipe, though - and can now actually turn out fluffy protein pancakes that are great to eat, but also look decent enough to photograph!

These easy protein pancakes start off with a homemade protein pancake mix - You can mix up the dry ingredients as you’re making these healthy protein pancakes fresh, or you can meal prep.

I like to make sandwich baggies of the dry ingredients, so all I have to do is add milk, eggs, and whatever else I want to add - in this case, fresh blackberries.

The mixes are a great blank canvas for whatever you like to add, though!

Whether you’re whipping them up from scratch, or using baggies you made earlier, I’m sure you’ll agree that these fluffy pancakes are the best protein pancakes out there!

Anyway, the sooner we get to this easy recipe ... the closer you’ll be to a fantastic weekend breakfast.

Or weekday breakfast, really. They work up incredibly quickly!

Ingredients

If you’ve done any of my keto baking recipes, you’ll find these to be simple ingredients - that you likely already have on hand.

A few notes for you:

Fresh Blackberries

I make these delicious protein pancakes using fresh fruit, rather than frozen. Chop the bigger ones into smaller pieces, and you’re good to go!

That said, frozen is an option - just be sure to measure them when they’re still frozen.

As they thaw, they’ll break down a bit, sinking down in the measuring cup. If you measure thawed berries, you’ll end up with much more berry per ½ cup, than fresh.

Which isn’t generally a problem, but it CAN double the carb count.

Vanilla Protein Powder

I recently made the switch from using plain, unsweetened whey protein powder isolate, to using Vanilla Flavored Whey Protein Powder in my keto pancakes and baked goods.

Not only has it resulted in a better taste and texture, it also simplifies the recipe a bit - no need for vanilla extract or added sugar!

My favorite protein powder to bake with is Revolution Nutrition's High Whey in Vanilla Cake.

That said, feel free to use a different type of protein powder if you need - just be sure it’s one you love the taste of. “Protein powder pancakes” - The protein powder is the main ingredient!

If you have to avoid dairy, you might want to try a plant-based protein powder. My husband used to use a pea protein vegan protein powder at one point, and really liked it.

Two things to note:

1. Because of the differences from brand to brand, the recipe card reflects the nutrition from all of the ingredients *except* the protein powder.

To find the total nutritional value for a serving of these pancakes, simply add the info for 1 serving of your protein powder to the info in the card. (There are 2 servings of protein used, and the recipe makes two servings.)

2. Different protein powders can absorb moisture and behave in slightly different ways.

The first time you make this recipe with something other than the High Whey, I recommend starting out with a bit less milk, and adding more until you get the consistency you like.

Unsweetened Almond Milk

Unsweetened Almond Milk is generally my go-to for making pancakes, whether I’m keto at the time or not.

I just find that the plant based milks - like Oat milk, Cashew Milk, Flax Milk, and Macadamia Milk all taste WAY better than regular dairy milk... especially in things like pancakes and baked goods.

They don’t get my sinuses going, either!

That said, feel free to use dairy milk if you prefer. 2%, whole, and buttermilk are all great options.

Whatever you use, just be sure to check the label to ensure it suits your dietary needs and restrictions.

Almond Flour

You’ll want to use Super Fine Almond Flour when making this recipe - “almond meal” is NOT the same thing!

Almond Flour - especially “super fine almond flour” is a much finer grind than almond meal, and will give a much better final texture.

Oil

You’ll need a little of some form of oil for your pan - I just use regular nonstick cooking spray - but you can also include oil if you like.

To be clear the recipe doesn’t need oil - I rarely add oil. That said, it is a good way to sneak in another serving of healthy fats, when you need to do that.

MCT Oil, Liquid Coconut Oil, and Avocado Oil are all great options.

Everything Else

Finishing out this recipe, you’ll need:
Coconut Flour
Whole eggs
Baking Powder

... there’s just not really anything else to add, there. Really basic ingredients!

How to Make Blackberry Protein Pancakes

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:

Rinse and chop the blackberries. I’ll usually cut the smaller ones in half, and the larger ones in 3-4 pieces.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, protein powder, coconut flour, and baking powder.

Add the wet ingredients - the almond milk, eggs, and oil (if using) - to the bowl of mixed dry ingredients. Stir until well combined and smooth.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, spray with nonstick spray.

Use a ¼ cup measure to pour batter out into 3 small pancakes. (You can do all 6 at once, if using a larger surface, like my Cuisinart Griddler.)

Allow to cook until the underside is nicely golden brown, and small bubbles are breaking at the surface.

Carefully flip each pancake and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden brown on the second side, and JUST cooked through.

Note: Overcooking can lead to dry pancakes!

If you only did the 3 pancakes to start, use the ¼ cup measure to pour the remaining batter into another 3 pancakes, repeat the cooking process.

Serve the blackberry protein pancakes with your favorite toppings - butter, Sugar Free Pancake Syrup, more berries, etc - or just plain.

Leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days.

More Keto Breakfast Recipes

Getting tired of bacon and eggs, looking for some more low carb breakfast options? I've got you covered, with more low carb pancakes recipes, and other fun stuff!

Blueberry Protein Pancakes
Individual Keto Paska
Keto Manakish
Camping Pancake Mix
Strawberry Protein Pancakes
Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes
Raspberry Protein Pancakes
Keto Smoked Salmon Pizza
Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

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