Thanks to their light and fluffy texture and low-carb appeal, even those who don't care for cottage cheese adore Kathleen's Cottage Pancakes! Save

Thanks to their light and fluffy texture and low-carb appeal, even those who don’t care for cottage cheese adore Kathleen’s Cottage Pancakes! 

 

 

High protein and low carb are typically not the words I associate with pancakes, but this recipe shakes things up a bit!  

A friend of The Fountain Avenue Kitchen passed this novel pancake recipe along to me, saying that it is something she makes for her husband almost every morning.

The ingredients are quirky–for pancakes, anyway–but so very healthy.  I simply could not pass this recipe by.

The cottage cheese lends a lightness to the batter while the eggs provide exceptional protein and flavor.  I loved the underlying egg flavor.

Note, there’s not a speck of sugar in this recipe–and just a small amount of flour.  I think next time I will try whole wheat flour, or perhaps my gluten-free blend.  My dad would like these.

By the way, my sons both declared this a “make-again” recipe.  My picky eater did not so much as notice there was a “funny” ingredient in there: )

Thanks to their light and fluffy texture and low-carb appeal, even those who don't care for cottage cheese adore Kathleen's Cottage Pancakes! Save

Note:  I have been asked several times if I have tried these pancakes with my gluten-free flour blend, and I wanted to provide an update. In addition to making them with that blend, I have also tried them with oats, as one friend shared that she had successfully done. That time, I used quick oats and added 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder in lieu of the 1/4 teaspoon baking soda called for in the original recipe.  

While they tasted fine, the resulting pancakes lacked the fluffiness present in the original recipe.  The gluten-free blend fares very well, resulting in an end result similar to the original version.  I use the 1/2 teaspoon each of baking soda and powder here, too.  Both times, I polled my husband and kids and they gave both versions their stamp of approval although did notice a difference with the oat version, mainly because those pancakes appeared flatter than usual.

Update 4/4/18: Recently, I’ve had several readers ask about making these with almond flour.  Although I have not yet tried it, my suspicion is that it would work but that the pancakes would be somewhat flatter. If you try, please feel free to comment!

Thanks to their light and fluffy texture and low-carb appeal, even those who don't care for cottage cheese adore Kathleen's Cottage Pancakes! Save

Thanks to their light and fluffy texture and low-carb appeal, even those who don't care for cottage cheese adore Kathleen's Cottage Pancakes! Save

Kathleen’s Cottage Pancakes

5 from 5 votes
Thanks to their light and fluffy texture and low-carb appeal, even those who don't care for cottage cheese adore Kathleen's Cottage Pancakes! 

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • cups cottage cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt*
  • ½ cup flour (see comments above regarding gluten-free options)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. Beat eggs until light. Mash cottage cheese (Kathleen uses a food processor, I used my mini chopper to really get it smooth). Add to eggs along with the remaining ingredients. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a lightly-greased griddle (I like to use my cast iron skillet) and cook over medium heat until browned on both sides and cooked through. Top with maple syrup or fresh fruit, as desired.
  2. Makes about 2 dozen small pancakes. I made mine a bit bigger and got 17 or 18.

Notes

*If using regular table salt, you may wish to start with ⅛ teaspoon. Also, sodium contents vary among cottage cheese brands. If your brand contains a high level of sodium, I recommend using less (or even skipping it) when making these pancakes for the first time.
For a healthy, aromatic option with a high smoke point, try cooking the pancakes in coconut oil.
Share this Post

Get recipes delivered straight to your inbox.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




385 responses to “Kathleen’s Low-Carb Cottage Pancakes”

  1. Has anybody tried gluten free flour, and if so, how did it taste?

    1. I have not tried this recipe with gluten free flour, Ann, although I am fairly confident the blend I use would work well. I just got more cottage cheese to try them with oats as one person has done it. When I get around to making them, I will be sure to report back!

    2. Carla Morris Avatar
      Carla Morris

      I make them with gluten free flour all the time. They turn out great.

      1. Thanks for your feedback and glad you like!

  2. So I just tried this using almond flour instead of wheat flour. The flavor is amazing but I am finding it difficult to cook it enough to hold them together. I will keep experimenting. I currently have one in the oven at 350 for a half hour. We shall see. In the meantime I am thoroughly enjoying my low low carb pancake scramble 🙂

    1. Hi Carol,
      It is this sort of experimenting that we ultimately learn from! Thank you for sharing the results here. People have reported success with oats instead of flour, although I have only tried my gluten-free flour blend with which I have had much success. I love almond flour, although it does react differently than wheat flour. Keep us posted, and at least they taste great! (Coincidently, I just bought more cottage cheese to try with oats!)

      1. If using any nut flours, try adding xantham gum. ( I believe it is 1 tsp per cup of nut flour) It replaces the gluten that is missing in those flours.

        1. Thanks for the tip, France!

          1. Instead of flour, I used a combination of equal parts coconut flour and flax meal. I also added vanilla extract, other than that I stuck to the recipe. I thought it was delish.
            many thanks.

          2. Love your alterations, Beth. Thanks for sharing what you did!

  3. For Stephanie….I just figured the WW points to be only 1 point per pancake- you were almost right with your guess of zero Ann! This is based on using low fat (not nonfat) cottage cheese and getting 18 pancakes out of the batch.

    1. Thank you very much, Stacie, for your help! I am sure many people will appreciate the information…and I am glad to hear I was close: )

  4. shelli jackson Avatar
    shelli jackson

    Sorry I just seen the comment someone already tried it with yogurt,guess I should of read thru all of the comments before I commented. Thanks

    1. No problem, Shelli! I do have another sort of pancake recipe that uses Greek yogurt and is gluten free. It is a bit more like a corncake but I like them for something different. Here is a link, just in case…
      https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/baked-gluten-free-pancakes/

  5. shelli jackson Avatar
    shelli jackson

    Just a thought but would plain greek yogurt work in place of cottage cheese? just wondering what others thought. Thanks love this recipe going to try it with the oats in place of flour. 🙂

  6. Ricotta is smooth and works well in this recipe with no need for blender or processor

    1. Thank you for sharing a great, time-saving tip, Gayle. Perfect for those who do not have a blender or processor as well!

  7. I tried making these with non-fat plain Greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese (I was out) and thought the texture the Greek yogurt would be similar to that of mashed/blended cottage cheese.
    The batter looked promising and the pancakes still turned out light and fluffy, but they turned out tasting a little too bitter for my taste… I’m thinking I should have added a little vanilla extract for some flavor and sweetness, I topped the pancakes with blueberry jam, which helped cut some of the bitterness. Great recipe though, glad I tried it and experimented! 🙂

    1. Thank you for sharing your experiment, Amanda! You never know how it will work unless you try! The yogurt does have a tartness that the cottage cheese lacks, so I think that would make the difference. If you don’t have a food processor and want to try with cottage cheese, you could try in a blender if you have one, as someone previously suggested. Thanks again for the great information!

  8. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    These look really yummy! I am doing Weight Watchers and wish I could calculate the points. I did go on the suggested websites but it didn’t help. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. You are welcome for the recipe, Stephanie, and I wish I could help with the points. I REALLY wish I could say zero! Although I do think they would be reasonable as far as points are concerned: )

      1. If you make 18 pancakes and use 2 pancakes as a serving, they are 3pp per serving! Hope this helps! I calculated this recipe because I am planning to make it!

        1. Thanks for the helpful information, Sarah, and I hope you enjoy them!

  9. My step-mother always made these when I brought my hungry hoard up for a visit… it was their favorite. She always made it in a blender – much easier to pour from, too.

    I would leave out the salt altogether since it is just the two of us now and I would only be making about 1/3 the recipe. Divvying up 1/2 t is not worth it. I LOVE the idea of oatmeal (gluten free variety) since I can’t eat gluten.

    One reason these would taste better than most mixes is that they often have way too much baking soda in them to be edible!

    1. Thank you for the comment, Kathleen, and love the blender idea…a great option for those who might not have a food processor!

    2. Astheart Avatar
      Astheart

      Katleen, I would add just a pinch of salt. You cannot feel it at all and it really improves the taste.

  10. Great recipe that I will try out when the boys are home at Christmas time…we all love Cottage Cheese here xoxo

    1. I hope you and your boys enjoy these pancakes as much as my boys and me, Beverley!

  11. We tried these this morning! Yum! Thank so much.

    1. Thanks for letting me know, Dinah, and so glad they were a hit!

  12. How many carbs do each of these contain? Can you give me somewhat of a round about guess?

    1. Hi Jordyn,
      I have not calculated nutritional information but several people have mentioned online sources such as caloriecount.about.com and myfitnesspal.com. You might want to give these sites a try. I hope this helps…and I hope you enjoy the pancakes!

  13. You probably could use farmer’s cheese. The texture is already smaller for those of us without [mine is broken] a food processor. That is the cheese in blintzes, and pierogies. I can’t wait to try this because I can never eat regular pancakes. I get too much of a sugar rush. Your protein pancakes just might work!

    1. Great suggestion and I hope you enjoy them, Sandra. If you like pumpkin, I highly recommend Baked Pumpkin Pancakes, too. That is another non-traditional recipe that is (I think!) delicious.

  14. An old La Leche League cookbook (Whole Foods for the Whole Family) has Blender Cottage Cheese Pancakes recipe pretty much like this. You can also make it with oats instead of flour, and add a banana in the batter if you want it sweeter.

    1. That is so good to know, Sarah. Thanks for the comment. I will have to try this with oats instead of flour. My father, who cannot eat wheat, would love them!

      1. I’m on a low carb/fat diet, need lots of protein. These pancakes are delicious! I do need to try a substitute for the flour…

        1. So happy you loved these, Kerry. Several commenters have used almond flour with good results – although likely a little less rise. That might be the best option in terms keeping the carbs as low as possible. If you hit upon anything different, feel free to report back!

        2. You could try coconut flour. Just be mindful that coconut flour absorbs liquid very quickly, so you probably don’t need as much as regular flour.

    2. Regina Morra Avatar
      Regina Morra

      I use to make these all the time from myLaLeche League cookbook. They are delicious. I always made with the oats and threw all in the blender! I’m going to make these! Former LLL Leader

      1. Hi Regina, I’ve heard about that cookbook but have never read it. Would be fun to see! So happy these were a hit then and that you found them again!

  15. I dont have a food processor – is there something smooth I can try instead of cottage cheese?

    1. Good question, Maria! You can try mashing really well and then mixing as directed. I am also thinking you could try beating it with a hand-held mixer. Let me know if you try!

      1. Janice Wedderspoon Avatar
        Janice Wedderspoon

        You could try ricotta cheese!

        1. Great idea, Janice!

      2. Try running it through a strainer

        1. I’m thinking you’re referring to the cottage cheese, Kim? You shouldn’t have to strain it, but if your cottage cheese seems watery you could pour the excess off the top.

      3. I started making these during the late ‘70’s when I found the recipe in Mother’s in the Kitchen, which I bought at a La Leche League meeting. It said to beat the cottage cheese with a hand-held electric mixer. It works fine, but expect a few tiny lumps.

        1. Great feedback, Bonnie! Thank you for mentioning that option.

    2. Stephanie Avatar
      Stephanie

      U can use a nutribullet or blender as well.

      1. That should be fine, Stephanie!

    3. Use farmer cheese! Same health profile as cottage cheese, so not as fatty as ricotta, and dryer and smoother.

      1. Thanks for mentioning, Nicole!

    4. Marla, you can just use a blender. No curds left at all! While you can use cream cheese, cream cheese adds a very distinct cheese flavor. I find cottage cheese much milder in flavor.

  16. Just tried these for breakfast. They are great! Thanks for the recipe

    1. So glad you enjoyed them, Viviana! Thank you for letting me know!

  17. Betsy Anderson Avatar
    Betsy Anderson

    Another Fountain Ave hit in my house! I didn’t tell the kids I made a different recipe until I had rave reviews from all of them. They all agreed these were better than ones made from a store bought mix.

    1. You sound just like me, Betsy…waiting to divulge the change until they have taken a few bites. Love it! I’m glad this went over so well!

  18. I just made these for my boyfriend and I! We both really enjoyed them! I omitted the salt but added in blueberries and some cinnamon! Delicious, thanks for a great recipe!

    1. So glad you both enjoyed them, Carina! Thanks for letting me know…I bet they were wonderful with the blueberries and cinnamon!

  19. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    Loved this recipe. My son doesn’t “like” eggs so this was a great way to get him some protein. My only comment would be to leave out the salt. The cottage cheese already has salt in it so I found it too salty with the added salt.

    1. Thanks for the comment and the suggestion, Debbie. I had not noticed this, but it is especially helpful to point out for people who may be watching their sodium intake. There may be some variation among different brands, too. I will have to look next time I buy cottage cheese!

      1. Mary Jane Avatar
        Mary Jane

        Did you ever look at the ingredients in cottage cheese? Amazing. I use Daisy brand, no added ingredients. Same with tomato paste. Contadina has one ingredient…tomatoes! Check the other brands before you buy..

        1. I agree, Mary Jane. It’s almost like yogurt…some varieties are far and away better than others. Thanks for the extra reminder!

          1. I will only buy Daisy or Tillamook brand cottage cheese (and sour cream). The other brands have a list a mile long of questionable ingredients – chemicals and who knows what else! (No Darigold or Lucerne in our home!)
            This recipe is just as my mom made them (except no baking soda in hers, and only a pinch of salt), long before anyone cared about or knew what “keto” or “low-carb” was. They are meant to be eaten like Swedish pancakes – wipe with some jam or preserves, roll up, and dust with powdered sugar, similar to a crepe. Of course, those additions up the carb count, so I usually don’t, but that is the traditional way of serving/eating them. Delicious.

  20. My mom made a similar cottage cheese pancake recipe while I was growing up…I love them!!! My favorite thing to do is fill them with all fruit preserves and roll them up like a crepe. So delish! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

    1. I love the crepe suggestion! I make homemade jams and that will taste delicious! Thanks for the brilliant idea: )