Pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes are blender pancakes made with cottage cheese, eggs, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice. Everything goes in at once, and you get soft, fluffy pancakes with a good hit of protein and no protein powder.

Make them for a cozy fall breakfast, a high protein weekday morning, or a slow autumn weekend brunch. They reheat well too, so a triple batch on Sunday covers a few days.

One thing to know: they cook slower than regular pancakes. Keep the heat at medium-low so the insides set before the bottoms go too dark.

Recipe Info

This recipe is:

Protein rich without protein powder. Thanks to cottage cheese and eggs, these pancakes are not only creamy but also offer a good protein boost compared to regular pancakes.
Easy to make with common ingredients. No fancy tools required—just a blender to blend the batter smoothly.
Meal-prep friendly. Just double or quadriple the ingredients and you’re all set for a few days.

Making pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes for the first time? Read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re familiar with the recipe, feel free to jump to the recipe card.

Wholesome pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes — Delicious pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes topped with maple syrup and pecans

Ingredients and Substitutes

Eggs. Acts as a binder to hold the batter together and contribute to the pancakes’ structure.
Low-fat cottage cheese. Adds moisture, protein, and a creamy texture. Full-fat cottage cheese works as well.
Maple syrup. Provides natural sweetness and flavor. Sub in sugar in a pinch.
Pumpkin puree. One of our two sources of flavor. Canned or homemade puree works equally well.
All-purpose flour. Forms the base of the batter, giving structure to the pancakes.
Pumpkin spice. Adds warm, aromatic flavor characteristic of pumpkin dishes.
Salt. Enhances overall flavor.
Baking powder. Acts as a leavening agent to make the pancakes fluffy; you can substitute it with baking soda at one-third the amount.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Blend Ingredients. Add all your pancake ingredients into a blender and blend on high speed until the mixture is fairly smooth. If you don’t have a blender, you can use an immersion blender right in the bowl—it works just as well.

Adding all the ingredients — Blend the eggs, cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, all-purpose

Blending the ingredients — Blend the eggs, cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, all-purpose

Heat Skillet. Warm up a non-stick skillet over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low once warm. This slower heat will help cook the pancakes evenly without burning the bottoms.
Add Cooking Oil (Optional). If you usually add fat when making pancakes, go ahead and add your usual amount of cooking oil or butter. However, these pancakes don’t need any fat in a good non-stick pan and should release easily without it. I don’t add fat when making mine.
Cook Pancakes. Pour about 2 heaping tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the skillet without overcrowding. Let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the undersides are golden brown and the edges look set — no longer wet or glossy. Then flip each pancake and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the other side is nicely browned.

Pouring the batter — Pour 2 heaping tbsp. of batter per pancake,

Flipped pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes — Pour 2 heaping tbsp. of batter per pancake,

Serve Warm. Remove the cooked pancakes from the skillet and serve immediately with your favorite toppings like syrup, fresh fruit, or yogurt.

Soft and fluffy pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes for breakfast — Serve warm with syrup, fruit, or yogurt!

Tips

Test heat with a single pancake before batch cooking. Pancake cooking times are a good indicator of stove temperature. Make one test pancake and adjust the heat so it takes about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes after flipping. If one side is burned after 2 minutes, the heat is too high. If it’s still super pale or the edges don’t look set, you need more heat. This can be a bit tricky for a first time pancake maker, but you’ll get better with practice.

Storage

Allow the pumpkin cottage cheese pancakes to cool completely before placing them in a sealed container. Store the container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

For longer storage, freeze the pancakes in a freezer-safe bag for 1 to 3 months (for best quality). Defrost overnight in the fridge or on low heat on the stove.

Reheat on low in a non-stick pan for a minute or two per side.

Similar Recipes to Try

Looking for more? Check out the following recipes:

Got leftover pumpkin puree? Use it up in creamy stovetop pumpkin oatmeal or Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal Cups.
Love cottage cheese breakfasts? Don’t miss Cottage Cheese Chia Pudding, Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats, and Cottage Cheese Oats Pancakes.
Into high-protein breakfasts? Check out Protein Powder Pumpkin Pancakes, Protein Powder Chia Pudding, and Protein Powder Overnight Oats.
Want more pancake inspiration? Try savory Eggplant Pancakes or sweet Polish Yeast Pancakes.