Carrot Cake Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Somehow these pancakes taste like a cross between carrot cake and the inside of a cinnamon roll and I’m not mad about it. They’re soft, fluffy, and protein-packed from the cottage cheese—and you already know I topped them with a thick maple cream cheese glaze because breakfast should feel a little extra sometimes.
These are great if you’re in your meal prep era, your postpartum healing era, or your I just want pancakes without a sugar crash era. Bonus: the kids love them too, especially with extra glaze.
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Recipe Tips
Make the batter thick: This helps the pancakes cook evenly and hold shape. If yours looks runny, stir in 1–2 tbsp extra flour.
Grate your carrots finely: No one wants crunchy bits in their pancakes. Use a fine grater and squeeze out any extra moisture.
Use muffin rings: Totally optional but helpful if you want perfectly round stacks. Spray them well!
Don’t skip the glaze: It takes the whole thing from cozy to café-level indulgent.
Reheat for crisp edges: A toaster oven or skillet is best for reviving leftovers. Microwave works in a pinch but loses that fresh-off-the-pan magic.
Ingredient Swaps: No cottage cheese ? You can use Greek yogurt instead, but the pancakes will be slightly less fluffy. No maple syrup ? Honey or agave work too, or you can use monkfruit sweetener in the batter and glaze. No gluten-free flour ? Use regular all-purpose flour or oat flour if you prefer. Just note that the texture may vary. Want it dairy-free? ? Use a dairy-free cream cheese and plant-based milk for the glaze. No oil ? You can omit the oil entirely or sub with applesauce for added moisture.
Storage: Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or toaster oven for best texture.
More Pancake Recipes to try:
Carrot Cake Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes:
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 4 pasture-raised eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or coconut oil, optional — can reduce or omit
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup carrots finely shredded
- Optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or 1/4 cup raisins
Cream Cheese Maple Glaze:
- 2 oz cream cheese softened or use dairy-free
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp milk of choice add more if needed to thin
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all pancake ingredients. If you don’t like the texture of cottage cheese, blend it smooth before adding.
- Stir together until fully combined. The batter will be thick.
- Heat a nonstick or greased skillet over medium heat.
- Scoop pancake batter into the pan. If using muffin rings for shape, spray them well before filling.
- Cook each pancake for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- While pancakes are cooking, whisk glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk to reach a drizzle-worthy consistency.
- Stack pancakes, drizzle with glaze, and top with extra chopped nuts if you’d like.
- Enjoy warm!
