Tips for Healthier Pancakes

If you love pancakes and wonder how this carbohydrate food can fit into your healthy eating plan, we’ve got your back. While traditional pancakes often lack fiber, protein, or healthy fats, there are plenty of recipe modifications to try that can help give your pancakes a nutritional boost that works with your health goals.

6 Ideas for the Batter

Let’s start with the foundation of a pancake – the batter. Below are some easy ingredient substitutions or add-ins to pack those extra nutrients better aligning with your health goals.

1. Boost the Fiber with White Whole Wheat Flour Instead of All-Purpose

Increase the fiber content using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose white flour. White whole wheat flour is one of our favorites because it has the same soft texture, similar to all-purpose flour, but with the nutritional benefits of wheat flour. It’s also easy to use as you’ll substitute it in a 1:1 ratio for all-purpose flour.

Pro Tip: the weight in grams of 1 cup of flour will differ depending on the type and brand used. If using King Arthur Flour, note that 1 cup of flour equals:

• 113 grams of white whole wheat
• 120 grams of unbleached all-purpose flour

2.  Use a Pantry Staple like Oats

Not interested in buying a new flour? Try using those oats in your pantry! Not only are they typically a pantry staple, but they’re also inexpensive and pack soluble fiber, most commonly known for its cholesterol-lowering benefits. Try substituting half of the flour in your recipe with quick oats or oat flour.  

In general, we’ve found that if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, you can use 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of oat flour or quick oats without adjusting the other ingredients. 

Quick oats add extra texture to the batter, but you can also pulse oats in a food processor or blender to make homemade oat flour ideal for smoother pancakes.

3. Cut the Sugar in Half

Sugar in pancake batter isn’t there solely for the sweetness factor. It also helps with the texture and browning of the pancakes while they cook. However, if you’re working on reducing added sugars,  try using only half the recommended amount of sugar in the original recipe. You can also experiment by eliminating the granulated sugar and using honey or pure maple syrup instead. These liquid sweeteners provide more concentrated sweetness than granulated sugar, which results in needing to add less.

4. Add Fruit like Pumpkin or Banana

Both pumpkin and banana are excellent sources of fiber and potassium while also packing antioxidant content. Fruit like bananas are naturally sweet, which might allow you to nix the added sugar altogether. How do you add them to your mix? One option is to add a third to a half cup of the pureed fruit into the batter and then adjust the amount of liquid until the batter reaches your desired consistency. Another option is to use the puree as a 1:1 substitution for oil or melted butter in the recipe.

Pro Tip: If using pumpkin, try adding vanilla extract and cinnamon into the batter for some additional fun flavors.

5. Increase the Healthy Fats with Seeds

They may be tiny, but chia and flax seeds provide a serious nutritional punch. Both seeds are rich in essential minerals like magnesium and calcium. They’re also great sources of fiber and plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. Start by adding one serving to the batter, which is usually 1-3 tablespoons depending on the brand. You can use ground or whole chia seeds in this swap. If using flax seeds, be sure to use ground flaxseed, not whole. Ground flaxseed is often labeled as a flaxseed meal.

Another idea to use the seeds is as an egg substitute. To make one flax or chia egg, combine 1 tablespoon of whole chia seeds or ground flaxseeds (flaxseed meal) with 2.5 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Mix and then allow to sit for about 5 minutes. During this time, the mixture will thicken. 

Pro Tip: store your seeds in the refrigerator or freezer to best preserve nutrition content.

6. Boost the Protein with Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese 

An easy way to make pancakes more filling is by adding a source of protein to the batter, like plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. You can use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in place of the milk or liquid in the recipe. If it becomes too thick for your liking, thin it out slowly by adding water.

Pro Tip: Greek yogurt will be a better choice for those needing lower-sodium alternatives.

7. Consider Protein Powder 

Another idea for increasing the protein content is to use your favorite protein powder. Generally, for every 1 cup of flour, you can substitute one-third cup of protein powder and two-thirds cup of flour. Depending on your protein powder, you may need to add a little extra liquid to achieve the desired consistency.

Tips for Using Grain-Free Flours

Whether you’re gluten-free, allergic to wheat, or trying to reduce your carbohydrate intake, here are some general tips for working with specialty substitutes. Almond or coconut flour are the most popular varieties to use. They each require changes to the recipe to yield the right consistency.

Coconut Flour

• Try making a bunch of very small pancakes rather than standard-sized ones. This is because pancakes made with coconut flour are often more delicate and harder to flip.  
• Unless the recipe advises, don’t try to use a flax or chia egg with coconut flour.  The pancakes will hold together best by using actual eggs in the batter. 

Almond Flour

• Be sure to cook low and slow, as almond flour tends to brown faster than other flours.

Syrup Substitutes

For many of us, a stack of pancakes isn’t complete without a generous layer of syrup. While delicious, this topping contains ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and 14 grams of sugar in only one tablespoon. 

Instead, try one or two of these healthier topping ideas:

• Chia seed jam instead of fruit-flavored syrup (only 4 grams of sugar per 3 tablespoon serving)
• Unsweetened nut butter for extra protein and healthy fats.  
• Pile on the fresh fruit
• Whipped instead of regular butter 
• A dollop of plain Greek yogurt instead of butter

How to Turn Pancakes into a Balanced Meal 

1. Use Fiber-Rich Ingredients or Toppings

As mentioned, there are a lot of healthy, high-fiber ingredients you can add or substitute in your batters, such as whole wheat flour, oats, pumpkin puree, flaxseed meal, and fresh or frozen berries. 

2. Add Healthy Fats to the Batter or as Toppings.

Healthy fats that go well in or on top of pancakes include ingredients like avocado or olive oil, chia and flax seeds, nuts, and unsweetened nut butter.

3. Include a Source of Lean Protein on the Side 

To help keep you full without needing extra servings of pancakes, make sure to include a source of lean protein. This could be a bowl of plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, simple scrambled eggs, a veggie frittata, egg muffins, homemade turkey sausage, or even a tofu scramble. 

6 Pancake Recipes to Try 

Looking for some inspiration? Here are some pancake recipes to enjoy: 

• Gluten-Free Banana Flour Pancakes — per serving: 222 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated), 30g carb, 5g fiber, 2g sugar, and 8g protein. 
• Coconut Flour Pancakes (Keto-friendly) — per serving: 189 calories, 16g fat (9g saturated), 6g carb, 3g fiber, 1g sugar, and 6g protein. 
• Cottage Cheese Banana Oatmeal Pancakes — per serving: 324 calories, 8g fat (1g saturated), 42g carb, 5.5g fiber, 10g sugar, and 20g protein. 
• Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Blueberry Pancakes — per serving: 343 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated), 46g carb, 7g fiber, 8g sugar, 17g protein.
• Fluffy Oat Pancakes with Protein Powder — per serving: 147 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated), 14g carb, 2g fiber, 3g sugar, and 9g protein.
• Light and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes — per serving: 203 calories, 1.5g fat (>0.5g saturated), 42g carb, 1g fiber, 9g sugar, and 5g protein. 

The Bottom Line 

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a fluffy stack of pancakes with syrup. If you’re open to tweaking that original recipe, pancakes can become a balanced breakfast filled with essential nutrients to keep you fueled all morning.