Cottage Cheese Pancakes are soft, fluffy, and protein-packed. They are also easy to make and you probably already have all of the ingredients in the refrigerator. These breakfast pancakes puff up like nobody’s business and reheat well.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe drizzled with syrup

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

My son does this hilarious thing where he pretends to fall over and pass out after tasting something that is just way too good for words. These pancakes passed his test and the kids went back for seconds. 

We love pancakes in our house and recipes like Dutch Baby Pancakes, Crepes, and Pumpkin Pancakes are on the regular rotation. Pancakes are such a treat for breakfast, especially on weekends when we slow down and really savor the first meal of the day as a family.

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Pancakes

  • Cottage Cheese – we use small curd, undrained
  • Vanilla extract – for flavor
  • Honey – adds natural sweetness
  • Eggs – add rich flavor and protein to the pancakes
  • Raisins (optional) -use brown or golden1/3 cup raisins (regular or white raisins)
  • All-purpose flour – measured correctly (fluff, spoon into measuring cup and level the top)
  • Baking soda – activated by cottage cheese to give these amazing rise
  • Oil to sautee – we use extra light olive oil
Ingredients for making pancakes with small curd cottage cheese

How to Make Cottage Cheese Pancakes

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs until well beaten. Add cottage, vanilla, honey, and whisk until combined then stir in 1/3 cup raisins.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda (if baking soda is lumpy, sift it into the flour). Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

3. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/low heat. Swirl in 2 Tbsp oil then add pancake batter a heaping Tablespoon at a time, or to your desired pancakes size. Sautee until pancake is puffed and golden on the first side (about 2-3 minutes) then flip and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batches and add more oil as needed.

Step by step how to make batter and sauté cottage cheese pancakes

Pro Tip: We recommend a splatter guard since these do create a little bit of splatter. If you see too much splattering, turning down the heat will help.

Common Questions

Can I substitute the cottage cheese?

If you prefer to use a different protein, you will love our Ricotta Cheese Pancakes or our Greek Yogurt Pancakes. We also have some fluffy Sour Cream Pancakes.

Can I substitute raisins?

You can leave the raisins out if you prefer a simpler pancake. The recipe will work just as well.

Are these Ukrainian Cottage Cheese Pancakes?

Ukrainian cheese pancakes are typically made with a dryer cheese called Farmer cheese and are called Syrniki.

How do I know when pancakes are done?

Cook pancakes about 2-3 minutes per side over medium/low heat. Flip the pancakes when they are nearly set on top and bubbles form around the edges of the pancakes.

Fluffy stack of cottage cheese pancakes

Serve With

We love to serve cottage cheese pancakes with fresh fruit and these toppings (P.S. It’s perfectly acceptable to make these pancakes for dinner).

Cottage cheese pancakes served with raspberries and maple syrup

Reheating Pancakes

These are amazing serve these while they are warm and puffy, but you can also keep them warm on a baking sheet in the oven while you finish up your batches. Leftover pancakes also reheat really well with any of these methods:

  • Bread Toaster – put pancakes in one at a time and toast until heated through.
  • Air Fryer – add cold pancakes into the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry at 350˚F for 2-3 minutes or just until heated through.
  • Skillet – Place skillet over medium heat and brush with butter if desired. Heat pancakes in a single layer (flipping once), just until warmed through.

Fluffy Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe

4.85 from 112 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Stack of cottage cheese pancakes drizzled with syrup
These cottage cheese pancakes are fluffy, delicious, easy to make and have really simple ingredients. They also reheat really well in the toaster if you have leftovers.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people (makes 18 pancakes)

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 large eggs until well beaten. Add 16 oz cottage cheese, 1 tsp vanilla, 3 Tbsp honey and whisk until combined. Stir in 1/3 cup raisins, if using.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour and 1 tsp baking soda (if your baking soda has any lumps at all, sift it into the flour). Whisk the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients.
  • Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/low heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Once the oil is hot, place a heaping tablespoon of pancake batter into the hot oil and sauté until golden and puffed up (about 2-3 min per side). I recommend a splatter guard since these do create a little bit of a splatter. If it's splattering too much, turning the heat down will help. Serve warm with sour cream, maple syrup, fruit or jam, or all of the above!

Notes

*To measure flour: fluff flour in the bin, spoon it into a dry ingredients measuring cup and level off the top. 

Nutrition Per Serving

271kcal Calories33g Carbs15g Protein8g Fat2g Saturated Fat1g Trans Fat112mg Cholesterol534mg Sodium201mg Potassium1g Fiber11g Sugar190IU Vitamin A1mg Vitamin C69mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Fluffy Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
271
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
112
mg
37
%
Sodium
 
534
mg
23
%
Potassium
 
201
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
33
g
11
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
11
g
12
%
Protein
 
15
g
30
%
Vitamin A
 
190
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
69
mg
7
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 271
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.85 from 112 votes (49 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Karin
    June 2, 2021

    I made half a batch, and added some apples that I had chopped and cooked earlier. I cooked them in a nonstick pan and used just a little butter. These pancakes were very good! I will be making them again.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 2, 2021

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Asha
    June 2, 2021

    Hi Natasha,
    Silly question for you. Can I use butter instead of oil?

    Thanks for sharing all your amazing recipes with us.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 2, 2021

      Hi Asha, yes, the butter will work to cook it in.

      Reply

  • Steven
    June 2, 2021

    Love all your recipes!

    Have you ever heard of using carbonated water in pancakes to keep light n Airy?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 2, 2021

      Hi Steven! I have not but that sounds like a great idea! Have you tried it before?

      Reply

  • Kristyn
    June 1, 2021

    Delicious!! I love adding cottage cheese to pancakes! There’s no other way to make them!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 1, 2021

      The best!! Thank you Kristyn!

      Reply

  • Natalie
    June 1, 2021

    They really are so fluffy!! It’s amazing what the cottage cheese adds! Delicious!

    Reply

  • May
    April 22, 2021

    Hi Natasha, have you tried using coconut flour instead/can I use coconut flour instead? Thank you

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 22, 2021

      Hello May, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 22, 2021

      Hi May, I haven’t tried that substitution to advise on the process or outcome.

      Reply

  • May
    December 21, 2020

    Hi! Do you drain the cottage cheese, and do you pack the 1 cup of flower? Also are they supposed to be so so soft that you can barely flip them? Tried twice and both times they are too soft to flip and rip into a pile. The flavor is awesome though! If I hold them until too dark, than I can flip without tearing. Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 22, 2020

      Hi May, make sure to use a non-stick pan for sauteeing as cheese can stick to a metal skillet and make it difficult to flip. Also, I spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off the top. I will always specify if I drain cottage cheese. In this recipe, I did not. I hope that helps.

      Reply

    • Mon
      September 29, 2021

      I have the same problem and if I leave them too long on one side to get to a point where I can flip it it just burns. 😩

      Reply

  • Liliya
    December 19, 2020

    Do you know how to make zapekanka?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 20, 2020

      Hi Liliya, I don’t have a recipe for that yet but thanks for your suggestion!

      Reply

  • Melinda Muyargas
    September 26, 2020

    These were very yummy! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 26, 2020

      You’re welcome, Melinda! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

  • Tanya
    July 3, 2020

    Would this work well on a stovetop griddle?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 3, 2020

      Hi Tanya, that may work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

      • Tanya
        July 22, 2020

        It worked well

        Reply

  • Roxy S
    April 11, 2020

    This is my third time making this recipe & I finally got it right. The first two times the pancakes were tough & flat. Some tips that helped me create fluffy delicious pancakes. First, don’t over mix the batter as it will make the pancakes tough. Second, let the mix rest for 15 minutes to thicken. Third, make sure you use wet & not dry cottage cheese. Fourth, make sure you use baking SODA not baking powder – the two are not the same happy cooking!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 11, 2020

      Thank you for sharing those tips with us Roxy!

      Reply

  • Dana
    July 24, 2019

    Natasha, do you have a Zapekanka (запеканка) recipe? Would love to make for kids too.

    Reply

  • Ronna Stefan
    May 20, 2019

    Loved these. Hubby likes them better than regular pancakes. I like how they taste, and there is more protein. Super easy as well.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 20, 2019

      I also love how easy this recipe is! Thank you for sharing that awesome feedback with me, Ronna!

      Reply

      • Ronna Stefan
        December 23, 2019

        Just made them again now that I’m on holidays. Sharing your recipe around like crazy – everyone loves these.

        Reply

  • Es Mos
    February 28, 2019

    This recipe is sooo yummy I had tons of cottage cheese to use up. Only thing is my pancakes didn’t look nearly as pretty as yours! I had to turn up the temp to med, med high and cover them with a lid of they would be way too runny to flip. Anyway, working with cottage cheese can be tricky but I’m glad it worked out. Sooo yum. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 28, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Marina
    January 25, 2019

    Can you make this with homemade tvorog instead of cottage cheese?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 25, 2019

      Hi Marina, they would be awesome with tvorog, let me know how you like them :).

      Reply

  • Madina Sabri
    December 15, 2018

    This was so delicious! I had the huge tub of cottage cheese from Costco about to expire. I made these today and they were so tasty! And protein packed! Dang!!! I want to try with pastry whole wheat next time. This is going to be my go to pancake! Thank you! I had these with cherry jam and Trader Joe’s European yogurt, and agave syrup on the other one.

    I have tried so many recipes now! And love most of your recipes!!! Thank you for keeping our palate happy!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 15, 2018

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite! Thank you for that wonderful review, Madina!

      Reply

  • Mette Aamand Nielsen
    June 13, 2018

    Is it possible to save the batter for the next day? 🙂 Looking really forward to making them!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 13, 2018

      Hi Mette, You can definitely store this batter in the fridge for a day or two! Enjoy!

      Reply

  • Lin
    June 11, 2018

    My new go-to pancake recipe! We had never tried cottage cheese pancakes before. I added cinnamon to mine, and just a few mini chocolate chips to my daughters’–they loved it. My nine year old couldn’t figure out what I did to make them taste “better” thank our usual recipe, and my 4 year old cleared her plate in about a minute, which is compliment enough! Didn’t even need syrup, the honey made them perfectly sweet without being overbearing. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 11, 2018

      That’s so great, Lin! It sounds like you have a new family favorite! Thank you for the great review. 🙂

      Reply

  • Allison Farcus
    May 22, 2018

    My 10 year old daughter said she wanted to try cottage cheese. I bought it. Not the reaction I had hoped. When life gives you lemons….. tried this recipe and even used whole wheat flour. Still totally fluffy and delicious. Added semisweet chocolate chips to her batch. Really delicious recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 22, 2018

      Awesome, I’m happy to hear the recipe was a great success! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review Allison!

      Reply

  • Lana
    December 19, 2017

    What’s difference between extra light virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 19, 2017

      Hi Lana, extra virgin is not meant to be used for cooking since it has a low smoke point and it is very flavorful – ideal for salads and drizzling over finished foods. Extra light olive oil (I buy it at Costco) has a very high smoke point similar to canola oil but it’s healthier so I use it for pretty much everything – sautéing, baking, deep frying even 🙂

      Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.