Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes – (Over 35g of Protein!)

With a soft and fluffy texture, these healthy carrot cake protein pancakes feature sweet grated carrots and warm cinnamon spice. The entire family will enjoy this high protein breakfast!

Why you’ll love these carrot cake protein pancakes

• Topped with pure maple syrup or thick cream cheese frosting, it tastes like you are eating a rich, decadent dessert.
• The recipe provides over 35 grams of protein per serving!
• They are also great if you want a high fiber breakfast, for Easter morning or any other day of the year. Just five carrot pancakes give you close to ten grams of fiber, which is more than a third of the RDA for an entire day.
• Imagine IHOP in your very own kitchen, with no need to ever leave your pajamas.
• The pancakes are high in vitamin A, low calorie and low fat, with egg free, dairy free, whole grain, vegan, and gluten free options all included.

You may also like this Carrot Cake Banana Bread

Step by step recipe video

Key ingredients

The recipe calls for pantry staple ingredients, and there’s no pancake mix required to make these easy carrot cake pancakes from scratch.

Shredded carrot – Purple, yellow, red, white, or traditional orange carrots all work. You will need a third cup of shredded carrot for the recipe. I find that the easiest and fastest way to shred carrots is in a food processor.

Flour – Spelt flour, white all purpose flour, or cup-for-cup gluten free flour yield light pancakes. Oat flour or whole wheat flour are tasty but give you denser pancakes. I also include a keto option below, for those who prefer to use almond flour.

Protein powder – Use your favorite flavored or unsweetened protein powder. Or for protein pancakes without protein powder, increase the flour by an extra third cup instead.

Cinnamon & vanilla – One teaspoon of high quality ground cinnamon brings out the bakery carrot cake quality of these pancakes. Pure vanilla extract compliments the natural sweetness in the vegetables.

Liquid – Add half a cup milk of choice or water, plus more liquid to thin out the batter as needed. The recipe also uses one optional egg or additional water.

Yogurt or oil – Choose vegetable or coconut oil (my favorite), or plain Greek yogurt. Or feel free to substitute mashed banana, pureed zucchini, or even crushed pineapple for the oil or yogurt.

Sweetener – I like pure maple syrup, and honey or unrefined coconut sugar are good options too. Really, you can use any all purpose liquid or granulated sugar or a sugar free sweetener like xylitol or stevia. For savory carrot pancakes, it is fine to cut back on the sweetener.

Other ingredients: Baking powder helps the pancakes to rise higher and imparts a super fluffy, soft texture. Half a teaspoon salt balances out the sweetness.

How to make high protein carrot cake pancakes

1. Start by gathering all ingredients, and reading through the recipe instructions.
2. Combine the flour, protein powder, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Stir well.
3. Whisk in the milk or water, shredded carrot, sweetener, oil or yogurt, optional egg, and pure vanilla extract until just evenly mixed.
4. For thinner pancakes, slowly add more water until it reaches a traditional pancake batter thickness. Or for super thick pancakes, do not stir in any additional water.
5. If time permits, allow the batter to rest for ten to fifteen minutes. This step is optional and gives the flour more time to absorb liquid. The result is a lighter, fluffier pancake with fewer lumps.
6. Grease a large skillet or pancake griddle well, and place the pan over medium heat.
7. After about a minute, test the skillet by adding a few drops of water. If the liquid sizzles, the pan is hot enough and ready for use.
8. Drop small ladles full of pancake batter onto the preheated skillet, then spread into an even pancake shape so the middles and sides will cook evenly.
9. When the edges begin to look dry, use a spatula to flip each carrot cake pancake. Continue to cook about one minute longer before removing from the heat.
10. Repeat until all pancakes are cooked. Re-grease the skillet between batches if needed, to prevent sticking.
11. Serve hot, topped with maple syrup and butter, cream cheese or vanilla frosting, or chopped apples, raisins, and crushed nuts.
12. If you find yourself with leftover pancakes, let them cool before transferring to an airtight covered container. Refrigerate for up to five days. Or freeze for up to three months, with a layer of parchment paper in between pancakes too prevent sticking. Thaw frozen pancakes and reheat before enjoying.

Carrot cake protein pancake topping ideas

Traditional diner style. You can’t get more classic than hot maple pancake syrup and melted butter or vegan butter.

Dessert for breakfast. Top with your favorite store bought or homemade cream cheese frosting and a generous sprinkle of carrots, raisins, and diced walnuts, almonds, or pecans.

Tropical. Spread coconut yogurt or whipped cream, toasted shredded coconut, and fresh chopped pineapple or mango on top of the pancakes.

Almond butter and jelly. Carrot cake pancakes are filling and tasty when paired with a tablespoon or two of softened almond or cashew butter or tahini and fruit jam.

Savory pancakes. Veggie pancakes make a great side dish for lunch or dinner, not just for breakfast! Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese or dairy free sour cream.

The recipe was adapted from my Vegan Protein Pancakes and Chocolate Protein Pancakes.

• 1. Stir flour, protein powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

• 2. Whisk in milk or water, shredded carrot, sweetener, oil or yogurt, optional egg, and vanilla until just evenly mixed. If thinner pancakes are desired, slowly stir in more water.

• 3. If time permits, let the batter rest 10 minutes.

• 4. Grease a large skillet or pancake griddle. Place over medium heat.

• 5. After a minute, test the pan by adding a few drops of water. The skillet is hot and ready to use once the water sizzles.

• 6. Drop small ladles of batter onto the hot skillet. Then spread into pancake shapes so they will cook evenly in the centers.

• 7. Once edges begin to look dry, flip the carrot cake protein pancakes and continue to cook another minute. Remove from the heat.

• 8. To prevent sticking, re-grease the pan after each batch of pancakes.

• 9. Serve hot, topped with pure maple syrup or cream cheese frosting, chopped walnuts, and raisins.

More high protein breakfast ideas

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Protein Banana Bread

Blueberry Protein Muffins

Protein Waffles

Tofu Scramble

Homemade Protein Bars