cinnamon swirl protein pancakes

Pancakes are an American staple. I find it hard to believe anyone could grow up in a household without them. Well I wanted to put my own spin on a much healthier version – Cinnamon Swirl Banana Pancakes.
This recipe was partially inspired from a recent partnership opportunity with one of the most respective supplement companies in business today, Optimum Nutrition (ON). Frequently regarded as the gold standard of supplements, ON has been pumping out high quality nutritional supplements for decades. Just recently, they dipped their toe into the plant based world and came out with their new product: Gold Standard 100% Plant Based Protein.
The other part of my inspiration, funny enough, was from ON’s competitor, Vega. They had a cinnamon bun pancake recipe that I thought was super creative and would be fun to remake.

Pancake Ingredients
Keeping the ingredients minimal was a priority. So I opted for flour, protein powder, one banana, and plant milk. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Since the protein powder is sweetened with stevia and a ripe banana packs its own sweet flavor, there was no need to add any additional sugar (or sweeteners) to the batter.
To start, first mix the flour and protein powder together in a large bowl. Then, using a spoon or your hand, scoop out a pocket in the center. This will create a small hole for your wet ingredients.
In the center pocket, add your mashed banana and slowly pour in your plant milk. Use a whisk to mix until combined, but no more than that! This is the part that requires a little finesse.
You don’t want to over mix pancake batter (especially using whole wheat flour) because it becomes too firm, almost rubbery as it cooks. However, when protein powder is mixed with liquid it tends to clump, unless its whisked directly.
So when whisking this mixture, whisk hard and fast for as little time as possible. The fast whisking will take care of the protein clumps without you causing you to over mix.
Once you mix the batter, heat a large skillet (or griddle) over medium heat.

Cinnamon Swirl Mixture
Now for the fun part! Add ¼ cup of your pancake batter to a small bowl. Then add the rest of your cinnamon swirl ingredients in the same bowl and whisk until combined.
You want a semi-thick mixture that’s thinner than your pancake batter, but not watery. That way, when you squeeze it out of the Ziploc bag, you can create a proper swirl.
Now, add your cinnamon swirl mixture to your Ziploc bag. Tilt the bag so that the mixture slides in one corner, then using a pair of scissors, snip off a small piece of opposite corner (¼ inch or less).

Cooking the Protein Pancakes
Once your skillet is hot, add 1 tsp of coconut oil to start. You may need more later, but this will do for now. After about 30 seconds, add ¼ cup of your pancake mixture.
Using a spoon, fork, or ladle to flatten the batter and keep it in a uniform circle. Cook for approximately one minute. You should notice bubbles starting to form.
Now, you can begin creating your cinnamon swirl! Grab your bag and tighten your grip around the snipped end so the liquid can’t fall out. When you’re ready, slowly loosen your grip to allow the mixture to stream out, creating a swirl in the process.
Start on the outer edges and work your way inward. Once your swirl is finished, allow the pancake to finish cooking (total of 2-3 minutes), then flip quickly using a spatula.
Depending on your stove or griddle strength, cooking times may vary, so keep a close eye on it. But whatever you do, don’t lift it up too early, otherwise you’ll pull apart the pancake before it’s finished. Your first couple pancakes might be testers, as were mine on my first attempt!

Breakfast of Champions
After your pancakes are finished, feel free to top with some syrup, sliced bananas, nuts, or any of your other favorite toppings.
These Cinnamon Swirl Protein Pancakes are so delicious and a much healthier way to cook pancakes. Packed with protein and whole grains, you’ll leave the table full and satisfied.
If you’re a breakfast lover like myself, you should try my other breakfast recipes:

cinnamon swirl protein pancakes
cinnamon swirl protein pancakes
Prep Time
Total Time
10 minutes
20 minutes
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Total Time:
20 minutes
Servings:
6
Cuisine:
vegan
Category:
breakfast
Diet:
dairy free
Author:
plant based scotty
ingredients :
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Plant Protein Powder Vanilla Flavored (or your preferred brand that is vanilla flavored)*
1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or favorite unsweetened plant milk)
1-3 tsp coconut oil
1 ziplock sandwich bag
1/4 cup pancake batter
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp filtered water
1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon (can sub with regular cinnamon)
2 tsp vanilla extract
serve with :
maple syrup
chopped nuts
sliced bananas
ground cinnamon for dusting pancakes
notes :
*This protein is sweetened with stevia, giving the pancakes a slight sweetness. If you use a different brand of protein, I highly recommend this one.
**Over-mixing will cause your batter to be more rubbery and less fluffy. With that said, protein powder clumps easily, so whisk very fast, but for a short period of time.
directions :
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk to combine. Create a small pocket in the center of your bowl by scooping the dry mix to the side.
- Add your banana to the pocket and slowly pour in plank milk. Using a whisk, mix the wet and dry ingredients; mixing only enough to combine.**
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for your cinnamon swirl mix. Then, pour it in your ziplock sandwich bag and snip off one end, allowing the bag to sit upright (snipped end up) until ready.
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil and spread it around your pan. Then add 1/4 cup pancake batter into the pan and cook 45-60 seconds until you see bubbles starting to form.
- Now add your cinnamon swirl on the top of your pancake, starting outside and working your way in. Once an additional 1-2 minutes has gone by, flip your pancake quickly. Cook the swirl side for another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
notes :
*This protein is sweetened with stevia, giving the pancakes a slight sweetness. If you use a different brand of protein, I highly recommend this one.
**Over-mixing will cause your batter to be more rubbery and less fluffy. With that said, protein powder clumps easily, so whisk very fast, but for a short period of time.
