14 Healthy Pancake Recipes to Make for Brunch

Pancake photo via Caterina Guidoni/flickr

On lazy weekend mornings, pancakes are a breakfast staple—but they’re not exactly healthy. To avoid the post-pancake sugar crash and carbohydrate overload, we searched the web to bring you healthy alternatives. Below, 14 pancake recipes that will give you energy for the day ahead.

1. Coconut Flour Pancakes
via The Little Pine

These fiber-filled pancakes use coconut oil and coconut flour for a healthy breakfast. Because the batter spreads more than normal pancakes, you may need to shape it into smaller rounds when it’s in the pan.

2. Oatmeal Pancakes with Nectarines and Cherries
via Real Food Whole Life

This gluten-free recipe is made with oats, eggs, and apple cider vinegar. If you make too many, these pancakes can also be frozen and reheated in the toaster on busy mornings.

3. Whole Wheat Yogurt Pancakes
via Feasting Not Fasting

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine them to form the batter. Vegans can use non-dairy yogurt, a flax or chia seed egg substitute, and nut milk.

4. Sprouted Barley Pancakes with Chai-Poached Pears
via To Her Core

To sprout the barley, soak it in water overnight, place the grains in a sprouter, and wait until they grow small tails. If you don’t have a sprouter, just soaking the barley in a jar overnight will suffice.

5. Cottage Cheese Pancakes
via Chomps of Life

Oat flour, cottage cheese, eggs, and coconut flour are blended together to create this batter. The recipe uses sugar-free vanilla syrup as a sweetener, but maple syrup and honey are also great options.

6. Blueberry Chia Pancakes
via Spinach 4 Breakfast

Instead of maple syrup, these pancakes use a fresh blueberry sauce made out of honey, oat flour, and blueberries. Cook the mixture on low heat to prevent it from burning.

7. Protein Packed Pancakes
via Elemental Custard 

Protein from the egg whites and cottage cheese will provide more satiety than normal pancakes. A ripe banana is also used as a natural sweetener, upping your produce intake.

8. Almond Flour Pancakes
via Marin Mama Cooks

Perfect for those who are trying to go low-carb, these pancakes are made with almond flour, eggs, and almond milk. Use a 1/4 cup measure to get the right amount of batter for each pancake.

9. Zucchini Bread Protein Pancakes
via Noshed

Grated zucchini adds moisture to these spelt and oat flour pancakes. Though the recipe calls for vegan protein powder, any type you have around the house will work fine.

10. Carrot Cake Pancakes
via Goodness is Gorgeous 

To feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast, try this recipe. Create a thick batter with the flour, almond milk, and spices and add the carrots and raisins last.

11. Quinoa Flour Banana Pancakes
via Ambitious Kitchen

These gluten-free pancakes use quinoa flour and Greek yogurt for a soft and fluffy texture. If the batter is too thick when mixed, add more milk until it’s thinned out.

12. Green Smoothie Pancakes 
via Runnin Srilankan

Bored with your morning smoothie? Give it an update by making a pancake from spinach, banana, protein powder, and brown rice flour.

13. Three-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
via Kylee’s Kitchen

Mashed bananas, cinnamon, and eggs are the only ingredients needed for this easy recipe. The pancakes spread far on the pan, so use small dollops of batter.

14. Sweet Potato Pancakes
via The Foodie Physician

Sweet potato prevents the pancakes from falling apart while adding sweetness. To easily prepare the sweet potato, poke holes in it and cook in the microwave for about five minutes, then mash with a fork.