Chef Richard Blais uses cottage cheese in his pancake batter for soft and fluffy results, but the dad in him also likes the protein boost for his kids.
"Honestly, pancakes are one of my family's favorite meals," Richard says. "We do breakfast for dinner every once in a while, and my kids love it. These pancakes are so fluffy, soft, and delicious! There's lots of protein in these pancakes. They don't have to be perfect circles, because if it's not perfect, you can use creativity as an excuse!"
Richard also uses the magic of cottage cheese to make light and airy gnocchi and a super-quick pizza dough.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sugar (you can also use coconut sugar or white cane sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter, plus more for topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup maple syrup, warmed
Yield
Preparation
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, then add to the mixing bowl along with the egg, vanilla, buttermilk and cottage cheese, then whisk to combine. This will be a thick batter, where it moves around the bowl but is not pourable; if batter is too thick, add another splash of buttermilk or cold water. Let batter sit for 2 to 3 minutes before cooking.
Heat skillet or griddle over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon butter. Scoop about ⅓ cup batter for each pancake and drop into the hot skillet, using a spoon to gently spread the batter a bit. Cook until edges start to brown. Flip and cook about 1 to 2 minutes more until golden and fluffy. Repeat with the remaining batter and 2 tablespoons butter. Serve topped with more butter and warm maple syrup.
