Easy and Healthy Kefir Pancakes with whole wheat flour, no buttermilk, butter or sugar! Kefir protein pancakes use protein powder and are just as light and fluffy as your favorite breakfast food.

It’s really been a hot second since I’ve made pancakes. My husband and I usually go for waffles since they’re easier to get right – no need to worry about when to flip anything, and no problem if the batter is too runny. The machine handles the shape.

But fluffy pancakes was the craving this time and the Kefir I had in my fridge was the perfect substitute for buttermilk to get that result.

Can you use Kefir to make Pancakes?

You can use Kefir in place of buttermilk for pancakes and they turn out just amazing! Light and fluffy and super flavorful.

In addition to that, you also get the benefit of added calcium, protein and probiotics!

Ingredients for Healthy Kefir Pancakes Recipe

This recipe for healthy kefir pancakes is made with clean ingredients with no refined flour, butter or sugar; Whole wheat kefir pancakes htat are high protein and low fat!

Low Fat Plain Kefir; I used the one from Lifeway Kefir.
Whole wheat pastry flour – its light like all-purpose flour, but has benefits of whole grain
Unflavored Protein Powder to replace some of the flour (and carbs) and make it an extra high protein pancake; I used Quest Nutrition Multi purpose protein powder.
Vanilla Protein Powder to add some sweetness. I used Quest Nut r ition Vanilla.
Unsweetneed Applesauce
Unsweetened Almond Milk
An Egg
Vanilla Extract
Baking Power and Baking Soda

How to Make Kefir Protein Pancakes

These Kefir protein pancakes are super easy to make.

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl – the flour, unflavored and vanilla protein powder, baking powder and baking soda

Mix wet ingredients in another bowl – kefir, applesauce, milk, egg and vanilla extract

Make pancake batter – add dry mix into wet and stir

Heat nonstick pan or griddle on medium-low, and grease with cooking spray.

Scoop out about ¼ cup mixture at a time onto pan and cook until edges are dry and top has bubbles. Flip and cook the other side; About 2 minutes each side.

Tips for using Protein Powder and Kefir for Pancakes

Using protein powder instead of some flour and Kefir instead of buttermilk for pancakes is super easy, but here’s somep pointers to get ir right

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately and well so that the combined batter is smooth

Don’t over-mix the pancake batter; Some clumps of flour are okay. If you mix too much, the pancakes won’t fluff up.

Use a nonstick pan so the protein Kefir pancakes don’t stick to the pan.

Medium-low heat to prevent the healthy kefir pancakes from burning before they cook though.

Grease the pan well between each pancake batch so that the pancakes don’t stick to the pan.

Let the sides dry out, top form bubbles before flipping a sign that the bottom is also cooked completely; This way you won’t have to double flip later.

Alternate Ingredients for Easy and Healthy Kefir Pancakes

If you don’t have all the ingredients listed, use the following ingredient swaps and your Kefir pancakes will be just as easy!

All purpose flour or Gluten-free baking flour in place of Whole Wheat Pastry Flour.
Replace in the same amount by weight not cups
More flour in place of Unflavored Protein Powder; Do not use milk in this case. Only add if needed later.
Regular or other non-dairy milk instead of Almond Milk
Pumpkin Puree or Mashed Banana instead of Applesauce

More Protein Pancake Recipes:

Or some High Protein Dessert Recipes with Kefir: