By 16 grams of protein per waffle and no protein powder in these protein waffles! Made with whole ingredients like cottage cheese, all-purpose flour, and whole eggs, they are easy to whip up on a Sunday morning or just for breakfast.
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I've become a bit of a snob with pancakes and waffles after developing 3 ingredient cottage cheese waffles and 12 high-protein pancake recipes. With waffles, I've learned it comes down to adding a little fat for those crisp edges and having a slightly thicker batter so it stays in the waffle iron.
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if using low fat cottage cheese
Or greek yogurt for that matter! You need to add 1-2 tablespoon of oil or melted butter. The fat comes to the surface while the waffles cook and sets, which is why waffles have that crisp exterior. So we need some fat!
key ingredients & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Flour: All purpose or 1:1 gluten free work. Oat flour works too, but can be a little gummy.
- Cottage cheese: Opt for full fat or add 1-2 tablespoon oil or melted butter. Greek yogurt works too.
- Eggs: Lots of eggs = lots of protein!
- Baking powder: Helps with lift and that airy texture.
- Vanilla bean paste: My secret weapon for a great taste. Vanilla extract works too - use 1 tsp.
- Maple syrup: Honey or agave works too.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
heat your waffle iron up first!
It's ready once the light goes off. Then open it up and let it be for 30 seconds, then add your batter and done press it down hard, just let the weight of the lid do the pressing.
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Let the batter rest for 3-5 minutes before cooking. You can do this while the waffle iron is heating up. Helps the gluten relax a bit.
- Don't open the lid early; this can cause the waffle to be pulled in half.
- To keep waffles warm and crispy, place them directly on the oven rack at 200 deg while you finish cooking the others. A baking sheet can trap the steam and make them soggy.
quick recipe video
help my waffles are sticking!
Either your waffles aren't done, or it needs more spray. Try prying it off carefully with a fork. If not going anywhere, leave them to cook a bit longer. Otherwise, give it a generous coat of nonstick spray or a brush of butter before every single waffle, not just the first one.
my waffles taste too eggy
Drop to 4 eggs and add an extra tablespoon of cottage cheese. Five eggs are the version that maximizes protein (and I love the taste and texture!); four eggs give a milder flavor that some people prefer.
testing so many waffles
I tested these with oats in the blender first, the way most high protein waffle recipes online go. The texture was good but softer - more of a thick pancake than a waffle with bite. Switching to all-purpose flour gave me the structure I was looking for. I also tested with low-fat cottage cheese and no added fat - the waffles cooked through but never really crisped. Adding just one tablespoon of melted butter to the low-fat version fixed it completely. Full-fat cottage cheese is the cleaner solution if you have it.
Recipe
protein waffles
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free flour)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- ½ cup full-fat cottage cheese (full-fat Greek yogurt; or low-fat cottage cheese + 1-2 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil)
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (or agave or honey)
- ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Blend together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 pinch fine sea salt, ½ cup full-fat cottage cheese, 5 large eggs, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, and ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste. If using low fat cottage cheese, also add your oil or melted butter.
- Preheat waffle iron fully. Spray generously with nonstick spray. Meanwhile let the batter rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Pour batter according to your waffle iron's capacity (usually about ⅓ cup). Cook until steam slows and edges look set or the light goes off (I set mine to level 4), about 4 to 5 minutes depending on your iron. Don't open early.Makes 6 waffles (you could probably get one more out of the batter if you really scrape down the blender).
- Transfer finished waffles directly to an oven rack at 200°F to keep warm and crispy while you finish the batch.
- Serve with berries, Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
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