High-Protein Pancake Bread Recipe

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Whether you're hosting a special brunch or just looking to meal prep breakfast, this high-protein pancake bread — brought to us by recipe developer Miriam Hahn — is a delicious way to pack in some protein. Golden and topped with a cinnamon-sugar crust, this high-protein bread has the same buttery maple flavor and comparable fluffy texture of a pancake stack, but in convenient loaf form. We've added a hidden scoop of vanilla protein powder and creamy Greek yogurt in the bread batter to amp up the protein level and provide enough substance to make this yummy bread as filling and nourishing as it is tasty.

"One of my favorite things about this recipe is the how much easier to make it is than pancakes," Hahn says. "No standing at the stove waiting for pancake bubbles and hoping for an easy flip. Pouring the simple batter into a loaf pan and popping it in the oven will become your new favorite way to enjoy pancakes." As an added bonus, this pancake bread makes it easier to serve a crowd, so if you've got a hungry, pancake-loving family to feed, this recipe will surely simplify your busy mornings.

To make this recipe, you'll need some baking basics like all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar. To add to the protein in this recipe, you'll need some vanilla protein powder and Greek yogurt. To sweeten things up (and help provide that distinct pancake flavor), you'll need maple syrup.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until combined.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter and ½ cup sugar until smooth and creamy.

Beat in the eggs.

Mix in the maple syrup, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 teaspoons flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the topping.

Sprinkle the topping over the top of the batter.

Bake the bread for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 25 minutes.

Slice and serve.

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There are several ingredient substitutions that can be made based on your dietary requirements. Should you be looking for a gluten-free option, the easiest fix is substituting the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour. Or you can swap the all-purpose flour for a combination of oat and almond flour, though you may need to experiment to find the right ratio of flours that yields a bread texture you like. 

For dairy free swaps, use a dairy-free yogurt like cashew or coconut yogurt. For the butter, switch to a dairy-free or vegan butter, or use the same amount of coconut oil. If you want to make the recipe vegan, do these options, plus use flax eggs instead of real eggs. To do this, make 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Combine the flax seeds and water and let it sit for 10 minutes to gel up before adding in step 5. To keep things vegan, you'll also want to use a plant-based protein powder that is made from hemp, pea, or rice protein. If you want to skip the protein powder, sub in 2 tablespoons of nut butter or 2 tablespoons of almond flour. Finally, for the sweetener, date syrup, agave syrup and coconut sugar all work here.

One of the best things about this pancake bread is that it can be made ahead. If you want to make it just one day ahead and you have time to bake it before serving, you can make the batter a day in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to bake, just give it a good stir before pouring into the loaf pan. If there won't be time to bake right before serving, go ahead and bake the entire loaf up to three days in advance. Store the baked, cooled bread in an airtight container in the fridge — it will last this way for up to 6 days, but will taste the best if consumed within three days.

To get more shelf life from the pancake bread, freezing is a good option. You can either freeze the entire loaf, or freeze individual slices. To freeze the whole loaf, let it completely cool, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then store in a large freezer bag or freezer container. To freeze slices, slice after the bread has completely cooled, then wrap slices in parchment paper and place them in a freezer bag or a freezer container. The pancake bread will last up to two months if frozen.

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