Cream Cheese Pancakes (High-Protein Breakfast!)
5/30/2026
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Not only are these cream cheese pancakes delightfully moist and fluffy, they also pack a protein punch! Made with simple ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes on the stovetop, this is an easy recipe to add to your breakfast rotation.
Recipe Highlights
Quick + easy: Ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish, these pancakes are weekend AND weekday breakfast worthy!
Simple ingredients: Just 9 everyday pantry staples needed.
Protein-packed: This recipe calls for an entire brick of cream cheese, creating moist and fluffy pancakes that are also high in protein.
Blank slate: Slightly sweet, cream cheese pancakes are delicious with any and all pancake toppings. You can’t go wrong!
What You’ll Need
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates structure and gives the pancakes a fluffy texture.
- Baking powder: Helps the pancakes rise.
- Salt: Adds flavor.
- Cream cheese: The star of this pancake recipe! It adds moisture, protein, and delicious flavor to these pancakes. Use full-fat cream cheese and make sure it’s softened to room temperature before beginning.
- Milk: Thins out the batter and gives the pancakes a light texture. Use any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk.
- Butter: Melted butter adds flavor and keeps the pancakes moist and fluffy.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens these pancakes – a little goes a long way!
- Eggs: Add moisture and help the ingredients stick together.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract adds cozy flavor.
How to Make Cream Cheese Pancakes
For the full recipe with detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Beat the cream cheese, milk, butter, and sugar together.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk together until just combined.
- Cook the pancakes (2-3 minutes per side).
- Serve with toppings of choice!
Ingredient Swaps
This pancake recipe is incredibly forgiving and easily customizable to your preferences. A few ingredient swaps to try:
Swap the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour (pancakes will be more dense) or a 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour blend.
Use any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk. I often turn to 2% milk or oat milk when making these.
Instead of melted butter, use the same amount of melted coconut oil.
Swap granulated sugar for maple syrup or honey.
Replace the eggs with flax eggs (in a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons of water and let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the batter).
Serving & Topping Ideas
Pancakes were meant for topping! If hosting a crowd, set up a toppings bar and let everyone customize their own. Here are just a few of my favorite pancake toppings to try:
- Maple syrup or honey
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Mini chocolate chips or sprinkles
- Dusting of cinnamon, cocoa powder, or powdered sugar
- Fresh berries
- Sliced banana
- Greek yogurt
- More cream cheese!
Serve these cream cheese pancakes as a standalone breakfast with a variety of toppings, or pair with fresh fruit, bacon, goat cheese scrambled eggs, a cheese omelette, or sausage, egg, and cheese casserole.
Storage Instructions
Store completely cool pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing Pancakes: Make a double batch of cream cheese pancakes and freeze some for later – they freeze and reheat beautifully!
- Stack 2 completely cool pancakes on top of each other and wrap in plastic wrap.
- Place wrapped pancakes in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to enjoy, pop frozen pancakes into the toaster and toast them (just like a piece of bread).
FAQ
Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten free flour replacement instead of all-purpose flour.
These pancakes are done when they’re lightly golden brown and firm to the touch. Cook on low/medium heat until bubbles start to form on the outer rim and the bottom starts to firm up (about 2-3 minutes), flip, then continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
If you’re making a big batch or want to keep the pancakes warm for a few minutes before serving, place them in a single layer in an oven-safe plate in a 200°F oven to stay nice and warm.
Cream Cheese Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup milk*, any kind
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Place the cream cheese, milk, butter, and sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer set on medium/high speed to combine all ingredients together until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently mix together until just combined, being careful to avoid overmixing the batter.
- Heat a large skillet set over low/medium heat. Spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop pancake batter into the skillet. Depending on how big your skillet is, cook 2-3 pancakes at a time. Let the pancakes cook for 2-3 minutes and flip when bubbles start to form on the outer rim and the bottom starts to firm up. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Repeat until all pancake batter is used up.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
- Storage Instructions: Store completely cool pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze Pancakes: Stack 2 completely cool pancakes on top of each other and wrap in plastic wrap. Place wrapped pancakes in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, pop frozen pancakes into the toaster and toast them (just like a piece of bread).
- Batter Consistency: This pancake batter is on the thicker side. The longer it sits, the thicker it becomes. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of additional milk at a time until the batter is scoopable.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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