Protein Waffles
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My protein waffles are light, fluffy, and EXTRA crispy. They need just four ingredients and pack in over 45 grams of protein per serving.
Waffles are one of my breakfast staples, not just a weekend indulgence. See, waffles have this stigma that they are more of a dessert than a filling meal, but these prove otherwise. I’ve tested dozens of versions to make sure these high-protein waffles aren’t just high in protein, but they taste like the real deal waffles.
They are crispy and golden on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and you’d never guess that each two-waffle serving packs in 45 grams of protein. My family loves them, too, and I always make extra to freeze for quick, weekday breakfasts.
Why I love this protein waffles recipe
- 4 Ingredients. All you need are oats, eggs, protein powder, and cottage cheese.
- Quick and easy. Blend and cook- that’s all there is to it.
- Great for meal prep. You can make a triple batch of these waffles, freeze them, and toast them whenever you want to enjoy them!
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Rolled oats. Quick-cooking oats can also be used, but the edges won’t be as crispy. For gluten-free protein waffles, use certified gluten-free rolled oats or oat flour.
- Cottage cheese. Non-fat or reduced-fat cottage cheese can be used. Give the waffles a deliciously moist and fluffy center, adding no flavor. Plain, non-fat yogurt also works.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs.
- Protein powder. I prefer using vanilla-flavored protein powder because it also adds a sweet flavor. Plant-based protein powder or casein protein powder is best, as they thicken the batter. Whey protein powder can sometimes cause the batter to thin out, so be cautious when using it.
How to make protein waffles
Step 1- Blend all your ingredients until no clumps remain and the batter is smooth.
Step 2- Cook. Add spoonfuls of the batter to the waffle until it is covered. Cook the waffles until golden and crispy around the edges.
Step 3- Serve with butter and maple syrup.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Wanted to find another high protein breakfast, and this is perfect, no guilt waffles! Easy, delicious, and most importantly, they keep you filled! I doubled the recipe and made ten mini waffles. Serve it with fruit, and it is yummy 😋.” – Suzanne
Arman’s recipe tips
- Preheat the waffle iron. Please don’t skip this step. It’s what makes the waffles crispy versus gummy.
- Adjust the timing. Waffle iron makes and models differ. Mine took about three minutes per waffle (my waffle iron fills two waffles at a time), but adjust the time accordingly. Once the sides are crispy, the waffles are ready.
- Adjust the batter. If your waffle batter is too thick, add some almond milk or water to thin it out. Alternatively, if it’s too thin, sprinkle in some oats.
- Amp up the protein. If I want to make these super high in protein, I often double the amount of protein powder. It doesn’t change the flavor but doubles the protein content.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
To freeze: Place cooled waffles in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Reheating: Either microwave the waffles for 30 seconds or place them in a toaster oven until crispy.
Frequently asked questions
I find the key to crispy waffles is not to overcook them. Once they sizzle around the edges and begin to brown, they are ready to be removed from the waffle iron. Also, keep the waffles warm as you cook the other ones. I like to keep them on a wire rack in a warm oven until they are ready to serve.
Yes, you can skip the protein powder altogether. The protein content will be around 9 grams of protein per waffle.
If you don’t preheat the waffle iron, the batter may take too long to warm up, resulting in sticking. I also suggest greasing the waffle maker very well.
With 45 grams of protein, I enjoy these waffles on their own with some butter and syrup. If you are serving them for brunch or to others, serve with fresh berries, nut butter, whipped cream, or a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
If you tried this Protein Waffles recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others thinking of making this.
Protein Waffles Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup protein powder vanilla flavored
Instructions
- Add the eggs, oats, cottage cheese, and protein powder into a high speed blender. Blend very well until smooth and no clumps remain.
- Heat a waffle iron as per the box directions. Once hot, pour spoonfuls of the batter to cover the iron. Cook the waffle until crispy on the edges. Remove from the waffle iron and cook the remaining batter.
- Serve the waffles immediately with your favorite sweet or savory toppings.
What protein do you use
Hi Carol- In all my protein recipes, my team and I test it out with casein (our gold standard protein), brown rice protein, and whey protein. All of these work, but I recommend casein for the best texture. Whey can be a little tricky because depending on the brand, it can be a little watery/sticky. The good thing about waffle batter is that it’s super forgiving. Let me know what kind you have at home and I can give you more pointers (my first cookbook was all about high protein desserts and recipes, so I have tested out nearly every brand on the market!!!).
Oh my! These were amazing!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment and review, Beth!
Love this simple recipe! Going to try to add blueberries next time. Had all the ingredients on hand. 1 recipe made two waffles which was plenty for me and my wife. Didn’t taste like 45g of protein per waffle! I did add a little baking powder and it was thick so added a splash of soy and vanilla.
Thanks for the feedback, Cabron!
Great recipes finally healing food 😋
Love to hear that, Suzan!
My daughter in law serves these when we go for a visit. Very good!
Love to hear that, Pearl!
Made them yesterday & I Loved them. Can I sub cottage cheese with Greek yoghurt?
Yes, of course 🙂
Hi Arman,
I do not have a waffle maker – can I use this recipe to make pancakes?
Thank you,
Cyndi
You definitely can, although we also have a protein pancakes recipe on the site too. You can search for it using the search tool in the top right hand corner of the page 🙂
I tried this several times thinking the error was my own and each time this stuck to the waffle maker forcing me to peel it off of both sides into shambles. Quite disappointing considering how expensive the ingredients are.
Hi Bethany- it sounds like it’s the waffle maker which is making it stick, not the batter itself. This has been made by over 500 readers with positive reviews 🙂 If you send me the brand name, I can troubleshoot for you.
Exceptionally good. As stated crisopy outside tender inside. My husband says, “ You can make these again, as well as put on holiday menu.”
Thank you for this recipe.
Susan
Thanks for the kind words! So glad you liked them 🙂
Perfect healthy waffles ! Simple ingredients made in the blender. They tasted great !
Thanks Jude, they’re so easy right!
These are so great I put the recipe up on my fridge. 😊 Definitely will be making these more in the future!
Thank you, Nicole!
I love this recipe I make it every morning. I alter a few things here and there. I add in a bit of baking powder, split the protein powder with half of it being peanut powder, sometimes a bit of coconut oil in it. Lately have been adding lions mane mushroom extract powder to it, adds a very nice nutty flavor and has good benefits.
Are there any adjustments you would make adding a ripe banana to this recipe?
Hi Laura- sorry for the late reply, me and my team wanted to try it out and see 🙂 It does! I didn’t find it needed any texture changes because everything is blended together.
Would love to make these without the oats.. Any possible solution
Hi James, yes- you can make these without oats! You’ll need to hunt down either buckwheat flakes (my first preference) or quinoa flakes (second preference). These both have a texture similar to rolled oats and blend down beautifully 🙂
This was sooo good, I added cinnamon and vanilla to the batter. Really filling, next time I will only be eating 1/2 and saving the rest for another time(;
I am a diabetic celiac and I have made this recipe four times because they are so satisfying, healthy and filled with protein. I love them! I use them as bread too – just had one topped with chicken salad filling and it was sooo good. Thanks!,,
Could greek yogurt be used instead of cottage cheese?
Yes, you can!
Could i add bananas to the batter?
Yeah, for sure!! Blend it right in 🙂
Love these and so easy to whip up. I’ve also made them with chocolate protein powder and topped with fresh strawberries. Much healthier and cheaper then buying the frozen protein waffles.
Hi Arman! I love your recipes and would like to make this one, but I’ve got some family members who are allergic to oats. Is there any substitute for the oats? If not, which waffle recipe of yours would you recommend (one that I could add protein powder to would be ideal)? Thanks so much!
Hi Esme- sorry for the late reply. I wanted to test out a few options for you. Can your family members tolerate buckwheat flakes or quinoa flakes? We tested this out with both of them successfully 🙂
Looks ABSOFRIGGINLOOTLY Delicious 😋 ‼️
These are the best protein waffles. Seriously, I could do so much with the batter.
This recipe is amazing. Super satisfying for breakfast, appealing to my kids, great for car snacks etc. we have two with egg allergies and found it also works great with ground chia and water/milk as an egg replacer.
Can I sub the cottage cheese for yogurt?
Yes, you can, I’ll make a note in the recipe card.
These are awesome! I froze the waffles and reheated them in the toaster. Excellent, easy breakfast.
Love to hear that, Jenny!
I can’t wait make these. I’d like to try a non dairy version. I saw you suggested pumpkin as a the cheese alternative. Any other suggestions?
Also, what kind of protein powder do you suggest?
Hi Lindsay- we recently tested these with dairy free cottage cheese and it worked really well- here is the simple recipe- https://thebigmansworld.com/dairy-free-cottage-cheese/
AMAZING tastes so good. Highly recommend
I make these waffles a lot! They are delicious! Sometimes I add cinnamon and or vanilla.
It wasn’t bad! Had a little cheesy taste but overall very tasty!
My first 2 waffles were perfect but 3 and 4 stuck to both the top and bottom of the waffle maker – splitting. I sprayed the iron really good and added a little oil for #4. Any idea how to fix that?
Hi Vicky- I think there must be some separation happening as the waffle batter cooks. I recommend giving the batter a good mix between each one 🙂
Well done! I enjoyed this recipe. Was looking for a change up to get 40g of protein per meal, this will be a nice addition. Thank you for sharing! Now I need to find a low calorie maple syrup, I pureed some strawberries for my sauce, did not disappoint.
Hi Erin- we have a keto maple syrup recipe which is so easy to make 🙂 https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-maple-syrup/
So easy, light and fluffy! I used regular flour and cinnamon flavoured protein powder instead with a dash of baking powder. Worked really well!
Can I follow this recipe and made them as pancakes?
Thanks for this great recipe! So simple, yet so good! I added 3/4 cup of water to the batter, plus a tsp. of vanilla & a tsp. of cinnamon. I followed the recipe for 4 servings-(4 eggs plus 1 cup of everything else) in a regular waffle maker (All-Clad) set on #5. It made 6 waffles! I’ve been searching for the perfect waffle recipe and I believe this may be it 🙂
I got gift waffle maker. It is so good and want this to make!
Can we do these without protein powder?
Yes you can!
How many calories do we subtract if we omit the protein powder?
Oats cottage cheese protein. Favourite imgredients?
I have a new “chaffle” maker and used this recipe to christen it. They turned out perfectly and I will be making again and again. It makes a small batch which is fine for me since I live alone. Yummy!
OMG the best waffles ever. I did need to thin the batter with water, but WOW so good
I’m dairy free, can I substitute cottage cheese with soy yogurt?
Tes! Or my dairy free cottage cheese recipe- https://thebigmansworld.com/dairy-free-cottage-cheese/
What kind of cottage cheese do you yse to get the stated nutritional content? Fat free, 2%, etc.??
2%!
I made mine without the protein powder and I doubled the recipe . It turned out great . I will play spring with swapping out and adding next .
These were absolutely delicious. I used vanilla protein powder and you would’ve thought they were regular high carb low protein waffles.
Delicious! Also added a little Fairlife milk to thin slightly.
Yummy! Love that milk
Love how these turn out. They are fluffy just like a normal carb heavy waffle and they taste great.
swapped dairy free greek yogurt for the cottage cheese but followed the rest.
Super love this recipe- I have the mini portable dash waffle maker and it made 4 of those 4 GIANT waffles.
This is sooooo good. Topped with cottage cheese and sugar free maple syrup. Feels like cheating.
Incredible. Super easy! I added a little vanilla and cinnamon this time and they were wonderful. Great recipe.
Love this!! Make this recipe at least twice a week.
Thanks, Mechelle!
Tried it today and they were excellent!
These were the best protein waffles EVER!
Perfect! I’ve never used protein powder before. I followed this recipe with no variations, and the waffles came out very fluffy and moist and so sweet tasting. Thank you!
These are my favorite protein waffles EVER! So fluffy and crispy.
These are the best protein waffles recipe that i love to batch cook and freeze!
Would it not work better with a bit of baking powder to make them fluffier? Have you tried that? Want to make this recipe but wondering why there is no baking powder in it!
I found that once everything was blended, it rose nicely, but feel free to add a pinch if you like!
I made this today and it is SO GOOD! This is coming from someone who has literally tried at least 10 different protein waffle recipes! I also boiled strawberries with a little monk fruit as my topping. So so good.
Aw, thanks Jennifer!
The protein powder you use has a big impact on the final taste but once i figured that out these were great!
Terrific! Really great, simple recipe.
Excellent use for a protein powder that I don’t like.
These are my favorite protein waffles ever! So crispy and light.
Such a good texture!
These are my favorite protein waffles recipe. I make them as pancakes too
Love that, Celina!
I make this once a week- it’s so easy and they freeze really well!
My favorite protein waffles recipe- crispy and fluffy!
These turned out so well and are yummy. Even my husband raved about them. Simple to make and tasty.
Love that, Gina!
These are amazing!!I just made them& had to give my review!They were that good!!
Very tasty! I used vanilla flavored protein powder. Will definitely be making this again!
Please do, Betty!
best protein waffles recipe on the internet. Worth every 5 star rating!
These waffles were incredible!
Thanks, Shari!
My favourite breakfast now!
Wanted to find another high protein breakfast and this is perfect no guilt waffles! Easy delicious and most importantly they keep you filled! I double the recipe and make 10 mini waffles serve it with fruit and yummy 😋.
The best protein waffles recipe EVER!
Just made a big batch of these to freeze some for prep and they turned out great! I added a pinch of salt and some cinnamon, vanilla and almond extract for flavor and swapped the cottage cheese for skyr bc its what we had in the fridge.
Great substitution!
Ready in minutes and absolutely delish und fluffy. Best protein waffles I ever tried. I only used half the recommended amount of eggs and substituted cottage cheese for curd cause that’s what was in the fridge.
This will become a staple in the freezer. Thank you!
I subbed nonfat Greek yogurt for the cottage cheese, and it was amazing! Next time I would just add a pinch of salt
I have been making these for the last year. They taste delicious. I top it off with some Greek yogurt, jam and almonds. This is the easiest meal prep recipe I use with the protein I need.
So great to hear that, Sonal!
Can we replace protien powder with almond flour plz guide any other replacement if any
You could- it won’t be as fluffy.
Made these waffles and they were wonderful! I am thinking about how I could turn this recipe into a muffin. Need an easy on the go breakfast
Has anyone tried just greek yogurt instead of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese?
Or instead of cottage cheese?
This recipe is amazing! I followed it exactly, using vanilla protein powder which is sweet, so no sugar was needed. I never thought that those 4 ingredients could make a waffle that looked and tasted like the unhealthy ones!
It made 2 medium sized waffles and I ate both of them with maple syrup. They were sooo good!
Delicious. My father loves waffles and needs to get more protein in his diet. I made a large batch and am going to share some with my father-in-law who is a diabetic. I thought they were good to just pickup and eat as well. Used chocolate protein powder.
Wow, this was a great recipe! Made the x3 batch for our family of five and the blender had a hard time mixing everything into a smooth mix with no lumps. Next time I will try blending just the oats into powder so it’s easier to just mix everything together. While my kids loved the 6 eggs, hubby and I found it to be a bit too “eggy” tasting so on the second batch we tried 3 eggs and 2 bananas. Texture was still crunchy on the outside, a little softer on the inside and took a couple minutes longer to cook but flavour was amazing! Took someone else’s suggestion to add the cinnamon (1 Tbsp for the x3 batch), plus the vanilla protein powder, and OMG! These smell like those mini cinnamon donuts you get at the fair! This recipe is a keeper! Thanks Arman, keep ‘em coming!!
Would you recommend adding baking powder/soda, or are they fluffy without?
Super easy AND delicious! Added a tsp of vanilla. Also Doubled the recipe for Belgian waffle maker. I will add a little stevia next time and make more so I can freeze them.
How many servings in the entire recipe?
4 waffles.
We are obsessed with this recipe – frozen power waffles are our fave weekend food (the kids can heat & eat, mom & dad can sleep in!). Has anyone tried subbing the cottage cheese with yogurt, or doing half yogurt, half cottage cheese?
I think half yogurt and half cottage cheese should work- If you want to try all yogurt, I’d choose a super thick kind.
Can I use Premiere Protein vanilla for this recipe?
I don’t see why not!
These were delicious!
I was wondering if you could make the batter in advance?
So thankful to have found this yummy waffle recipe! Really helps in trying to reduce carbs. I love that you can freeze these and pop them out as needed.
can you please share the brand name of oats and cottage cheese as the ones i prepared is counting less in protein. i am sure it is due to the product used.
best protein waffles. I will try them as pancakes.
love these so much!
I’m always looking for high protein recipes, this one is amazing, I just added a little cinnamon and topped them with SF syrup and YUM. Thanks for this recipe.
the cup equals how many grams
These are AMAZING!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!! I tell everyone about these!
Wonderful! I sweetened with cinnamon and splenda in batter. Great to have a new waffle recipe
love love love these protein waffles.
Made these for my Celiac nephew–the recipe is now are all our favorite waffle recipe!!! Easy and delicious!!! THANK YOU for sharing!! Deb Zent
can you use yogurt or low fat ricotta cheese?
Low fat ricotta sounds great!
Has anyone tried just greek yogurt instead of ricotta cheese?
What could I use instead of cottage cheese? I have a dairy allergy.
Dairy free yogurt works a treat 🙂