Chia Seed Pancakes
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Chia Seed Pancakes are light and fluffy, full of fiber and protein, and served with lemon yogurt and blueberries on top. It’s a simple, nutritious twist on a classic breakfast!
Why you’ll love this recipe!
Good for you! Why put chia seeds in your pancakes? Because they’re high in protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids!
Simple breakfast – The batter is a breeze to make in one bowl, and the pancakes are as easy to cook as any classic pancake recipe, like my simple protein pancakes.
Flexible – Make them gluten-free, stir in some blueberries, or swap the yogurt lemon topping for maple syrup.
Table of Contents
Craving a side of fiber and omega-3s with your stack of blueberry pancakes? Let me introduce you to these Chia Seed Pancakes.
They’re essentially the same as classic pancakes but made with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and chia seeds. I really don’t know why it took me so long to put chia seeds in my pancakes. I mean, I’ve been loving them in my morning jar of chocolate chia pudding, so it was a no-brainer that I would love them in a hot breakfast, too.
Let me tell you why you should, from now on, always put chia seeds in your pancakes: Chia seeds are high in protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, PLUS they’re completely flavorless. You get all those benefits while enjoying a fluffy stack of pancakes topped with lemon yogurt and blueberries. Sounds great to me!
I love this recipe so much! I make a double batch (which doesn’t effect taste) at the beginning of the week and add some vanilla extract. They keep well in the fridge all week, so i just heat them up in the microwave when I want them.
– Sarah
Chia Seed Pancakes Ingredients
Flour – This recipe calls for whole wheat flour, but you could substitute all-purpose flour or a 50-50 mix of both.
Yogurt – I used plain Greek yogurt for the extra protein. Regular yogurt works, too.
Milk – Any kind of milk goes, dairy or non-dairy.
Chia seeds – Whole or ground chia seeds give the pancakes a boost of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. The best part is you don’t even taste them!
Lemon yogurt topping – I mixed plain yogurt and lemon zest together for a creamy, tangy pancake topping. It’s optional, but adds a gorgeous pop of brightness to each bite.
Blueberries – My fruit of choice to sprinkle over the yogurt topping. Fresh or frozen blueberries both work well.
Variations
- Gluten-free option – I haven’t tested it, but gluten-free all-purpose flour should work well.
- Dairy-free option – Just swap the dairy milk and yogurt for unsweetened non-dairy alternatives.
- Vegan option – Try using 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp water) instead of real eggs, maple syrup instead of honey, and non-dairy yogurt and milk.
- Mix-in ideas – Once you’ve mixed the batter together, feel free to gently fold in 1/2 cup of blueberries, chocolate chips, raspberries, cherries, or diced strawberries.
How to Make Chia Seed Pancakes
Step 1: Whisk the batter. Start by whisking the eggs, honey, yogurt, and milk together in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking soda, and chia seeds, then whisk to combine.
Step 2: Soak the chia. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes so the chia seeds can soak.
Step 3: Cook. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto a hot griddle and cook until it starts bubbling. Flip and continue cooking until both sides are golden. Repeat this step until you run out of batter.
Step 4: Make the topping. Whisk the yogurt and lemon zest together in a bowl.
Step 5: Serve. Top the fluffy chia pancakes with the yogurt topping and blueberries, then serve and enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- I recommend making the pancake batter at least 10 minutes in advance. This gives the chia seeds time to expand and soften, which helps thicken the batter.
- If the chia seeds are clumping together in the batter, just give it a quick stir before cooking the pancakes.
- This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, but you can use 1 tablespoon or 3 tablespoons instead if you’d prefer. Just don’t use more than 3 tablespoons, or else the batter will be chunky.
My Pro Tip
Toppings, Toppings, and More Toppings
I absolutely love chia pancakes with lemon yogurt and fresh blueberries on top—how perfect for spring, right?! But if you’d like to switch it up, you can always swap the yogurt for a drizzle of maple syrup, top them with blueberries or banana slices, dollop blueberry jam on top, or drizzle a gorgeous berry compote over the stack instead.
Chia Pancake FAQs
Absolutely. I almost always prepare the batter 1 hour in advance, or the night before I cook the pancakes. As the batter sits in the fridge overnight (covered), it will thicken perfectly, and the chia seeds will become nice and soft.
I’ve used this batter to make waffles before, and it worked really well! Let me know in the comments if you try it.
When I’m not using them to make my coconut chia pudding, I blend chia seeds into smoothies, stir them into jars of PB&J overnight oats, and bake them in muffins.
Storage
Make-ahead: Make the batter as usual, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just remember to take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking the pancakes so it has time to come down to room temperature.
Refrigerator: Once the cooked pancakes are cool, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Chia pancakes also freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap them individually in plastic or keep them in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat as many pancakes as you plan on eating in the microwave, toaster oven, or toaster.
More Pancake Recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Chia Seed Pancakes
Video
Ingredients
for the pancakes:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, or sub all purpose
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
for the yogurt:
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Whisk eggs, honey, yogurt, and milk together; then add flour, baking soda and chia seeds to that same bowl and whisk to combine.
- Set the pancake batter aside for 10 minutes so the seeds have time to "soak".
- Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-low and use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop batter out onto it.
- Wait until batter starts bubbling (approx. 1-2 minutes) and then use a spatula to flip pancake over. Cook on both sides and repeat the process until batter is gone.
- For the topping: place yogurt in a bowl and stir in lemon the zest. Top pancakes with yogurt+blueberries and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
One of the best, ‘on the healthier side’ pancake recipe I have had. I did not do the topping, I like Maple Syrup and put the blueberries on top of the pancakes while cooking. Delicious!!
Thanks so much Christine! Glad you enjoyed the pancakes!
I really enjoy these pancakes. I am wondering about the calories though is 78kcal correct? Is it for the whole batch or one pancake… seems awfully high.
It’s per pancake but it’s an estimation.
Is it 2tbsp chia seeds after they’re already soaked?
Nope just 2 tablespoons right out of the bag.
Hmm; been making pancakes of all types, thousands total, for decades. Batter here was very thin and these were very hard to turn. When I was mixing these the ratio of flour seemed extremely scant but I went with 3/4 cup. Is that correct? Six eggs and other wet ingredients to only this much flour?
Hi Mark! Thanks for your comment. This is an older recipe– I just remade these, and agree the batter was on the thin side. I adjusted the recipe so next time around it should be better!
Thanks for sharing! Do they reheat well?
Yep!
These look so good! Does it work with other kinds of fruit?
Yes any fruit works
Didn’t think vegan pancakes could be so good! Made it for my mom for Mother’s Day w/ blueberries and chocolate, she loved it!
That’s great news!! Happy your mom liked them 🙂
since when eggs yogurt and milk are vegan????
I never claimed these were vegan.
Wow this recipe has so much good going ok. I love the addition of chia seeds. They are a great source of protein. The blueberries are wonderful.