I think we can all agree that pancakes are one of the best breakfast foods on the block. They can also be a hassle if they’re not prepped in bulk. That’s what this pumpkin spice protein pancake bowl aims to alleviate.
With one mug or bowl, a handful of ingredients, and about three minutes, you’ll have a super fully pumpkin spice pancake in a bowl. Even better, you’ll have a pancake that has 16 grams of protein and only 191 calories.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancake Bowls
The two primary ingredients for this pancake bowl will be protein powder and Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix. Since the recipe only calls for 1/3 scoop of protein powder, the type of protein powder you use won’t matter all that much. Because it’s commonly asked, I use Dymatize Whey (vanilla cupcake flavor) for nearly all my recipes. I’m not affiliated with Dymatize, I just love their protein and it works great for cooking in my experience.
For the Kodiak Cakes, I used the buttermilk flavor since it’s the most readily available in stores. They make a cinnamon oat flavor that would probably work great for this recipe, and they also have a pumpkin flax flavor in their Energy Cakes line. Feel free to experiment with different flavors. I’ve found there’s no real difference between flavors in terms of cooking outcomes.
Beyond these two ingredients, the only other ingredients you may have questions about are the sticky sweetener (Walden Farms syrup) and light butter. Feel free to use any sugar free syrup in place of the walden farms. You could swap apple sauce for butter or simply add a bit more pumpkin if you’d like to go butter-free.
As long as you avoid oversaturating your pancake bowl, it’ll turn out fine.
How to Make These Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancake Bowls
To make a pancake bowl, it’s as simple as adding everything to a mug or bowl, stirring, and microwaving. That’s the beauty of mug cooking and what Mugs for Muscles is all about.
Unlike my upside down pineapple mug cake recipe, these pancake bowls don’t rise all that much when cooking. So you don’t have to watch for overflow, but you should keep an eye out to avoid overcooking. There aren’t any eggs or food safety concerns in this recipe, so you could go at it while the center is still a little soft for a super soft and moist pancake bowl.
The last thing I’ll add before you get to the recipe is that if you wanted to melt the butter and mix with the cinnamon before adding on top, that would ensure it spreads evenly. I tried both and found the dollop in the center made the center ridiculously tasty. And you can eat from the outside in and get a piece of the center with every bite. Yum.
Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancake Bowl

A high protein, low calorie pancake bowl that's perfect for Uggs season.
Ingredients
- 1/3 scoop (11g) Protein Powder, vanilla
- 1/4 C (26g) Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix, buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp (9g) Swerve Confectioners, or any granular sugar substitute will do
- 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/4 C (60g) Canned Pumpkin
- 1 Tbsp (15mL) Walden Farms Pancake Syrup, or any sugar free pancake syrup
- 1/2 Tbsp (7g) Light Butter
- 1/8 tsp Ground Cinnamon, or more pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients (except the ground cinnamon) in a bowl or large mug.
- Add the pumpkin, pancake syrup, and light butter. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Add the butter to the top of the mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon or additional pumpkin pie spice (optional).
- Microwave for 1:15-1:30 or until the center of the pancake bowl is cooked through. Eat straight from the mug or bowl, or if you'd like to transfer to a plate, run a knife around the edge and it should slide right out.
Notes
I calculated the nutrition info with Swerve which has 9 grams of carbs but zero calories per tablespoon. If you use another sweetener like stevia, the carbs will be lower but calories will remain the same.
Nutrition Information
Yield
1Serving Size
1 pancake bowlAmount Per Serving Calories 191Total Fat 5gUnsaturated Fat 0gCarbohydrates 30gProtein 16g
Recipes with Kodiak Cakes Pancake Mix
On my primary blog, masonfit.com, I have more Kodiak Cakes recipes you may want to check out if you’re new to the Kodiak world.
- Everything Bagel Protein Pop Tarts
- Chocolate Protein Cinnamon Rolls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Pop Tarts
They’re not mug or microwave friendly recipes, but you could save them for a weekend funzies project or when you have time to experiment. Enjoy!
Linda W
Tuesday 21st of May 2019
Sooo yummy! even though I used Birch Benders Protein Powder, Target SF syrup, and added Ginger & extra cinnamon. Cooked it in a large latte mug. Breakfast nirvana!
Staci Hammett
Friday 9th of November 2018
If I'm not making some sort of proats for breakfast this is my next go to. Especially now that it is getting cold outside. Love holding my big warm mug warming up while eating. Always hits the spot!
Veronica Brown
Wednesday 7th of November 2018
This is one of my favorites. I prep them in advance in mason jars for a grab and go breakfast. I put them in the microwave at work.