Healthy Chocolate Chip Pancakes are light yet filling, and so delicious! A single serving recipe makes these the perfect healthy and satisfying breakfast for one!
Happy Monday! I don’t know about you, but I would really like to be curled up on my couch right about now instead of being back to real life. It is hard to get back into the swing of things after the nice holiday break. It is even harder to get back to reality when you are also trying to eat healthy! Luckily, I have a delicious and healthy recipe for you that looks decadent but is actually guilt free! These healthy chocolate chip pancakes are so light that they will not ruin your New Year’s resolutions. Plus, they are just a single serving, so they are easy to whip up for a quick and delicious meal for one.
These healthy chocolate chip pancakes have been one of my go-to breakfasts for years. To be honest, they were even a dinner staple for me when TheBetterHalf was in law school in Philly and I was in New York (that was a very long three years!). I adore pancakes, and these are actually full of healthy ingredients – oats, egg, yogurt – so I figured it was definitely a balanced dinner. TheBetterHalf disagrees so unfortunately pancakes aren’t for dinner nearly as often as they used to be. But lucky for me, this recipe only serves one so I can whip it up whenever I want 🙂
They come together so quickly and you can adapt them a bit to suit your preferences or what you have on hand. The first ingredient is regular oats – the recipe works best with regular oats but I have used quick cooking oats before and they turned out fine! Then whole wheat flour, but if you only have white flour that’ll work too. Next is baking powder – well this ingredient is kind of non-negotiable! For a little sweetness, I add one packet of splenda but you can use any sweetener you like – even regular sugar, honey or agave. Next comes one egg or if you want to lighten these up a little more use egg beaters. You also need some yogurt – I like fat-free vanilla but you could use any flavor that you have around, even plain. If you use plain, you might want to add a bit more sweetener, depending on how sweet you like your pancakes. Vanilla extract is optional, as is salt although I recommend using both of them. And then the final ingredient is mini chocolate chips – and again, you can use whatever you want in here! I’ve subbed in blueberries (with a little cinnamon), cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips…the possibilities are endless!
You can cook this recipe as two big pancakes or 3 medium ones – I like to make three because they are easier to flip. Once they are finished, the topping fun begins! Honestly these are great plain or with a little spray butter to keep the calories low, although I know spray butter freaks some people out (hi Claire). But my favorite topping is light whipped cream! It is sooo good with the chocolate. This is really a versatile pancake recipe for a simple, healthy breakfast.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup regular oats (not instant)
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 packet splenda
- dash salt
- 1 large egg or ¼ cup egg substitute
- 2 tablespoons fat-free vanilla yogurt (I like Dannon light n fit)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle pan or frying pan over medium heat.
- In a small bowl, mix together the oats, flour, baking powder, splenda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, vanilla, and water.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spray the pan with nonstick spray or lightly coat with oil. Pour the batter into two or three spots. After about 1 ½ minutes (or once the pancakes are lightly browned), flip and cook for another minute. Serve, topping as desired.
Notes
Recipe from Hungry Girl
Other healthy breakfast options!
So glad you had a nice holiday! Those are definitely very needed sometimes!
These pancakes – Yes please! I LOVE that these are single serving. I adore pancakes for any meal…breakfast, lunch and dinner and I love that these are single serving! It’s so frustrating wanting pancakes and then having a bazillion left over. They are just not as good the second day.
Plus, chocolate chips in pancakes? Ya, all over that girl!
Thanks, Taylor! We are on the same page with pancake loving – and with chocolate loving!
You are so right about it being hard to get back into the swing of things after the Christmas break AND trying to eat healthier. That’s what I’m facing right now, too. But healthy chocolate chip pancakes?! That I can TOTALLY do! I’m on board. Sign me up. Where’s the dotted line?! haha… great recipe!
Thanks, Chris! This is going to be a long week – I think I need some pancakes for dinner!
I have all the ingredients in my pantry to make this! Is it wrong that I want to make these for an afternoon snack?! Looks delicious!
Nothing wrong with that at all Elizabeth! You will not regret it 🙂
Healthy + pancakes? Sign me up immediately.
These look great, Cate! I’m going to try them this week.
Thanks, Graham! Let me know what you think!
Even though I just ate dinner, I wouldn’t mind having a huge stack of these for dessert. Love that the recipe makes just enough for 1 serving.
These would be great for dessert, especially if they are topped with light whipped cream! Thank you so much for stopping by, Sally!
It is SO hard to be back in real life my dear. Work was so hard today. But I bet if I had these pancakes for breakfast I will have had a great day!!
I know, I can’t believe it is only Tuesday – longest week ever! But yes, pancakes for breakfast will help this week go by much faster 🙂
Pancake recipes = great. Skinny pancake recipes = greater. Single serving skinny pancake recipes = about the best breakfast idea I can imagine! Love these. They look delicious!
Thank you so much, Erin!
What could be better than a single serving of pancakes! I love all the healthy swaps you made. These will make a perfect breakfast!
Thanks, Megan! The single serving is so perfect!!
I think I am going to make these for breakfast right now! They look so delicious – I can’t believe they are healthy too!
Thanks, Julie!
It has been so long since I’ve had pancakes! I usually make a single serving for me, but I have been too lazy recently. 😉 No excuses now! I love using whole wheat and oats in my pancakes. And seriously, mini chocolate chips are the best! Pinned and hopefully made soon! (Breakfast for lunch today???)
Thank you so much for pinning!! I love using whole wheat and oats too because then I can justify adding extra chocolate chips!
Please pass down the pancakes! I took enjoy pancakes anytime of the day and these look delicious! I also love that they are healthy. Will be trying them out for the family!
Thanks, Layla! I have doubled this recipe and it worked beautifully, so definitely make a bunch for the fam!
I’m not even a fan of pancakes and these are honestly calling my name. Ok, I guess I’ll have to try them. You drive a hard bargain 🙂
Easy, healthy, delicious, single serving….I really do drive a hard bargain! I hope you like them, Nora!
It is sooo hard to get back into a schedule after the holidays! I still want to sleep in til 12 every day and wear sweats! These pancakes sound incredible and I love that you did a single serving size! 🙂
Thanks, Chelsea! I am living for this weekend when I can sleep in again and wear sweats all day 🙂
Great recipe! I had an early dinner and I am seriously debating making these in a bit for dessert. Love that the recipe is guilt free and only make a small amount.
You really should make them for dessert – you will not regret it!! Thanks for stopping by, Rachel!
Could you make these pancakes without the yogurt?
I’ve never tried it – they might be too thin without the yogurt. I would try adding one tablespoon of milk or water in place and see how the texture looks. Applesauce might work too! I would also add some additional sweetener because the yogurt helps to sweeten this recipe. If you try it, let me know how it works!
These were absolutely DELICIOUS. Super easy to whip up – all the ingredients were items I had in my pantry/fridge 🙂 thanks for the great recipe! I used blueberries and cocoa nibs, super yummy!
I stumbled across the recipe this morning and am so glad I did. My kids LOVED these (I liked them too!!). I subbed 3/4 tsp of honey for the splenda and used greek yogurt and it was fantastic. It warmed my heart to see my children gobbling these up so fast that I had to quickly make a second batch. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the comment, Keri! I’m so glad that your kids loved them – they are so healthy yet delicious, a perfect breakfast!
Chocolate for breakfast is always the answer, I say! These look delicious, Cate!
Glad to hear you had a nice holiday! I definitely love my pancakes and when they are healthy all the better, it means I can have more!
I love pancakes and these look so good! We’ve been known to eat breakfast for dinner 🙂 Pinned!
I need a recipe like this, yum!!! If I can eat chocolate and still be healthy, that makes one one happy person!
I love that you used oats and whole-wheat flour in these! I just made a batch of healthy chocolate chip waffles this morning. Even with a healthy pancake, it’s still fun to have a little chocolate, isn’t it? 🙂