Tag: birch benders protein pancake

Protein Pancake Series: Updated Birch Benders Review

Pandemic or not, I’ve been eating a fair amount of protein pancakes. Sometimes the commute from my bed to my desk seems insurmountable and then fast, delicious protein pancakes are the way to go. 

Before I met my favorite protein pancakes – Kodiak Cakes, my jam was Birch Benders. I gave them a 9/10 at the time and described their mouthfeel as “sweet fluff and protein fairies dancing on the tongue.”

I thought they missed the mark (egregiously) with their instant Keto Cup Pancakes, and gave them the harshest TastyStacks rating of Not Pancakes. But I still assumed their regular protein pancake mix, my old tried and true, were reliably delicious.

I tried them side by side with Kodiak Cakes for a real-time comparison. I even made the Birch Benders pancake second, giving them the preheated pancake edge. Aesthetically speaking, the Birch Benders pancake looked more golden brown when I flipped it. But that’s where the positives stopped.

  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via TastyStacks.

They were fine, kind of. If our definition of “fine” means unfluffy pancakes that do not make my mouth happy. They were more dense than Kodiak Cakes, which are perfectly fluffy every time. Their texture paled in comparison.  They were dry and disappointing. I ended up freezing the Birch Benders pancake for some day when I’ve run out of Kodiak Cakes at the same time as a zombie apocalypse and really need an emergency pancake. 


JUST THE STACKS – 5/10 TASTY STACKS  

Overall Taste: Dry and flat and boring but not terrible.

Mouthfeel: Disappointing. I cheered myself up making pancake fruit faces. Cute, right?

Protein per serving: 16g

Carbs per serving: 26g

Price:  $4+ per box

Available at: Birch Benders and Amazon. But I suggest Kodiak Cakes instead.

tastystacks

Protein Pancake Series: Birch Benders Peanut Butter Protein Mix

Several minutes, a sprinkling of chocolate chips, and a giant serving of chopped strawberries later, my giant pancake was cooked to perfection.

I don’t mean to fitness brag, but after completing a 6.2 mile trail run with a group of people and being the very last to finish, I was fucking starving. I raced home (but because I live in LA it was a 35 minute race with traffic) with only one thing on my mind: pancakes. And I needed them to be fast, filling, and semi-nutritious. This meant protein pancakes. Because I was so hungry I didn’t want to chance using a new mix I hadn’t vetted, I went for my tried & true brand: Birch Benders. 

Birch Benders has come out with an incredible variety of options my mouth has yet to experience. I chose a new one: Peanut Butter Protein. One flick of the oven, one cup of mix, and roughly two-thirds of a cup of water later, I was already halfway done making these. The batter looked and smelled like peanut butter, which I usually try to stay away from. If left unattended with a jar, I am likely to take cheap white bread and use it as a vehicle for loading massive amounts of peanut butter on it. But it seemed doubtful I could get into the same kind of trouble with a protein pancake mix. 

  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via Amazon.com
  • Image via Amazon.com
  • Image via TastyStacks.

Several minutes, a sprinkling of chocolate chips, and a giant serving of chopped strawberries later, my giant pancake was cooked to perfection. Part of why I like Birch Benders so much is that I have nailed the technique and find that the batter cooks evenly and deliciously every time. (Every time except the times that I get distracted and burn them, which isn’t their fault. Making pancakes, even from a mix, involves a degree of adoration and care.)

My giant peanut butter protein pancake was fluffy and slightly sweet, solid traits that I have come to expect from Birch Benders mix. Compared to the strong smell of peanut butter when I was mixing the batter, the taste was mild. It was more like a hint of peanut butter rather than a full on mouth blast. I don’t want to say it was disappointing, but this is obviously not the same thing as shoving spoonfuls of peanut butter in your mouth. It was a nice change from my usual plain Buttermilk Birch Benders mix though, and the chocolate chips brought out more of the flavor. If you’re looking for a strong peanut butter taste I’d recommend lathering real peanut butter on top, but if you’re happy with a gentle mouth hint of nutty goodness, these will do the trick. 

JUST THE STACKS – 8/10 TASTY STACKS  

Image via TastyStacks.

Overall Taste: Mild peanut butter flavor but overall a solid & satisfying pancake experience.

Mouthfeel: The perfect blend of sweet fluff and protein.

Protein per serving:  16g per 1/2 cup (I usually use 1 cup).

Price:  $5.99 – $8.99 for 16 oz

Available at: So many places! Also Amazon.

tastystacks

Protein Pancake Series: Birch Benders Micro-Pancakery


My favorite way to eat these is to cut up fresh strawberries and make a strawberry smiley face.

I was lucky to find my current favorite protein pancake mix, Birch Benders, through a short trial and error period. A good protein pancake is tricky, you want it to be healthier than regular pancakes but you also want it to taste good, and be sustainable. One cup of this mix (two servings) is enough to power me through all sorts of activities: kayaking, Tough Muddering, and staying awake until my midday weekend nap. However, these pancakes do not have perfect stats. For example, they have six grams of sugar per serving, and that’s probably part of why I like them. Pick your pancake battles.

When I first tried these, I was instantly delighted with their sweet taste and fluff factor, two items that had been lacking in previous protein pancake mixes I’d tasted. Some people may roll their eyes at mixes, but not me. I appreciate being able to “just add water”, stir until smooth, and pour the entire bowl of batter into a pan. These make fantastic giant pancakes, too.   

  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via TastyStacks.
  • Image via Birch Benders.


This mix is the closest thing to regular pancakes I’ve come across so far. My favorite way to eat them is to cut up fresh strawberries and make a strawberry smiley face. I suggest adding chocolate chips for a little extra oomph. Yes, adding chocolate chips makes these less healthy but like I said, pick your own pancake battles, don’t pick mine. 

These also travel well. I have brought them on planes, in cars, on hikes, and to a Wilderness First Aid class, where people asked with envy if I was eating pancakes. Yes, I’ve gotten some weird looks. I don’t know if that was due to the pancakes or not. I pulled these out of the seat pocket on a plane once and paired them with a tiny, expensive bottle of prosecco which is an experience I highly recommend. 

Birch Benders makes several other pancake mix varieties: Paleo, Banana Paleo, Keto, Chocolate Chip Keto, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Spice, Six Grain Cinnamon, Plant Protein, Gluten-Free, and Classic. Whew!

Just the Stacks – 9/10 Tasty Stacks  

Overall Taste: Really fucking good.

Mouthfeel: Sweet fluff and protein fairies dancing on the tongue. 

Protein per serving:  16g per 1/2 cup (I usually use 1 cup).

Price: $4.99-$5.99 for 16 oz

Available at: So many places! Also Amazon.

tastystacks