I Tried Hailey Bieber’s Simple Breakfast Recipe That Starts With a Store-Bought Shortcut

Disclaimer: I'm a purist when it comes to pancakes. Give me a triple stack topped with butter and maple syrup, and I'm a happy girl. But that "basic" stack of cakes won't garner 1 million likes on TikTok or lead to a viral phenomenon on YouTube. Instead, throw in a little protein powder along with some chocolate chips—and, oh yeah, celebrity Hailey Bieber—and the game changes. With over 75K likes on her YouTube series, "What's in My Kitchen," I had to find out if her Chocolate Protein Pancakes were as good as everyone said. In other words, how do they "stack up" (see what I did there?) against my basic batch?

The self-proclaimed foodie loves to cook and whips up her Chocolate Protein Pancakes in the first episode. Everything seems simple and straightforward and Bieber jokes that even though these pancakes sound like they should be healthy, they're really not. That's because, bless her, she cooks the pancakes in plenty of butter (#teamHailey!) and then finishes her stack with whipped coconut cream, bananas, and maple syrup.

I Had to Try Hailey Bieber's Pancakes

Now, it was my turn. I'm not a huge fan of premade pancake mixes or protein powder, but I was willing to give the recipe a try. I followed her instructions, which resulted in a batter that was a bit thicker than hers. As directed, I added some additional almond milk to thin it out. The only other change I made was swapping in mini chocolate chips for regular-size chips. I knew that change would ensure perfect chocolate distribution while also preventing the chocolate from burning in the hot skillet. The result? Pancakes! But how did they taste?

Hailey Bieber's Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes Taste Test

Since I wanted to taste the pancakes for what they were, I tried them plain, without any toppings first. My impression? Not as good as my buttermilk pancakes, but not bad either. As I mentioned, I'm not a fan of protein powder and I could taste it in these pancakes. Next time, I think I'll swap it out for some cocoa powder.

How did it taste with the toppings? Much better! In fact, the banana slices, whipped coconut cream, and maple syrup pretty much covered up any backlash from the protein powder. I had no problems finishing my stack after that.

The Bottom Line

These pancakes are surprisingly better than I thought they would be, especially with all of the toppings. If you're not into protein powder, like me, you can easily swap in 2 tablespoons more pancake mix and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. And, maybe Bieber will take note of this, too, since cocoa powder will make them more kid-friendly for the soon-to-be mom.

Will I be making these again? You bet! I'm always hungry for pancakes!

Hailey Bieber's Chocolate Protein Pancakes Recipe

Makes: 8 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup store-bought pancake mix
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder (1/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of your choice)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Toppings: sliced bananas, whipped coconut cream, maple syrup

Directions:

1. Combine pancake mix and protein powder in a large bowl.
2. Add almond milk, egg, and vanilla to a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. If mixture is thick, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons almond milk. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Melt some of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour batter into the skillet, 1/4 cup for each pancake, and cook until pancakes begin to bubble and edges firm up, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is cooked and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Repeat the process with remaining butter and batter.
6. Serve pancakes with sliced bananas, whipped coconut cream, maple syrup, and mini chocolate chips.