High Protein Pancakes Made with Etelka Cottage Cream (Wait!? What is Cottage Cream, You Ask?)

If you’ve been looking for a way to upgrade your breakfast, look no further. These aren’t your average flapjacks; they are inspired by traditional European Syrniki. By making High Protein Pancakes made with Etelka Cottage Cream, you get a texture that is more like a warm, pillowy mini-cheesecake than a piece of bread.

I’ve found a new kitchen obsession that I just had to share with you immediately. If you follow us (She Shared & She Saved) on social media, you know we are always looking for new and exciting ingredients that are packed with flavor. Enter: Etelka Cottage Cream.

What is Etelka Cottage Cream?

If you’ve never had European cottage cream, forget the watery, chunky stuff you find in most U.S. grocery stores.

This is smooth, dense, and has a mild, nutty tang that reminds me of a cross between cream cheese and thick Greek yogurt. It’s a staple in Europe, and honestly, I think it’s about to become one in my house, too.

A huge thank you to the team at Etelka for sending us some of their European-style cottage cream to play with!

The Star of the Show: Gluten-Free Syrniki

The absolute best way to use this cream is to make Syrniki (pronounced sear-NEE-kee). These are traditional Eastern European cheese pancakes. Because they are made almost entirely of cheese, they taste like a warm, pillowy mini-cheesecake with a golden, crispy crust.

I’ve tweaked the official Etelka recipe to make it completely gluten-free by using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Since we only use a few tablespoons, the texture remains incredibly custardy and light.

Recipe: Etelka Gluten-Free Syrniki

Yields: 10-12 small pancakes (easily doubled!)

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Etelka Cottage Cream (I used Etelka’s vanilla flavor and omitted adding more, as the recipe usually calls for)
• 1 Large Egg
• 3 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (I did not use this, but the European recipes usually call for it)
• Butter or Oil, for frying

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the Etelka Vanilla Cottage Cream, egg, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour, sugar, and salt. Since we’re using the vanilla cream, we can skip the extra extract—it already smells amazing!
2. The Texture Test: Give your batter a stir. It should be thick and soft. If it feels firm enough to handle, you can lightly dust your hands with flour and shape them into small patties.
3. The “Drop” Method (My Secret Shortcut!): When I made these, my dough was a bit too runny to shape by hand—which can happen depending on the moisture in the cream.
   If yours looks more like a thick cake batter than a dough, don’t worry! Just do what I did: use a cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop the batter directly onto your greased griddle.
4. Heat your butter or oil over medium-low heat. If you did the “drop” method, use the back of a wet spoon to gently flatten the tops into circles. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until they are a beautiful, deep golden brown.
5. Plate them up while they’re warm and custardy!

Serving Suggestions from Etelka:

• Sweet Breakfast: Pair with your favorite fruit jam or a drizzle of honey.
• Classic Pairing: Serve with a dollop of sour cream (or more chilled Etelka cream!) and fresh cherries or berries.
• As a Dessert: Top with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar.
• Festive Twist: Try a spiced fruit compote—perfect for a cozy brunch.

Why This Recipe Works

• Because the base is primarily Etelka Cottage Cream and eggs, you’re looking at about 3.4g to 3.8g of protein per pancake.
• Using the Vanilla version of the cottage cream means we can skip the extra vanilla extract—the flavor is already perfectly balanced.
• Gluten-Free Friendly: We used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour to keep these accessible for everyone, but you can use all purpose flour.

What is Etelka Cottage Cream

Etelka Cottage Cream is a smooth, high-protein, and probitoic-rich dairy product launched in 2026 by Nikki Vereczkey and Karolina Vass. Inspired by Hungarian roots, this “curd-less” alternative to traditional cottage cheese offers a buttery, creamy texture and contains 18g of protein per serving, making it suitable for snacking or baking. We had the opportunity to meet them at the Specialty Food Association Winter Fancy Faire 2026 in San Diego and they were truly a show favorite or ours. So delicious, we just knew that Fabiana needed to get into the kitchen creating with this product!

Where to Purchase Etelka Cottage Cream

Etelka Cottage Cream, a premium, smooth-textured cottage cheese, is launching in early 2026 at select small and large grocers throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. The brand rollout will feature Original and Hungarian Vanilla flavors in 5.3 oz and 16 oz sizes, with plans for nationwide expansion following its debut at the Winter FancyFaire show. 

Keep an eye out for Etelka Cottage Cream at your local grocery stores, we predict it will quickly gain popularity and refrigerator shelf space!