Light, fluffy, and bursting with citrusy goodness, these lemon ricotta pancakes are a breakfast dream. Made with a simple batter infused with ricotta cheese, fresh lemon juice and zest, and a touch of tangy buttermilk, they’re sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Pancakes are the classic breakfast food. I mean, they rank right up there with sausage, bacon, and eggs. Heck, they even have their own day! I love pancakes, and I’ve been making them as long as I’ve been cooking. I remember my mom teaching me to make them when I was a little girl, and I just never stopped. Over the years, I’ve made pancakes the old-fashioned way and filled with all kinds of mix-ins, from berries to chocolate chips and even bacon. One of my favorite twists on pancakes, though, is adding ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese adds a unique, subtle flavor and makes the pancakes even more moist and tender. It’s one of the best variations you can make with pancake batter if you ask me.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
These pancakes start with a basic pancake batter that’s tweaked just a bit with the addition of ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. I mix the batter and cook up my pancakes on a hot griddle. That’s all there is to it! The ricotta cheese makes pancakes with just about the best texture you’ll ever have, and they add a sweet, subtly tangy flavor to the batter that pairs perfectly with the lemon juice and zest! The entire recipe is done in a matter of minutes, and when I’m finished, I have a plateful of pancakes that has everyone coming back for more!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Ricotta Pancake Recipe
- The lemon zest, tangy ricotta cheese, and homemade buttermilk batter create a refreshing and satisfying combination of flavors that offer a unique twist from the standard pancakes.
- They are light and fluffy, and the ricotta cheese adds a lightness to the pancakes while the buttermilk adds a light tang, for a delicious breakfast treat.
- They are versatile and delicious, served hot with Irish butter and maple syrup, topped with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream, or topped with a homemade blueberry topping.
- They’re effortless to make and do not require any complicated steps or ingredients, and you can have a restaurant-worthy breakfast on your table in no time.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Ingredients
This recipe uses basic baking ingredients along with ricotta cheese to create bright, zippy pancakes with a light fluffy texture. You’ll find everything you need in your kitchen and at your local grocery store!
- All purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Large eggs
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
- Buttermilk
- Whole milk
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Vegetable oil, might need more
- Butter and maple syrup, as desired
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Making these pancakes is no more difficult than any other pancake recipe. The entire recipe is just a little mixing and then cooking on the griddle – just like classic pancakes! You’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time.
Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients
Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and milk in a medium bowl. Then, add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix again.
Step 3: Mix the Pancake Batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. The batter will be lumpy.
Step 4: Prep the Griddle
Lightly rub oil on the griddle or large nonstick skillet with a paper towel and preheat it to 350 degrees. Let the batter rest while the griddle preheats.
Step 5: Cook the Pancakes
Add ¼ cup of batter to the hot griddle or skillet at a time to make the pancakes. Cook the pancakes until the edges begin to bubble. Then, flip them and cook until the other side is golden. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Mix your pancake batter until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined and no further. This prevents excess gluten and makes the lightest, fluffiest pancakes possible.
- Stir gently when mixing your ingredients to further limit the production of gluten.
- Let your batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before making the pancakes. This allows any gluten created in the mixing process to relax and prevents tough pancakes.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and fill it with milk to the 1 cup line. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and you have buttermilk!
Variations
- Try adding your favorite berries for lemon berry pancakes.
- Drizzle with homemade blueberry sauce or blueberry syrup.
- Chocolate chips work well with the bright lemon flavor.
- Nuts add an earthy flavor and crunch that works well with the bright flavor of the lemon.
What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Top these pancakes with butter and syrup, whipped cream, or fresh berries. You can also serve them alongside your favorite savory breakfast options like bacon, sausage, and eggs for a larger sweet and savory breakfast.
Recipe FAQ
Use a combination of buttermilk and fresh baking soda in your pancake batter to make pancakes that are super fluffy. In addition, don’t overmix your batter and let it rest before cooking the pancakes.
Pancake batter should always be lumpy. Lumpy batter means you’ve mixed the ingredients until everything is just moistened and no further. That’s the secret to fluffy pancakes.
Ricotta cheese creates pancakes that are fluffier than traditional pancakes and have a luxurious mouthfeel along with a subtle, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor.
These pancakes freeze well and will last for up to 3 months in the freezer when stored properly.
Lemon ricotta pancakes are delicious topped with all your favorite pancake toppings like:
Syrup
Whipped cream
Fresh fruit
Fruit compote
There are actually a few things that work in tandem to make the best pancakes. First, use fresh baking soda and buttermilk in your pancakes. This combination creates a ton of air bubbles that help the pancakes get super fluffy. Second, don’t overmix your batter. The perfect pancake batter should be lumpy. That means that everything is just combined and as little gluten as possible has been formed. Finally, let your batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking the pancakes. This allows any gluten to relax and maximizes your pancakes’ fluffiness.
How to Store and Reheat Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Refrigerate these pancakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Place the pancakes in the container in single layers separated by wax paper, then freeze.
To reheat the pancakes, wrap them in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Then, bake them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Try This Delicious Lemon Ricotta Pancake Recipe Today
These lemon ricotta pancakes are inspired from my friend, Chris. They are light and fluffy and have a rich, bright, lemon flavor that everyone always loves. You’ll love how easy they are to make! They take no more time or effort to make than traditional pancake batter, and the results are out of this world. Give these pancakes a try, and I know you’ll make them a permanent part of your recipe rotation.
More Delicious Pancake Recipes You’ll Enjoy
These Pancake Bites with Bacon are a delicious bite-size pancake recipe that combines crispy bacon with pancake batter, and is deep fried to perfection, and are dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup for a fun breakfast treat the whole family will enjoy.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, might need more
- Butter and maple syrup, as desired
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and milk together until combined. Add ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Batter will be lumpy.
- Using a paper towel, lightly rub the oil over the griddle. Heat to 350 degrees.
- Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes while the griddle is heating up.
- Next, add ¼ cup of pancake batter onto the hot griddle or skillet.
- Flip pancakes over when the edges bubble.
- Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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