Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are the best kind of breakfast or brunch treat! Bursting with lemon flavor, these homemade pancakes come together easily and taste perfect. They are sweet — but not too sweet — and incredibly tender and fluffy, thanks to the creamy ricotta cheese. Makes 26 pancakes.
If you’re a pancake lover, check out How to make the Best Homemade Pancakes!
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The BEST Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Pancakes are a weekend tradition at our home, and a very long time ago, some friends here in Austin mentioned that they were always on the hunt for a solid Lemon Ricotta Pancake recipe, and did I have one?
I did not, and it became something of a white rabbit with flavors that I was chasing for longer than I’d like to admit.
The long and short of it is that while I love this flavor combination, I had a challenging time finding the balance of ingredients to give me that classic lemony flavor paired with the beautiful fluffy texture without the final pancakes feeling heavy or worse, kind of soggy.
This one is it, and I received a message from a taste tester that said: “I want to let you know that my children insisted that we would make your lemon ricotta pancakes again for dinner last night. We added blueberries to them, and the kids said that they were the best pancake they’ve ever had.”
Why I love this recipe:
Developing this Lemon Pancake recipe was a labor of love, and I am so pleased with the end result.
These pancakes are fluffy and light and tender. The flavor is wonderfully lemony with none of that artificial lemon flavor. (Psst. The secret is a ton of lemon zest from two fresh lemons and no artificial lemon extract!)
The flavors are balanced, and the pancakes, while definitely more sweet than a classic recipe, pair well with the tartness of the lemon.
All in all, this is a dreamy recipe that is the ultimate treat for any weekend or a special day.
Like many of my pancake recipes, this one was adapted from my Old Fashioned Pancakes, which are my family’s all-time favorite classic pancakes.
But unlike those, we add a ton of lemon zest to the sugar in this recipe and mix it up before adding the rest of the wet ingredients — including more whole milk ricotta than you’d expect — and then the dry ingredients.
When they’re cooked to perfection, serve them with a drizzle of maple syrup, blueberry maple syrup or even blueberry sauce. If you’re feeling decadent, add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
You can’t go wrong, either way, and these beauties are ready in very little time, too!
Other pancake recipes to try: Bacon Pancakes | Cinnamon Roll Pancakes | Red Velvet Pancakes | Nutella Pancakes (Chocolate Hazelnut Pancakes)
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup
- Zester
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop — or any measuring scoop of your choice
- Cast iron griddle — you can also use an electric one!
- Pastry brush — to brush oil or melted butter onto your griddle
- Metal spatula — if you’re using a nonstick skillet, use a plastic spatula so it doesn’t scratch the surface!
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour — this is sometimes referred to as AP flour. It serves as the base for our recipe. I have not tested this recipe using other flours, including gluten-free flours, and do not recommend using those at this time.
- Leaveners — baking soda and baking powder are both used to create light, fluffy pancakes. Make sure yours are fresh.
- Salt — I like to use a medium grain kosher salt for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar — this provides a little sweetness to the batter. It’s also known as white sugar.
- Lemon — we need two lemons to zest… which is a LOT of zest, but trust me on this. It gives the batter the most beautiful, balanced lemon flavor.
- Milk — you can use whatever type of milk you’ve got on hand. I love whole milk for pancakes, but you can just as easily make this with a lower fat milk or a non-dairy milk, too! I do not recommend using buttermilk in these pancakes.
- Ricotta cheese — I like the texture and flavor of whole milk ricotta better than a lower fat or nonfat ricotta. Please use the whole milk version, as it will mix better into the other wet ingredients without having a ton of lumps.
- Eggs — these provide structure, as well as a bit of lift.
- Vanilla extract — a little goes a long way! Be sure to use the real deal, not the imitation kind.
- Unflavored oil — we have used vegetable, canola or avocado oil in this recipe, and they all work.
Toppings
These pancakes are delicious on their own, so you can serve them with a pat of butter, some fresh berries (blueberries are the perfect partner to pair with lemon!), a healthy dollop of lemon curd and maple syrup.
You can also serve them with no toppings because these pancakes have enough flavor to stand on their own. My kids will actually stand next to me as I flip them on the stovetop and take the pancakes in their hands as soon as they’re not too hot and eat them while watching me make more.
If you want to lean into the decadence, serve ‘em with sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of syrup and/or your favorite fresh fruit sauce, like strawberry syrup or blueberry sauce!
You do you!
How to make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until combined, and set aside.
Measure the sugar into a large bowl. This is the bowl where everything will be mixed together, so make sure it is big enough.
Zest the lemons directly on top of the sugar. Use a rubber spatula, a spoon or your fingers to gently massage the zest into the sugar. This process will help release the oils from the zest and infuse it into the sugar, which will then give our pancakes the most vibrant lemon flavor.
Pour the milk into a liquid measuring cup. (Yes, I like to do this in a separate container, and for that, I am sorry, but I find this work better than just dumping everything in with the sugar mixture at first.)
Add the ricotta cheese, and stir to combine.
Break the eggs, and add them to the milk mixture, along with the vanilla extract and oil. Use a fork to stir until combined.
Pro tip!
Make sure the egg yolks and white are mixed well because you don’t want stray pieces of egg white in the pancakes. It will take you about a minute of consistent mixing to get it to incorporate.
Pour the milk/ricotta mixture into the sugar mixture, and give it a good stir until the ingredients are combined.
Next, sprinkle the dry ingredients into the wet. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them together until just combined.
Be careful not to overmix because that will make for tougher, less fluffy pancakes.
Once the batter has been mixed, heat a nonstick skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Brush the pan with melted butter or unflavored cooking spray/oil, and let it warm up. This also gives your batter a little time to rest!
Use a cookie scoop or a measuring cup to dollop the pancake batter onto the hot griddle or skillet when ready. (I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, but you do you!)
DID YOU KNOW?
Add a few blueberries to the batter after you scoop it onto the griddle to transform these into Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes! Blueberries and lemon pair so well.
When several bubbles form on the surface, flip the pancakes, and cook through for another 1-2 minutes. They should be golden brown.
Repeat until all of the batter has been made into pancakes. You may have to run a wet paper towel along your griddle between rounds of pancakes if chocolate chips are sticking to the pan! Make sure to re-grease the griddle between rounds, too.
Stack the cooked pancakes onto plates. Serve with the your favorite toppings, and enjoy immediately!
How to store:
Let the pancakes cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the toaster oven or toaster until warmed through. Do not microwave.
How to freeze: Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warmed through.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Y’all know by now that I love an at-home brunch situation because I’m a mom who appreciates having people in my home and a good laidback gathering. Also, these brunches are great for kids because brunch and breakfast foods are pretty approachable for many kids.
These pancakes would make a lovely addition to a brunch at home.
Here are some tips and tricks to making it easy on yourself:
- Double the recipe. This will be dependent on the amount of guests you’re hosting, but better too many than not enough. You can make the pancakes in advance and keep them warm in a 200F oven until it’s serving time.
- Create a pancake bar. Set out the pancakes, then let guests dress their own by offering various toppings, including sweetened whipped cream, berry compote, softened butter, fresh blueberries and more.
- Make a juice bar! Kids love this, and you can always have a bottle of champagne stashed in the fridge for adults who might want a little bubbly in their juice. (You could also make a mimosa bar!)
Frequently Asked Questions
When big bubbles start to form in the batter, carefully lift up the edge with a spatula to confirm the color on the other side. When you flip your pancakes, you won’t flip them again.
I like to brush my griddle with a bit of butter or oil in between every round of pancakes. This will ensure that they don’t stick. Also, a nonstick pan can help with this, too!
No. I have not tried this recipe with lemon extract and feel like that’s a dicey substitution to make. Lemon extract, while wonderful, can easily be overused. When developing this recipe, I wanted the lemon flavor to come straight from a lemon instead of extract.
Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Pancakes
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the pancakes won’t be as fluffy.
- When do you know how to flip? When big ‘ol bubbles start to form in the batter. Lift up the edge a little bit with a spatula to confirm the color on the other side before committing… because when you flip them, you won’t flip them again. (Yep. We only need to flip our pancakes once.)
- Once you’ve flipped your pancakes, don’t press down on them! This will deflate them. Obviously, we want them to puff up and be as light and airy as possible.
- How to store: If you’ve got leftover pancakes, let them cool completely and place them in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the toaster oven, if you’d like for the to be crispier.
- How to freeze leftovers: Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.
Pancake lover? Here are more recipes to try:
If you love fruit-forward pancakes, you should try Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup or Orange Pancakes with Chocolate Chips.
If you prefer the classic flavors, try Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes or Funfetti Pancakes.
Just want to make these? Scroll on down to the recipe card below…
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 lemons zested
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons oil like vegetable, avocado or canola oil
Equipment
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Instructions
- Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk until combined, and set aside.
- Measure the sugar into a large bowl. (This will be the bowl that the batter is eventually mixed in.) Zest the lemons directly on top of the sugar.
- Gently massage the zest into the sugar until it looks like wet sand. You can use a rubber spatula, a spoon or your fingers for this. This process helps release the oils from the zest and infuse it into the sugar, which will then give our pancakes distinct lemon flavor.
- Measure the milk into a smaller bowl or liquid measuring cup. Add the ricotta cheese, and stir the two together with a fork until well combined. Using whole milk ricotta will ensure that you have less lumps, though you should not worry about there being a few lumps in this.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and oil to the milk. Use a fork or a whisk to stir these ingredients until combined. Make sure the egg yolk and white are incorporated into the mixture completely.
- Pour the milk mixture into sugar mixture, and stir until combined.
- Next, sprinkle the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined and be careful not to overmix, as this will affect the texture of the pancakes. Don’t fret about lumps.
- Once the batter has been mixed, heat a nonstick skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Brush the pan with melted butter or unflavored cooking spray.
- Dollop the pancakes onto the preheated skillet when ready using a cookie scoop or a measuring cup.
- When several bubbles have formed on the surface, flip the pancakes, about 2-3 minutes. Cook through, about another 1-2 minutes, depending on the heat of your griddle or skillet.
- Repeat until all the pancakes have been made. Butter the griddle as necessary between rounds.
- Stack the pancakes onto plates and serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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