These lemon ricotta pancakes are unbelievably delicious. Fluffy, tender, and rich, they are as easy to make as regular pancakes, with a couple of added ingredients. You’ll love the extra moisture that ricotta lends them, as well as the balanced brightness from fresh lemon.
A stack of these pancakes has become a favorite breakfast and brunch meal in my house! They’re delicious with toppings like butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh berries, and even lemon curd! For more breakfast recipes, try my waffle recipe, crepes recipe, and lemon poppy seed muffins.
Ingredients
Flour — all-purpose flour is perfect for the best lemon ricotta pancakes. Gluten-free all-purpose flour can work well, too, though you may need a bit more milk for the proper consistency.
Sugar — you don’t need much granulated sugar for lemon ricotta pancakes since pancake toppings are typically sweet.
Leavening — baking powder and baking soda make airy, fluffy pancakes, as well as helping them spread the right amount as they cook.
Salt — a small amount of salt rounds out the flavors.
Ricotta cheese — ricotta cheese might seem like an odd choice for pancakes, but trust me when I say they are a game-changer for tender pancakes!
Milk — whole milk helps to thin out the batter.
Lemon — for amazing brightness and a nice tang, you need fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
Eggs — eggs bind everything together so the lemon ricotta pancakes don’t fall apart.
Vanilla — use good vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Butter — melted butter adds richness to the pancakes.
Why Use Ricotta Cheese In Pancakes?
Ricotta cheese makes the pancakes moist, tender, fluffy, and rich! They won’t taste savory or cheesy at all; instead, the ricotta just adds that extra something special for the best pancakes. Besides, ricotta is used in plenty of sweet recipes, like cannoli and ricotta cookies!
How To Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, whole milk, lemon juice, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl containing the dry ingredients and fold them together to make a lumpy batter. Pour in the melted butter and stir until combined but still slightly lumpy.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Then coat with 1 additional teaspoon of melted butter. Working in batches, add ¼ to ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake to the hot griddle or skillet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each to allow room for the lemon ricotta pancakes to spread.
5. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden on the bottom, and you see bubbles start to appear on the top.
6. Flip and cook the fluffy ricotta pancakes for 1 to 2 more minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter, adding more butter to the non-stick pan as needed.
Variations And Adding Mix-ins
- Add fresh fruit: You can add 1 cup of fresh berries to the pancake batter. Or you can sprinkle berries onto the uncooked side (top side) of each pancake when they’re already in the skillet, so each pancake has about the same amount of berries. See exactly how I do that in my blueberry pancakes recipe. Fresh blueberries and raspberries are my favorite additions.
- Add chocolate chips: Throw 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips into the batter with the melted butter and fold them in.
- Use different citrus zest: Orange zest adds a sweeter element with less tang than lemon zest. Or, use limes if you have those on hand!
What Should I Serve With These?
Choose your favorite toppings! Some that I love:
- A pat of butter or honey butter and an additional dollop of ricotta
- Maple syrup
- Whipped cream
- Fresh berries
- Lemon curd
- Fruit jams like raspberry jam or strawberry jam
- Powdered sugar
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover lemon ricotta pancakes in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheating them in a toaster is the best way to maintain their slightly crisp edges, but you can also pop them into the microwave or rewarm them in a skillet over medium heat.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overworking the batter until it’s completely smooth will yield tough pancakes. You want the batter to be a little lumpy, as this is better for producing fluffy ricotta pancakes!
- For equal-sized pancakes, use a measuring cup so you use ¼ cup or ⅓ cup of batter per pancake.
- Adjust the heat between batches. You will likely need to lower the heat to medium heat or medium-low for the second batch and beyond, as they will brown more easily than the first batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are delicious in this recipe! Keep in mind that they are slightly sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons, so the flavor of the pancakes will be a bit different.
Yes, but you need to blend it in a food processor until smooth to remove the curds. Leave out the added salt because cottage cheese is saltier than ricotta.
Yes. Once cooled to room temperature, lay lemon ricotta pancakes on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Store them in a freezer-safe container in a single layer for up to 3 months. If you need to store multiple layers, separate them with parchment paper so the pancakes don’t stick together. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or pop them into a toaster for a minute or two.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this lemon ricotta pancakes recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe
Equipment
- Large nonstick skillet or griddle
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese (180g)
- ⅔ cup whole milk (160mL)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (60mL)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons butter melted and cooled slightly
- Maple syrup for serving
- Blueberries for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the ricotta cheese, milk, lemon juice, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.
- Pour the ricotta mixture into the flour mixture. Fold together to make a lumpy batter. Pour in the melted butter and stir until combined but still slightly lumpy.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once hot, coat with 1 additional teaspoon of melted butter. Working in batches, add ¼ to ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. (The batter will be thick, but will spread as it cooks.)
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden on the bottom and bubbles start to appear on the top. Flip over and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes or until golden brown.
- Repeat with the remaining pancake batter, adjusting the heat to medium or medium low as needed. (The pancakes cook more quickly and brown more easily in subsequent batches.)
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overworking the batter until it’s completely smooth will yield tough pancakes. You want the batter to be a little lumpy, as this is better for producing fluffy ricotta pancakes!
- For equal-sized pancakes, use a measuring cup so you use ¼ cup or ⅓ cup of batter per pancake.
- Adjust the heat between batches. You will likely need to lower the heat to medium heat or medium-low for the second batch and beyond, as they will brown more easily than the first batch.
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