These lemon ricotta pancakes are light, fluffy and full of bright citrus flavor! Creamy ricotta cheese gives them the best tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Easy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes for a Restaurant-Worthy Brunch at Home
Along with my favorite Cottage Cheese Pancakes, these lemon ricotta pancakes have been my weekend breakfast of choice lately. Bright lemon and creamy ricotta come together to make them extra fluffy and tender, and I’ve been keeping ricotta stocked in our fridge just so I can make these on Sunday mornings. My whole family loves them!
Ricotta is the secret to the best flavor and that soft, almost creamy texture in the middle. I always cook these in butter (even on my nonstick skillet), both for flavor and those perfectly golden edges.
If you love the lemon ricotta combination, my Lemon Ricotta Cake is a must-try next!
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Make the pancake batter. First, combine the dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Then mix together the milk and lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes. The lemon juice will curdle the milk slightly – you’re essentially making homemade buttermilk.
In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, eggs and vanilla. Then whisk in the milk-lemon juice mixture until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
Cook the pancakes. Heat an electric griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Grease the griddle or skillet with butter. Scoop the pancake batter onto the griddle, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake. Let pancakes cook on the first side until bubbles form and the pancake bottoms are golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook them on the second side until golden, about 2 minutes.
I like to serve these pancakes with fresh berries and maple syrup. You could also sprinkle them with powdered sugar or add a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Tips for Perfect, Fluffy Pancakes Every Time
- Don’t overmix the batter. It’s fine if it has a few lumps in it, you just don’t want to see any big streaks of flour.
- A thick batter will make thick, fluffy pancakes, so resist the urge to thin out the batter with extra milk.
- Preheat the pan or griddle before adding the pancake batter.
- Flip the pancakes once, when bubbles form on the top and the edges start to set. Don’t press down on the pancakes with your spatula after flipping. You want them to stay tall and fluffy!
More Weekend Breakfast Recipes
Here are a few more breakfast recipes I think you’ll enjoy:
- Waffle Recipe – Crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle, these are one of our favorite breakfasts!
- Sweet Potato Hash – This savory breakfast skillet is healthy and satisfying.
- Blueberry Pancakes – Another easy pancake recipe that’s perfect for spring!
- Scones Recipe – Tender, flaky and buttery, these homemade scones are just so good.
Did you make this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- zest of 2 medium or 3 small lemons
- 1 cup (240mL) milk, whole milk is best
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup (186g) ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- butter, for cooking
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, zest of 2 medium or 3 small lemons
- In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the milk and lemon juice. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the wet ingredients.1 cup (240mL) milk, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in the milk-lemon juice mixture until smooth.¾ cup (186g) ricotta cheese, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and use a rubber spatula to mix until barely combined. The batter will be thick. Be careful not to overmix.
- Heat an electric griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Grease the griddle or skillet with butter (you can skip the butter if using a non-stick griddle that doesn't require greasing, although I find that using butter helps the edges get nice and golden.)butter
- Scoop the pancake batter onto the griddle, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake. Let pancakes cook on the first side until bubbles form and the pancake bottoms are golden, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook them on the second side until golden, about 2 minutes. Serve pancakes with fresh berries and maple syrup, or as desired.
Notes
- To Freeze: Once cool, freeze in a zip-top plastic bag or other airtight container for up to 3 months. I stagger the pancakes in the bag/container so that they don’t stick together as they freeze. (It’s ok if they overlap a little.) If you want to stack them, I recommend placing a square of parchment paper in between each pancake. Thaw pancakes using the defrost setting of your microwave or let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
