These ricotta cheese pancakes are fluffy, light, and made from scratch with a hint of lemon and a drizzle of lemon sauce. They're healthy, gluten-free, and simple enough for busy mornings yet special enough for weekends. You'll learn how to make pancakes that turn into a homemade favorite with easy steps. Pin this lemon pancake recipe now so you'll always have a go-to breakfast ready to share.
WHY IS THIS THE BEST LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKE RECIPE
This is a quick and easy breakfast or brunch recipe. Mix the wet ingredients, then whisk in the dry ingredients. Use a measuring cup or cookie scoop to pour the mixture onto the hot griddle. That's all there is to it!
These lemon ricotta pancakes are delicious! The combination of smooth ricotta cheese, sweet lemon syrup, the tang of the lemon juice, and the sweet fresh blueberries makes this a breakfast treat that will delight both kids and adults alike. You won't want to stop at one fluffy ricotta pancake!
Most of the ingredients for this easy recipe are common and easy to find. You likely already have most of the simple ingredients for this easy pancake recipe in your pantry. If you need an ingredient or two, you can easily find them in any local grocery store!
The ingredients for lemon ricotta pancakes are inexpensive. Flour, milk, baking powder, lemon juice, butter, and salt, are totally affordable ingredients! I think this recipe cost me less than $15 total, including the ricotta cheese.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE RICOTTA PANCAKES
Equipment
- Microplane grater - This scrapes off just the bright yellow zest of the lemon peel without the bitter white pith. You can use a vegetable peeler if you don't have a microplane grater, but you'll have to be very careful to avoid getting the pith with the zest.
- Citrus juicer - This extracts the most juice from oranges, lemons, and limes. If you don't have one, you can cut the lemon in half and squeeze it over your hand to catch the seeds.
- Stovetop or electric griddle - You need even heat to properly cook any pancakes. I like my electric griddle because I can fit several pancakes on it at once, cutting the cooking time dramatically.
- Scoop set - Using a scoop or measuring cup creates consistent portions. Each scoop of batter is exactly the same, so the pancakes are all the same size, too. You can also use a ⅓-cup measuring cup.
Ingredients
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.
- Lemon syrup - This is a 15-minute homemade recipe. See recipe linked here.
- Whole milk - This needs to be cold.
- Whole-milk ricotta cheese - I make this at home (and it's very easy!), but if you're buying it, make sure you get the one that's made from whole milk and not the skim milk version.
- Baking soda - This helps your pancakes to rise and get fluffy.
- Eggs - This makes the dry ingredients into a batter that sticks together.
- Lemon zest - This is just the bright yellow part of the lemon. Make sure to stay away from the bitter white pith underneath.
- Olive oil - You can use any neutral oil, including vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Honey - I like the combination of lemon and honey, but if you needed to, you could use plain white sugar or maple syrup. Warm the honey before adding it to the batter. This will make it a little thinner and more pourable, and it will also help it to blend with the other ingredients more easily.
- Vanilla bean paste - I use vanilla bean paste exclusively because it is made from concentrated vanilla extract that has been mixed with crushed up vanilla beans. Normal vanilla extract is made by soaking the vanilla beans in alcohol and then removing the beans. Because vanilla bean paste contains vanilla beans, it has a stronger and richer vanilla flavor. If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can use an equal amount of vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour - Flour is what forms the base of the pancakes. You need some kind of flour to make a batter. It's okay to use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking mix here.
- Salt - Salt is a leavening agent which means it helps the pancakes to rise and get fluffy, in addition to balancing the sweet and tart flavors of the honey and lemons.
- Baking powder - This acts together with the baking soda and salt to make the pancakes get fluffy.
- Butter - This will need to be melted before adding it to the pancake batter.
- Fresh lemon juice - This should be freshly squeezed for the best lemon flavor. If you use lemon juice from a jar or container, your pancakes will taste flat instead of fresh.
- Fresh berries - Optional, for serving.
HOW TO MAKE RICOTTA CHEESE PANCAKES
- Add the cold milk, ricotta cheese, and baking soda to a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, olive oil, warmed honey, and vanilla bean paste and continue to whisk together until the wet mixture is smooth with no lumps.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, melted butter, and lemon juice to the milk mixture and continue to stir together until the flour is just mixed in. Don't over mix the flour mixture. This will make your pancakes tough.
- Allow the batter to rest for about 10-15 minutes so everything is absorbed. This is what makes light and fluffy pancakes. If you don't let the batter rest and rise, the pancakes will be very thin and flat.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet to medium-low. Spray with butter-flavor cooking spray or melt a little butter in the pan and spread it around. Using a measuring cup or ice cream scoop, drop about ⅓ cup of pancake batter into the hot griddle and cook until the top of the pancakes is set, the bottom is golden brown, and bubbles are rising through the surface of the pancakes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the bottom is evenly golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Place the cooked pancakes in a barely warm oven (200ºF) while you finish the rest, to stay warm.
- Serve these perfect pancakes warm with a pat of butter, a drizzle of lemon syrup, whipped cream, and fresh blueberries.
Cook's Tips:
Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature unless specified as cold or frozen. The milk and ricotta should be cold when used, and the honey and butter should be warm. Everything else can be room temperature.
Be sure to use whole milk ricotta. Ricotta made from other sources can be very runny, which can make your pancakes thin.
Be sure to grate the lemon zest BEFORE squeezing the lemon for juice. It's nearly impossible to do after.
Overmixing can develop the gluten in your pancake, which will make the pancakes tough. Make sure you mix until the flour is just fully combined into the wet ingredients, and you can't see it anymore, but no longer.
Ricotta pancakes take a little longer than traditional pancakes to cook through, so make sure your pan isn't too hot. If it is, you may end up with dark outsides and raw insides. A lower temperature will help the pancakes cook through without burning the bottoms.
SUBSTITUTIONS & VARIATIONS
You can use a different fruit, preferably citrus with a rind like an orange, so you can use the zest to enhance the flavor. But if you wanted to add diced fruit, your options are pretty limitless. Peaches or nectarines would be nice.
You can also add fruit to the lemon recipe, such as blueberries or raspberries.
For honey substitutes, use maple syrup, coconut sugar, or monk fruit sweetener.
You can top the pancakes with silvered almonds or pecans for a crunch. Or add them right in the batter.
STORING LEFTOVERS
If you have any? Store your pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator, with the layers separated by parchment paper.
To freeze the pancakes, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until they're hard and no longer sticky. Then you can put all the frozen pancakes into a freezer bag or airtight container and keep them up to 3 weeks.
You can heat frozen pancakes in the microwave for 30-60 seconds or pop them in the toaster for a quick "bake." There's no need to thaw frozen pancakes before heating.
CHECK OUT MORE DELICIOUS PANCAKE RECIPES
- Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
- Bananas Foster Pancakes
- Fruity Pebbles Pancakes
- Carrot Cake Pancakes
- Baked Apple Pecan Pancakes
- Apple Ring Pancakes
- Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes
- Lucky Charms Green Pancakes
- Heart-Shaped Pancakes
- Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Air Fryer Pancakes
- How to Make Boxed Pancake Mix Better
- How to Reheat Pancakes (5 Ways!)
Recipe
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk cold
- ½ cup ricotta cheese made from whole milk
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey warmed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 cups lemon syrup see link for recipe
Instructions
- Add cold milk, ricotta cheese, and baking soda to a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add egg, lemon juice, olive oil, warmed honey, and vanilla bean paste and continue to whisk together until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
- Add flour, baking powder, remaining salt, melted butter, and lemon juice to the milk mixture and continue to whisk together until the flour is just mixed in. Don't overmix the batter.
- Allow the batter to rest for about 10-15 minutes so everything is absorbed.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet to medium low. Spray with butter flavor cooking spray or melt a little butter in the pan and spread it around. Using a measuring cup or ice cream scoop, drop about ⅓ cup of batter into the pan and cook until the edges are set and bubbles are rising through the surface. Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the bottom is evenly browned. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve pancakes warm with lemon syrup and whipped cream.
Larissa says
I wasn't sure about putting ricotta in pancakes but they were so rich and creamy. my husband loved them.