Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Delicious lemon ricotta pancakes - a wonderful, refreshing twist to an old breakfast favorite! This easy recipe works well at any time of the day, so whether you serve them for breakfast or if you're a breakfast-for-dinner lover, these are some of the best pancakes you'll ever taste, and your whole family will love!

So what makes these pancakes so incredible? The combination of creamy ricotta cheese, fresh lemon juice, and fresh lemon zest! The ricotta cheese makes the pancake batter creamier, which gives the pancakes a fluffy texture. It makes them easier to cook, too.

Adding fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest to the batter provides an unexpected flavor zing! that'll grab you at first bite! My favorite toppings to serve with these delightfully fluffy pancakes are pats of softened butter, fresh blueberries, and maple syrup. But you can certainly swap those out for any of your favorite toppings. Perhaps chopped or sliced fresh strawberries? Or bananas? Or both? I have some more suggestions a little further down below.

Make it Special

Looking for something extra-special to serve at an upcoming brunch with family or friends? This from-scratch lemon ricotta pancakes recipe is perfect for delighting your guests! Here's how:

• Place a platter of these lemon pancakes at the center of your serving table or buffet
• Near the platter, have a variety of toppings to put on the pancakes such as:
  • Pats of softened butter
  • Maple syrup
  • Blueberry sauce, syrup, or jam
  • An assortment of fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, chopped figs, or sliced bananas)
  • Chocolate chips
  • Lemon curd
• If serving breakfast meats, place them near the pancakes on your serving table or buffet
• Place any other bakery items or breakfast dishes like scrambled eggs or hash browns on the periphery of your serving table or buffet
• Stand back and watch their faces as they fill their plates with joyful anticipation!

Prepping for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

I mentioned earlier that making these fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes is easy, and I wasn't kidding! If I know I'm going to be busy on the morning I'm planning to make and serve these, I find it helpful to combine all of the dry ingredients the night before. All I need to do the next day is add the wet ingredients and cook the pancakes.

For the dry ingredients, you'll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Sugar
• Salt (I like to use Kosher)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid if your bowl has one, and set aside for the morning.

For the wet ingredients, you'll need:

• Ricotta cheese (best if at room temperature)
• Eggs (best if at room temperature)
• Milk (2% or whole milk)
• The zest of one lemon
• Fresh lemon juice

Making Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

When you're ready to make perfect pancakes, preheat your oven to 225 degrees. Position the wire rack in the middle and place your serving platter on the rack.

While the oven is preheating, in a medium mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients if you haven't done so already.

Next, grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice to combine. Slowly add the milk and continue whisking to incorporate.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring to combine but not overmixing.

Let the batter rest for about 5 - 10 minutes. While the batter is resting, preheat your electric griddle (if using) or a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.

When the griddle (or skillet) is ready*, use an ice cream scoop or a ¼-cup measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the hot surface. Let the pancakes cook for a few minutes until the tops start to bubble and the bottoms turn to a golden brown. Flip the pancakes over and allow them to cook for a few more minutes, or until the second side turns a golden brown color like the first side.

Carefully transfer the cooked pancakes to the warmed serving platter in the oven. Add more pancake batter to the hot griddle or skillet and repeat the cooking procedure until all the batter is gone.

Leftover pancakes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*How do I know when my griddle or skillet is ready? Using your clean fingers or a spoon, sprinkle a few drops of water on the hot surface of your griddle or skillet. If the water sizzles, your surface is ready for cooking.

Drop a comment in the comment section below if you try these, I'd love to hear how you like them!