Make the best breakfast dish with these light and fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes! Ready in just 30 minutes, your family will love this lemon ricotta pancakes recipe. Brighten them with lemon zest and fresh blueberries or raspberries, and serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup.
Whether preparing brunch for the holidays or simply enjoying a weekend breakfast with your family, these lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes make a fabulous addition to the table. Here, I’ll share different methods to prepare the pancakes, ingredient modifications, and even how to make them just like Ina Garten!
Ingredients for lemon ricotta pancakes
If you’ve ever made pancakes from scratch, this recipe is like riding a bicycle. With only a few ingredient swaps, you’ll be on your way to enjoying fluffy ricotta pancakes in no time.
Here's what you'll need:
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
- Buttermilk or kefir
- Lemon juice and zest
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Honey or sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Melted butter and ghee (clarified butter)
The perfect pancakes
These pancakes are so easy to whip up you can even enjoy them on weekday mornings! If preparing them for weekend brunch, preheat your oven to 175º to keep them warm while making a larger serving.
Another way to prepare these fresh and ready for brunch is to prepare them beforehand. Then, you can make eggs, bacon, or whatever else you might pair with your sweet morning treat!
The pan is one of the most important things to consider when making pancakes. For this recipe, I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet. You can cook these up much quicker with two cast iron skillets. You can also use your cast iron griddle.
Ingredient alternatives
If you don’t have all the ingredients to make ricotta pancakes, don’t sweat. Simply swap some of these for alternative ingredients, and you’ll be on your way to flipping up pancakes in no time.
- Honey — swap for ¼ cup sugar
- Buttermilk — swap one-for-one for kefir
- Buttermilk — swap for ½ cup whole-fat plain yogurt and ½ cup whole milk
- Lemons — yes, you can swap for another citrus! If you don’t have lemons, you can use oranges.
What should you serve with lemon ricotta pancakes?
Your pancakes don’t have to be dry or dense. Ricotta cheese allows them to be both moist and fluffy at the same time! There are many variations for lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes, including a few different toppings and mix-ins.
- Top your pancakes with raspberries
- Add fresh blueberries on top
- Garnish with fresh, sliced strawberries
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Drizzle with maple syrup
The perfect brunch pairings
You can make your pancakes the star of the show or serve them alongside breakfast and brunch dishes.
- Pair with a citrusy brunch cocktail
- Serve with a breakfast bake or breakfast strata
- Serve them as a brunch dessert course
- Make ahead and serve them for a crowd or holiday gathering
Ina Garten's Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
With so many recipe variations, I wanted to pay homage to the pancakes that really inspired this recipe: Ina Garten’s lemon ricotta pancakes. While many of the ingredients are similar, the portions are slightly different.
To make Ina Garten’s version, use this ingredient swap and follow the original recipe below.
- 1 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta
- 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
- 3 extra-large eggs
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons), plus extra for serving
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons clarified butter
Tips and tricks
You’re only a few steps away from these melt-in-your-mouth pancakes! I always recommend using ghee or clarified butter when cooking these on the griddle. Clarified butter will ensure that the butter doesn’t burn, allowing your pancakes to cook to a golden crisp on the outside.
Remember that the key to achieving the perfect fluffiness and rich flavor is in the gentleness of your mixing and the freshness of your ingredients. Be sure to keep the batter manageable to keep the pancakes light and airy.
Using fresh lemon zest and high-quality ricotta can dramatically enhance the flavors. For an indulgent treat, serve these delightful pancakes with a light drizzle of agave nectar or quality maple syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Whether for a special weekend treat or an impressive brunch spread, these lemon ricotta pancakes will bring joy to your table and leave everyone asking for more!
PrintFluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Berries
Your friends and family will love this lemon ricotta pancakes recipe. Light, fluffy, and brightened up with lemon zest and fresh blueberries. Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup buttermilk or kefir -
- ¾ cup whole milk ricotta -
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Whisk dry ingredients, including flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, together in a large mixing bowl.
- Slightly warm the honey in a small saucepan or microwave so that it easily stirs in.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the buttermilk, ricotta cheese, eggs, and vanilla using a hand mixer.
- Zest two lemons and then cut them in half. Squeeze the juice over a fine mesh strainer to filter out the seeds. Set aside.
- Add the melted butter and warm honey to your wet ingredients, followed by lemon juice and zest.
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, careful not to overmix. Use a rubber scraper to stir the pancake batter gently.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle to medium heat and grease with butter.
- Scoop your batter onto the griddle using a ¼ or ⅓ measuring cup, leaving enough room for the pancakes to spread a bit.
- Lower the heat to medium-low; flip once they become golden brown.
- Top pancakes with butter and fresh fruit, and serve with warm maple syrup or confectioner’s sugar.
Notes
- Preheat your oven to 175º to keep the pancakes warm. Be sure to cover them with foil.
- See notes above for ingredient replacements.
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