There’s something about lemon that makes breakfast feel a little extra special. These Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are soft, fluffy and full of fresh lemon flavor without being overly sweet. The ricotta gives them a tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture while fresh lemon juice and zest keep them bright and fresh.

They’re easy enough for a slow weekend breakfast but pretty enough for brunch, Easter or Mother’s Day. I love serving them warm with butter, a little powdered sugar, maple syrup and fresh blueberries.

The secret is cooking them over medium-low heat. Ricotta pancakes are a little thicker than traditional pancakes, so giving them a few extra minutes to cook slowly makes them beautifully golden on the outside and perfectly fluffy in the middle.

Add a hot cup of coffee and you’ve got the kind of breakfast worth staying at the table a little longer for. 🍋

Makes about 10–12 pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for cooking
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

For serving

• Powdered sugar
• Butter
• Maple syrup
• Fresh berries, optional
• Extra lemon zest, optional

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk the ricotta, milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until combined. A few small ricotta lumps are perfectly fine.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture and gently stir just until combined. Don’t overmix. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
4. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes while you heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
5. Lightly butter the skillet. Scoop about ¼ cup batter per pancake onto the hot surface.
6. Cook for about 2–3 minutes, until bubbles begin forming and the edges look set. Flip and cook another 1–2 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
7. Serve warm with butter, a dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup. Fresh blueberries or raspberries would be really good with these too.

Little trick for extra-fluffy pancakes

Keep the heat around medium-low. Ricotta pancakes are thicker than regular pancakes, so lower heat gives the centers time to cook while the outsides turn beautifully golden instead of getting too dark.