Best Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe

Celebration-worthy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are perfect for that special holiday yet simple enough to make for that casual get-together with family and friends. 

I can easily trace my love for pancakes back to my childhood.

As a result, I have tried my share of pancake recipes for breakfast and supper.

Some of my favorites include buttermilk pancakes and these oatmeal pancakes -especially when I serve them with lots of fresh fruit.

Today, it’s all about lemon pancakes, made with homemade ricotta cheese and garnished with macerated strawberries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Let’s look at how easy this delicious breakfast recipe is to make at home from scratch!

How to make lemon sugar

The first thing we are going to make is lemon sugar. You won’t believe this simple technique infuses so much flavor in the granulated sugar we will use to make our homemade pancakes.

Place 1 tablespoon of lemon zest (organic) and 1½ tablespoons of granulated sugar in a small bowl.

Use your fingertips to rub these two ingredients together for a couple of minutes. Set aside.

Instructions

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl for 1-2 minutes.

More specifically, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside for now.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk two egg yolks. Continue whisking while adding ¾ cups of milk, 1 cup of ricotta, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and lemon sugar. Set aside. 

With a handheld mixer, whisk the two egg whites until you obtain medium peaks.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir, by hand, until combined and you no longer see any dry streaks. Make sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl properly. 

Add a couple of tablespoons of the egg whites to the pancake batter and gently combine.

Add the rest of the egg whites by gently folding them.

Over medium-high heat, heat a large nonstick skillet or a griddle pan. Brush lightly with vegetable oil, then wipe quickly with a paper towel.

Lower the heat to medium and drop 2 tablespoons of batter per portion. You can also use a small-sized disher. 

NOTE: This yields 30 small, 2½-inch pancakes. For larger pancakes, use a bigger scoop. 

When you see the air bubbles surfacing, it is time to flip. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Once you have flipped your pancake, cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Turn the pancakes over only once.

As they are being made, place pancakes in a single layer on a parchment-covered rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven to keep warm (set oven to 250℉/120℃).

Serve immediately with your favorite fruits and pancake toppings. 

Tips

• Use high-quality ricotta for the best results.
• Whisking the dry ingredients together is important to distribute the baking powder properly. This prevents large holes in the finished product.
• Do not skip the step where you beat the egg whites and the yolks separately. This is the secret to getting truly light and fluffy pancakes!
• Avoid overmixing the batter as this deflates the air bubbles, develops gluten and, in turn, creates a chewier pancake.
• When mixing the pancake batter, make sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. 
• Your griddle pan is hot enough when droplets of water sprinkled on the surface “dance.”
• You only need to brush your pan lightly with vegetable oil for the first set of pancakes.
• Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat frozen pancakes in the toaster or microwave. 

How many pancakes does this recipe make?

If using a small disher, about 2 tablespoons of pancake dough, the recipes yield about 30 small, 2½-inch pancakes. For larger pancakes, use a bigger scoop. 

Does the ricotta need to be drained?

If using homemade ricotta, no. However, if you see an accumulation of liquid in your commercial product, it is probably best to drain it.

Ricotta cheese recipes for breakfast

If you are looking for more lemon ricotta recipes, look at these easy-to-make muffins; they are perfectly sweetened and just bursting with flavor! This tasty ricotta toast is the perfect way to start your day. It’s quick, filling, and can be made with leftover or store-bought cheese. This fruit crepes recipe filled with ricotta is a must for Mother’s Day and Easter Brunch. 

Recipe inspiration

My “Italian” upbringing did not include ricotta cheese pancakes.

But oh, the power of television and the commercials back in the day.

I can still remember those Aunt Jemima pancake commercials. Even as a child, I was obsessed with trying those American pancakes.

My poor mom finally gave in, and for so many years, Aunt Jemima would visit our household every Friday supper, syrup and all…until, as I got older, I found out how easy it was to make pancakes. I will be forever grateful to Aunt Jemima!

The recipe originates from the kitchn. Using homemade ricotta and lemon sugar provides fragrant, light, fluffy pancakes. 

Once you taste the flavor combination of strawberries, lemon, and ricotta, you will repeatedly make these lemon ricotta pancakes.

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

If you haven’t already joined, here is the link where you can sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. This way, you won’t miss any of my new recipes and it’s free! 

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this ricotta pancake recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Celebration-worthy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes -perfect for that special holiday yet simple enough to make for that casual gettogether with family and friends.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 30 2½-inch pancakes

Calories: 40kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

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Ingredients

Lemon Sugar:

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest from organic lemon
• 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 142 grams
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta drained, regular fat, room temperature
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 eggs separated into yolks and whites, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• vegetable oil for greasing pan

Instructions

To Make Lemon Sugar:

• Place the lemon zest (organic) and 1½ tablespoons of granulated sugar in a small bowl.

  Use your fingertips to rub these two ingredients together for a couple of minutes. Set aside.

To Make Pancakes:

• In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, egg yolks, vanilla, juice and lemon sugar.
• Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold until just combined. Set aside.
• With a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites until medium peaks form.
• Stir a couple of tablespoons of egg whites into the pancake batter.
• Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites with a spatula.
• Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat.
• Brush lightly with vegetable oil, then wipe quickly with a paper towel.
• Lower the heat to medium and drop 2 tablespoons of batter per portion. You can also use a small-sized disher. 
• Cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden on the undersides and you see a few air bubbles forming on the top sides.
• Gently flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until golden.
• Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

• Use high-quality ricotta for the best results.
• Whisking the dry ingredients together is important to properly distribute the baking powder. This prevents large holes in the finished product.
• Do not skip the step where you beat the egg whites and the yolks separately. This is the secret to getting truly light and fluffy pancakes!
• Avoid overmixing the batter as this deflates the air bubbles, develops gluten and in turn, creates a chewier pancake.
• When mixing the pancake batter, make sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. 
• Your griddle pan is hot enough when droplets of water sprinkled on the surface “dance”.
• You only need to brush your pan lightly with vegetable oil for the first set of pancakes.
• Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat frozen pancakes in the toaster or microwave. 

How many pancakes does this recipe make? If using a small disher, about 2 tablespoons of pancake dough, the recipes yield about 30 mini, 2½-inch pancakes. For larger pancakes, use a bigger scoop. 

Does the ricotta need to be drained? If using homemade ricotta, no. If you see an accumulation of liquid in your commercial product, it is probably best to drain it.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

*adapted from the kitchn

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 62IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

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This post was originally published on February 07, 2016, and republished on February 20, 2020, with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing!