Introduction
Hey there, pancake lover! Ever have one of those mornings where you just crave something bright, cozy, and utterly delicious? Something that feels a little special, but is secretly super simple? That’s where these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes waltz in! For me, these feel like a little hug on a plate. They’re incredibly fluffy, thanks to that magical ricotta, and the pop of fresh lemon just wakes everything right up. Forget those flat, sad pancakes; these are plump little clouds of sunshine. And trust me, you’re going to be amazed at how quickly you can whip up this plate of pure joy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Ready in under 30 minutes!
- Easy: Simple ingredients, simple steps.
- Giftable: Okay, maybe not the batter, but the idea of making these for someone is a gift in itself!
- Crowd-pleasing: Everyone adores these light, bright beauties.
Ingredients
Gather ’round, friends! Here’s what you’ll need to make these lemon dreams come true. Most of these are likely already hanging out in your kitchen!
- 1 cup all-purpose flour: Just your standard floury goodness to build our pancakes on.
- 1 tablespoon sugar: A touch of sweetness to balance the lemon.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder: Our first leavening helper for fluffiness.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda: This works with the buttermilk (and lemon juice!) to create extra lift!
- 1/4 teaspoon salt: Don’t skip this! It brings out all the flavors.
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese: The secret ingredient for that incredible moistness and tender crumb. Full-fat is my favorite here for richness!
- 1 cup buttermilk: Essential for activating the baking soda and giving that classic tangy pancake flavor and tender texture.
- 2 large eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest: Where all that amazing bright lemon fragrance comes from! Make sure to only get the yellow part.
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice: Adds a zingy punch and helps the leavening agents do their job.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: A little touch of warmth and sweetness.
- Butter or oil for cooking: Gotta grease that griddle! Butter adds extra flavor, but oil works great too.
- Maple syrup for serving: The classic partner in crime! Warm it up for extra cozy vibes.
- Fresh lemon wedges and mint for garnish: Makes them look pretty and adds extra freshness!
How to Make It
Alright, let’s make some magic happen! These come together in just a few simple steps. You’ve got this!
First, grab a large bowl and whisk together all your dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. This is important for getting those fluffy results!
In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients. Add the ricotta cheese, buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is well combined and the ricotta is mostly smooth. Don’t worry if there are a few tiny ricotta lumps, they melt right into deliciousness!
Now, gently pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. This is key: stir just until the dry ingredients are barely moistened. It’s okay, even desirable, to have some lumps! Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which leads to tough pancakes. We want tender, fluffy ones!
Heat your griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a little butter or oil and let it melt and coat the surface. You know it’s ready when a drop of water sizzles and disappears quickly.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the hot griddle. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set. The underside should be golden brown.
Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side, until they are golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.
Serve immediately with warm maple syrup, fresh lemon wedges for an extra squeeze, and a sprig of mint if you’re feeling fancy!
Substitutions & Additions
Want to play around with the recipe? Go for it! Here are a few ideas:
- Gluten-Free: You can likely swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix. Results may vary slightly, but it usually works well!
- Dairy: Don’t have buttermilk? You can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of regular milk (any fat percentage works) and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until it looks slightly curdled. For the ricotta, a smooth cottage cheese or even Greek yogurt (though it’s tangier) might work in a pinch, but ricotta truly gives the best texture here.
- Add Fruit: Stir in some fresh blueberries or raspberries into the batter right before cooking. About 1/2 cup is usually perfect.
- Different Citrus: No lemons? Try orange zest and juice for a different but equally lovely flavor profile.
- Extra Richness: Replace the ricotta with mascarpone cheese for an even richer, creamier pancake.
Tips for Success
- Don’t Overmix! Seriously, this is the most important rule of pancake making. Lumps are your friends!
- Let the Batter Rest (Optional but Recommended): Letting the batter sit for 5-10 minutes after mixing allows the dry ingredients to absorb the liquid and the leavening agents to start working. This can lead to even fluffier pancakes.
- Get Your Griddle Temperature Right: Too low and they’ll be pale and tough; too high and they’ll burn on the outside before cooking through. Medium heat is usually perfect. Test with that water drop!
- Know When to Flip: Look for the bubbles breaking on the surface and the edges looking dry and set. That’s your cue!
- Keep Them Warm: As you cook batches, you can keep the finished pancakes warm on a plate in a low oven (around 200°F / 90°C) until you’re ready to serve everyone.
How to Store It
Got leftovers? Lucky you! Let the pancakes cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, you can stack them with parchment paper in between to prevent sticking and store them in an airtight container or freezer bag in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, they freeze beautifully! Flash freeze them on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat, you can pop them in the toaster, toaster oven, microwave, or warm them gently in a pan. The toaster or toaster oven gives them the best texture!
FAQs
- Can I make the batter ahead of time? I don’t recommend making the batter too far in advance. The baking soda reacts with the buttermilk and lemon juice best when fresh. You could whisk the dry ingredients together and the wet ingredients together separately the night before and then combine them in the morning right before cooking.
- My pancakes aren’t fluffy, what went wrong? Most likely, you overmixed the batter! Or maybe your baking powder/soda is old. Check the expiration dates!
- Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk? While you can, your pancakes won’t be as tender or fluffy because regular milk doesn’t react with the baking soda in the same way. Using the quick homemade buttermilk trick (milk + vinegar/lemon juice) is your best bet if you don’t have real buttermilk.
- What kind of ricotta should I use? I prefer whole milk (full-fat) ricotta for the richest flavor and best texture. Make sure it’s reasonably fresh!

Dreamy Fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Griddle or non-stick pan
- Wire rack for cooling leftovers
- Airtight container for storage
- Freezer bag for storage
- Baking Sheet for flash freezing
- Toaster for reheating
- Toaster oven for reheating
- Microwave for reheating
- Pan for reheating
Ingredients
Pancake Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup ricotta cheese full-fat recommended
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest only the yellow part
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Butter or oil for cooking
- Maple syrup for serving
- Fresh lemon wedges for garnish/serving
- Mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Grab a large bowl and whisk together all your dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
- In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients. Add the ricotta cheese, buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is well combined and the ricotta is mostly smooth (a few tiny lumps are okay).
- Gently pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir just until the dry ingredients are barely moistened. It's okay to have some lumps; avoid overmixing.
- Heat your griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a little butter or oil and let it melt and coat the surface. It's ready when a drop of water sizzles quickly.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the hot griddle. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until you see bubbles forming on the surface and the edges look set. The underside should be golden brown.
- Carefully flip the pancakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side, until they are golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.
- Serve immediately with warm maple syrup, fresh lemon wedges for an extra squeeze, and a sprig of mint if desired.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the batter; lumps are good for tenderness.
- Optional: Let batter rest 5-10 mins for extra fluffiness.
- Get griddle temperature right (medium heat, water sizzles).
- Flip when bubbles form on surface and edges look set.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (200°F / 90°C) while cooking batches.
- Gluten-Free: Try 1:1 gluten-free baking mix.
- Dairy substitutes: Make quick buttermilk with milk + vinegar/lemon juice; smooth cottage cheese or Greek yogurt might work for ricotta in a pinch, but ricotta is best.
- Additions: Stir in 1/2 cup fresh blueberries or raspberries.
- Different Citrus: Use orange zest and juice instead of lemon.
- Extra Richness: Use mascarpone instead of ricotta. Storage:
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container or freezer bag for 3-4 days (stack with parchment paper).
- Freeze for up to 2 months (flash freeze first on a baking sheet).
- Reheat in toaster, toaster oven, microwave, or pan. Toaster/toaster oven gives best texture. FAQ:
- Don't make batter too far ahead; baking soda reaction is best when fresh. Can mix dry and wet separately night before and combine in morning.
- Lack of fluffiness likely due to overmixing or old baking powder/soda.
- Regular milk doesn't work as well as buttermilk for texture/fluffiness.