Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Updated Sept. 16, 2024

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(6,146)
Comments
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This quick batter cooks into the most tender pancakes for the most comforting breakfast. Milky ricotta and butter, along with tangy buttermilk, lend a soft, sweet creaminess, and well-beaten eggs keep them fluffy and light. Lemon- and vanilla-scented sugar makes the pancakes sweet enough to eat on their own, but they’re fun to serve with blueberry syrup or your favorite toppings. If you prefer soufflé-like pancakes, separate the whites from the yolks and beat them to stiff peaks. Mix the yolks in with the wet ingredients, fold the whipped whites in after the dry ingredients are incorporated and cook as directed below. (Watch the video of Genevieve Ko making lemon ricotta pancakes here.)

Featured in: A Few Simple Tricks Yield the Most Tender Pancakes

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 small pancakes
  • ¾cup/102 grams all-purpose flour
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾teaspoon fine salt
  • ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar
  • 1lemon
  • teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3large eggs
  • ¾cup/170 grams whole-milk ricotta
  • ¼cup/61 grams buttermilk, preferably whole milk
  • 2tablespoons/28 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for cooking and serving
  • Blueberry Syrup or other toppings, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

136 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 170 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Heat a griddle or large nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-low.

  2. Step 2

    Add the sugar to a large bowl, then finely grate the zest of the lemon directly over the sugar.

  3. Step 3

    Using your fingers, gently rub the zest into the sugar.

  4. Step 4

    Add the vanilla and whisk to evenly moisten. Add the eggs and whisk until foamy on top.

  5. Step 5

    Next, add the ricotta, buttermilk and butter, and whisk until well blended.

  6. Step 6

    Add the flour mixture and gently stir until no traces of flour remain.

  7. Step 7

    Generously butter the griddle, then drop a scant ¼ cup batter onto it. Repeat, spacing the rounds at least an inch apart. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

  8. Step 8

    Flip and cook until the other sides are golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with more butter and the remaining batter. Serve warm, slathered with butter and blueberry syrup or other toppings if you’d like.

Ratings

5 out of 5
6,146 user ratings
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Comments

If you don’t have ricotta on hand, a large spoonful of sour cream gives a similar effect. This recipe is unnecessarily complicated. I always add lemon zest, vanilla (and cinnamon, not sugar) but I don’t bother to separately mix them. I just put all ingredients in a bowl and briefly whisk together. We also like to drop in blueberries as each pancake cooks (to avoid turning the whole batter blue).

These were easy and delicious. I used plain milk with lemon juice instead of buttermilk and the pancakes still turned out perfectly fluffy.

Bobby Flay's lemon-ricotta pancakes have been my go-to for a while. Similar to this recipe, but a bit simpler: no buttermilk, no vanilla, simply dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another. The clincher: warmed lemon curd for the topping.

This recipe produces restaurant level delicious and beautiful pancakes. The pancakes are extremely light and the hint of lemon is lovely. It is huge a winner with my family - even for my husband who is not generally a pancake fan - and has been added to our weekend brunch rotation.

Great recipe. I didn’t have buttermilk on hand, so I substituted three parts Greek yogurt to one part water and it worked well. I could have handled just a little bit more lemon flavor and might zest two lemons instead in the future, but these were well-balanced and lovely. Served with a fruit salad of fresh blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and pitted cherries I had on hand and no additional butter or syrup.

Finally made these after eyeing them forever. A completely well-deserved 5 star rating. No notes, just a great recipe.

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