Ricotta Pancakes Recipe (2024)

Make this lemon ricotta pancakes recipe and your family will be requesting them every weekend. Light and fluffy, with a creamy middle, these pancakes are irresistible and easy to make. Make ahead with our berry sauce that beautifully balances the richness of the pancakes.

Ricotta is the key ingredient that gives the pancakes their sponge-like texture. If you love ricotta in your desserts, you have to try our recipe for ricotta donut holes.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with (Berry Sauce)

These pancakes are perfect for when you want something a little fancier than the traditional pancake. These are not overly sweet, with a light lemon flavor and a cheesecake-like center. An incredibly easy way to level up your Saturday brunch. You can also add blueberries to the batter to turn this into lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make. These pancakes are very beginner-friendly. They come together fast with minimal ingredients, just like our blueberry pancakes.
• Make ahead. Make a large batch and freeze for an easy breakfast later in the week.
• Customizable. Add fresh or frozen berries or chocolate for a spin on the classic flavor.

Ingredients for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

To make these lemon ricotta pancakes, you’re going to need the following:

• All-purpose flour- the base of the batter.
• Baking powder- the key ingredient to making your pancakes fluffy and rise for that perfect texture.
• Eggs- allow for the ingredients to become a hom*ogeneous consistency.
• Ricotta cheese- adds so much moisture to the pancakes.
• Granulated sugar- our sweetening agent.
• Fresh lemon juice- gives these pancakes a refreshing zest. You can also add a pinch of lemon zest for a stronger lemon flavor.
• Oil and milk- thins out the batter and helps keep it moist.
• Berry sauce- For the berry sauce, we used mixed berries with sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch as a thickening agent.

For a complete list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.

Instructions on How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes-

• Make berry sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine lemon juice, berries, sugar, water, cornstarch, and bring to a boil. Continue cooking until sauce thickens, then set aside.
• Dry ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
• Wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whip the eggs until foamy. Then add ricotta, sugar, lemon juice, oil, milk and mix.
• Combine: Add the flour and baking powder to the large bowl of liquids. Whisk until the batter is well incorporated.
• Cook pancakes: Heat butter and oil in a large skillet or griddle. Using a ¼ measuring cup, pour pancake batter into the skillet, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Flip the pancakes when bubbles start forming. Once fully cooked, set aside and keep warm until the remainder of your batter is cooked.
• Serve, and enjoy friends.

Tips for the BEST Pancakes!

• Heat pan: Make sure that your butter and oil are heated before adding batter to your skillet.
• Uniform sizes: Using the same size measuring cup to pour your pancake batter into the skillet will help you create pancakes that are uniform in size. We suggest using a ¼ measuring cup. You can use the back of it to smooth out the batter once in the skillet to create the perfect circle.
• Cook in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan! Make pancakes in several batches to ensure that they don’t touch and that the heat is evenly distributed.
• Keep together. Only flip the pancakes when bubbles start to form on top or they will fall apart. When flipping the pancakes, slide your spatula underneath and flip in one quick motion. This works perfectly every time.

Substitutions and Variations

• Add blueberries: You can add blueberries to the pancake batter for a blueberry lemon ricotta pancake. The flavors complement each other very well.
• Make it gluten-free: You can substitute the flour for oat flour to make the pancakes gluten-free. You can also use almond flour with the bonus of some extra protein! The texture will vary.
• Butter: Our recipe asks you to cook the pancakes in a mix of butter and oil. The butter adds some great flavor, but you can skip it if you would like. Just use a bit more oil.
• Toppings: Finish off your lemon ricotta pancakes by dressing them in some maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness.
• Berries: For the berry sauce, you can use whatever berries you have on hand. This could be raspberries, blueberries, or a blend of both. Use either fresh berries or frozen.

Serving Suggestions

Though the pancakes may be enjoyed as a meal, they’d make a sweet addition to your breakfast or brunch! Serve with other classic breakfast dishes:

• With casserole: Potato sausage breakfast casserole makes for the perfect savory breakfast dish.
• With sandwiches: Ham and cheese croissants are a hit at every brunch gathering. Serve these with the pancakes for a tasty and well-rounded meal.
• Breakfast classics: Make an egg frittata, air-fried bacon, and homemade hashbrowns to serve with the pancakes for a traditional breakfast everyone is sure to love.

Store & Reheat

On the off chance that you will have leftovers, you may want to store your ricotta pancakes for later.

• Fridge: If you would like to refrigerate your leftovers, just seal cooled pancakes in an airtight container. You may store them for up to four days.
• Freeze: These pancakes are perfect to make in a large batch to freeze for a quick breakfast. Lay cooled pancakes in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Separate them with wax paper or parchment paper so they don’t stick. Store for up to 3 months. Allow pancakes to thaw before reheating.
• Reheat: To prevent burning, add pancakes to a warm skillet over low-medium heat. Or you can place them in the oven at 325°F and cook until reheated.