Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe

These Lemon Ricotta Pancakes will quickly become your favorite pancake recipe! They’re soft and fluffy while being melt in your mouth tender from the Ricotta Cheese. The perfect weekend breakfast!

Why I love Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

These are no ordinary pancakes, these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are like a delicious indulgent dessert for your weekend brunch or breakfast.

Just think of your favorite fluffy pancakes you usually make but take up a notch with tangy lemon and creamy ricotta cheese to make the most delicious pancakes you’ve ever tasted!

Yes I am hyping up these pancakes but you wont understand how good they are until you’ve tried out the recipe! Also they are super easy and quick to make – no separating and whipping of egg whites or a long list of ingredients.

I promise these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes will be some of the best pancakes you’ve ever eaten. Soft, thick, fluffy, and sweet while also being melt in your moth tender – what more could you ask for?

Ricotta Cheese in Pancakes?

Cheese might seem odd in a pancake recipe but ricotta is one of the best additions you can make! The Ricotta Cheese gives these pancakes an almost custard like interior – think of a baked or Japanese cheesecake for reference.

Like cream cheese where as it’s more known for it creaminess and moisture in baked goods rather than a cheesy flavor. I promise you these won’t taste like a lasagna filling – they’ll be some of the best pancakes you’ve ever eaten!

Lemon Ricotta Pancake Variations

The flavors for these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are very simple but so delicious. You can add a few different variations to change up the flavour.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 Cup of Blueberries can be added to the batter to make Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes. You can leave the lemon out of the pancakes but the combination of blueberry and lemon is delicious!

Chocolate Chip Ricotta Pancakes

Remove the lemon zest from the ingredients and add 1/2 Cup of chocolate chips to the batter with the dry ingredients.

Orange Ricotta Pancakes

Swap the lemon zest for orange zest to make orange ricotta pancakes. Chocolate chips can also be added here for a delicious orange chocolate chip pancakes combo.

What to serve with Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

One of my favorite ways to serve these pancakes are with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of lemon juice! Here are a few other options:

• Lemon Curd – Take the lemon flavor up a notch with a spoonful of lemon curd. This is a great recipe to use up egg yolks!
• Jam
• Fresh Berries
• Whipped Cream – Here is how to make perfectly whipped cream plus how to fix over whipped cream!
• Syrup

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe Ingredients

1 Cup / 250g Ricotta Cheese – Full fat ricotta cheese works the best for this recipe but you can use low fat if you would like. Make sure to drain it before using so there is no extra liquid added to the pancake batter.

2 Eggs – Make sure you are using room temperature eggs for this recipe. If you keep them in the fridge just remove them about an hour before you start cooking. 

1/2 Cup / 125ml Milk – Use whole milk for best results. Milk alternatives can be substituted instead. 

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Cup / 125g Flour – All purpose or standard flour work best for this recipe. 

1 tsp Baking Powder

3 Tablespoons / 25g Sugar – A sugar alternative can be used here.

1/2 tsp Salt

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Wet Ingredients

In a medium sized mixing bowl add the ricotta cheese. Make sure your ricotta has been drained so there is no extra liquid being added to the pancake batter.

Add in the remaining wet ingredients, the eggs, milk and lemon zest. Give the wet ingredients a mix together with a whisk or wooden spoon until well combined.

Dry Ingredients

In a smaller bowl measure out the dry ingredients, the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Give the dry ingredients a quick mix together to combine.

Pancake Batter

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and begin to fold the pancake batter together.

Make sure not to over mix here, as soon as you stop seeing dry flour stop mixing. It’s normal to have small lumps in the batter.

Cooking the Pancakes

Heat a medium sized frypan like a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tsp of butter to the pan and pour in 1/3 Cup of pancake batter.

Cook the pancake for about 3-4 minutes or until the edges are starting to look cooked. Check on the pancake a few times and adjust the heat so it doesn’t burn.

Flip the pancake over and cook for a further few minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Common Questions about this Lemon Ricotta Pancake Recipe

What kind of Ricotta Cheese should I use?

To get the best results I recommend using full fat ricotta cheese. It should be thick and almost solid like but if yours isn’t you can drain it using a cheese cloth.

Can you freeze Ricotta Pancakes?

For most pancakes I would say no they are definitely best fresh but yes you can freeze Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The ricotta cheese keeps these pancakes super moist and tender so they reheat super well.

Cook the pancakes as usual and place into a sealed freezer bag or container. Place into the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to reheat the pancakes let them come up to room temperature. Reheat in the microwave for best results.

What can I substitute Ricotta Cheese for in this recipe?

I wouldn’t recommend substituting ricotta cheese in this recipe. If you don’t have any ricotta cheese on hand you can make my favorite fluffy pancakes or these buttermilk pancakes instead. 

Equipment for this Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe

Digital Scales – Digital scales are the easiest and most accurate way to measure ingredients. I’ve given the recipe amounts in metric and imperial so if you do want to use measuring cups instead you can. 

Mixing Bowl – This is my favorite brand of mixing bowls! The patterns are so lovely and the quality of the bowls are perfect.

Cast Iron Skillet – I recommend a cast iron skillet to cook your pancakes as it provides such an even heat but you can use a non stick frypan instead. To cook multiple pancakes at once a cast iron griddle works really well! 

More Pancake Recipes

• The Ultimate Fluffy Pancakes
• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Souffle Pancakes