These creamy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are a cross between a fluffy traditional pancake and a delicate crepe. Drizzled with wonderful lemon curd, they are out of this world delicious. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!
If you love these, don’t miss our zucchini version. Zucchini Ricotta Pancakes will knock your socks off, too!
Irresistible Ricotta Pancakes
These Ricotta Pancakes remind me of something you would be served at a quaint bed and breakfast. After gobbling them down, you would have no choice but to ask beg the hostess for the recipe.
Each stack is light, fluffy, tender, sweet, and topped with just a little homemade lemon curd. They practically melt in your mouth and are truly Heavenly. Making these for breakfast is an obvious choice, but you could easily pass these off as a dessert, too.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe
These pancakes start off with common pancake ingredients like flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, and vanilla. The difference comes with added ricotta cheese, lemon juice and zest, and how they’re prepared.
If your initial reaction to cheese in pancakes is off-putting, don’t think of it like a savory cheese you’d put on a sandwich. Think of more like what ricotta does to a sweet Cannoli Dip or a Blintz. It makes these pancakes moist, light, and delicate without the need for butter. Sort of in the same vein as how cream cheese can be used in both savory and sweet dishes (except ricotta isn’t sour.)
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Not gonna lie, these pancakes do require a few extra bowls and steps compared to traditional pancakes, but it is SO worth it. Making them is still easy and the end result is amazing. To make this ricotta pancakes recipe, follow the steps below included in the printable recipe card. Make sure to refer back to the article for all the helpful information and tips!
Tips for Success
- Measure the flour correctly: Spoon and level the flour, don’t scoop. Too much flour and the pancakes could end up dense.
- Use Full-Fat Ricotta: Full fat ricotta cheese will get you the best results.
- Fold, don’t stir: It’s so important to gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together. If you stir, you could deflate the batter and ruin their delicate nature.
What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
These type of pancakes are light, tender, and pretty wonderful all on their own, but if you want to dress them up, we understand! Here are a few topping suggestions:
- Lemon Curd
- Raspberry Sauce
- Whipped Cream
- Powdered Sugar
- Honey
- Butter
Proper Storage
If you have any leftover pancakes or want to make them ahead of time so you have them ready to go, they store really well.
- Storing leftovers: Let the pancakes cool completely, then store in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. They will keep up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Let the pancakes cool completely, then place them a baking sheet in a single layer. Transfer to the freezer until just solid, then put them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. They will keep for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: These can either be heated in a toaster oven, warm oven, or microwave. No need to thaw first.
More Pancake Recipes:
- Zucchini Ricotta Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Sheet Pan Pancakes
- Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes
- Dutch Baby Pancake
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs , yolks and whites separated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon curd , for serving
- raspberry sauce , for serving
- whipped cream , for serving
- powdered sugar , for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In another slightly larger bowl, stir together the ricotta, milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.
- In a third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.
- Pour the flour mixture on top of the ricotta mixture. Stir until just combined (don’t over mix.) Then gently fold in the egg whites with a spatula.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Wipe surface with butter, and then scoop out about 1/3 cup of the mixture for each pancake. Cook until lightly golden on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes a side (you'll likely need to adjust the heat to prevent over-browning.)
- Serve pancakes immediately with one or more of the recommended toppings and enjoy!
I am in pancake heaven !
I love these pancakes. Actually ate them at a place in Lawrence, KS. Awesome, glad to have the recipe.
These are wonderful! I love ricotta and I love lemon curd – and the two together are perfection!
I made these and they were so good. The easy lemon curd was truly easy, and I try to have some on hand in the freezer at all times.
Those look so elegant and delicious! Like something from a cafe in Paris! Well maybe they wouldn’t call them pancakes, there, but they’d eat ’em!
Just made these and they’re AWESOME!!
Oh, yum. Lemon and ricotta? Classic.
I can just envision how light and moist these must be. Can I have them for my birthday too, please?
Mmmm, LOVE these pancakes. I’ve made them so many times. I think I might try them with key lime curd.
Oh I do sooo remember these! They are Heaven on a plate! Maybe I will make them for dinner, too! (I can *pretend* I’m 4.)
Mmm, wonderful holiday breakfast treat!
Great colors in that photo!
those look so yummy…
Oooh! Scrumptious recipe! Haley sounds like my kind of girl. Happy belated birthday, Haley! So glad she had a good birthday, especially since she had that stomach bug recently. This recipe is being added to the menu for our next family brunch. It really sounds fabulous. Thanks again for the Sunflower butter samples. Very good on toast with a cup of tea for breakfast! Have a great week, Amy! (Be on the lookout for an email from me – big news.) *hugs*
Such pretty elegant pancakes! Sounds perfect with lemon curd!
These look delicious! Your daughter has quite the refined taste, there. It does look like you feed her super well though and she is definately lucky to have such an awesome cook for a mom! By the way, the sunflower butter is awesome! I love it, and only have one packet left.
that is one sexy looking pancakes! Esp with lemon curd-tang + sweet=yum!
ps- I received the sunflower butter! Love it for breakie very very rich.
Heck I probably want these for my 23rd birthday! I love lemon curd. As in I have quite an obsession with it (that tart sweetness…mmmmm). And just for this, I also plan on wearing 20 barrettes. It’s my party. I can look tacky if I want to. :P
Hailey sounds adorable. Happy birthday to her! Give her a hug for me.
Also, in response to your comment on the bread…I haven’t bought a single loaf of bread since Christmas. It’s all been homemade. Very exciting and very delicious.
What, you can’t be 40 and wear barrettes? I have 19 of them in right now.
O…M…G these are good. I’ll take nine, pleeze. And, if you have leftovers, you can reheat them and make a lemon ricotta pancake sandwich, exactly how I ate some of them the next day.