Lighter than air and bright as sunshine, these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are the perfect way to start your morning.
My husband makes a great breakfast. His egg and hash brown skillets are amazing and his biscuits are downright legendary. This month, he’s been tinkering with pancakes and good things have been happening. This past weekend, we got the whole family involved and baked up a batch of the most beautiful and fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes evah.
There really isn’t anything terribly remarkable about our recipe….they’re simple but in a very, very good way. I suspect the fluffiness comes from what seems like a pretty significant amount of baking powder. The ricotta is subtle — just enough to add richness to the batter without affecting texture. (you could likely swap in sour cream or Greek yogurt and achieve the same affect). They have a hearty dose of vanilla extract but the thing that really makes them special is the lemon zest. Just a little bit adds the perfect brightness. They taste like sunshine and pair beautifully with fresh berries.
Or, if you’re my kids….copious amounts of syrup and butter.
We made these as a family on a Sunday morning and my attempts to get a few process shots were mostly thwarted by poor lighting and our awkward-for-photography kitchen setup. But, here are some great shots of our messy kitchen and various levels of bedhead:
We whip the batter briefly in the stand mixer — incorporating a little air helps to lighten them up a bit. While not essential, bacon eating is highly encouraged during this step. 
A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is a pancake’s best friend. We literally make one pancake at a time, but they come out perfectly. 
Cook them for 45 seconds per side (we stand there as a family and count) over medium heat. They’ll be golden on the outside and cooked through. For optimum fluffiness, repeat Jon’s mantra: “Never, ever squish a pancake.”
Your kitchen may not look this chaotic afterward. We have a knack for making a mess.
If you’re wondering what the kids thought of these, I think the clean plates speak for themselves.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Makes about 10 pancakes
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
butter for greasing skillet
Instructions
- Whisk together flour sugar baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, ricotta cheese, oil, milk, vanilla and lemon zest. Mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed using the whisk attachment for about 2 minutes. Allow better to rest for 10 minutes.
- Grease a large cast iron skillet or griddle with butter and heat to medium. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and allow pancake to cook for 45 to 50 seconds. Flip pancake and cook for another 45 to 50 seconds, until pancake is golden and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve immediately with butter, syrup and fresh berries as desired.
