There are pancakes, and then there are lemon ricotta pancakes. The first time I tried them was at brunch after a long, long night. Needless to say … carbs were necessary.  I had no idea what to expect when I ordered, but knew I loved pancakes, ricotta and lemons, so hey, why not? The experience was sort of like the first time I realized how much burgers were with a fried egg. Sometimes you have to just go for it, and lemon ricotta pancakes do just that.

The ricotta cheese makes these pancakes light, melt-in-your-mouth good, while the hint of lemon provides a nice, subtle tang. These are a great breakfast meal to make for friends, or when you’re in the mood to treat yourself with a good, hearty breakfast. I like to throw fresh fruit on top of them—anything from caramelized apples to blueberries, mainly because just about everything goes well with pancakes.

Serves 4-5

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (Meyer lemons preferred)
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, egg, egg whites, lemon juice, lemon zest and canola oil. Gently fold this mixture into the dry ingredients until flour disappears. The batter should be thick.

Heat a griddle or a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray.  Drop batter in ½ cup portions onto griddle.

Cook the pancakes they begin to bubble then become golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the pancakes on the other side, about 2 minutes longer.

Top with blueberry or strawberry sauce for an extra kick. Enjoy!