Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My fluffy  Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Macerated Blueberries are the brunch-worthy treat you can easily make at home! You can easily whip up these special pancakes in under an hour—no special equipment needed.

• Elevated comfort food! All the ease of a regular pancake recipe, with restaurant-worthy results.
• Bright flavor: Zesty lemon and sweet, floral blueberries are an unbeatable combination.
• Wonderfully fluffy: Ricotta gives these pancakes a soft, tender texture.
• Surprisingly easy: The no-cook berry topping comes together in minutes, and the pan.
• Elegant enough for company: This recipe is a go-to for a special brunch, or just for a lazy Sunday at home!

During my years as a pastry chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant and later as the owner of a catering business, I learned that pancakes are among the most universally beloved brunch choices. These Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are one of my favorite ways to elevate a breakfast classic. Lemon makes them fresh and bright, ricotta makes them incredibly tender, and blueberries add flavorful juiciness.

My top tip for this recipe is to cook them over medium-low heat. The ricotta makes this batter richer than ordinary pancake batter, and cooking them gently gives the center time to cook while the outsides turn beautifully golden. For more brunch faves, check out my French Toast Croissant Casserole, Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake, and Bacon and Cheese Casserole.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 7/19/2026, to include updated explanations of key ingredients, clearer step instructions, make-ahead and storage instructions, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

Table Of Contents

• Tools You Need 
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Insructions
• FAQs
• More Pancake Recipes

Tools You Need for the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
• Whisk
• Large nonstick skillet or griddle
• Spatula (flipper)
• Tea towel

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

For the Ricotta Pancakes

Flour

• All-purpose flour gives the pancakes enough structure to stay together while still maintaining a fluffy texture.
• Substitute: For a gluten free pancake, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.

Granulated sugar  

• Granulated sugar (white sugar) is a key ingredient for sweetening the lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes and producing a golden brown color.
• Sugar also binds with the water content in the batter, slowing down the gluten formation process which results in tender pancakes.

Baking powder

• Most baking powder on the market is double-acting, which means it gets activated immediately when mixed with wet ingredients and also from heat while baking.
• That being said, DO NOT let the pancake batter sit for too long, or else it will lose its effectiveness to rise properly.
• Baking powder contains dry acid, or cream of tartar, so it can activate and leaven baked goods with any liquid even if it isn’t acidic.
• Did you know you can make baking powder at home? Try out my ‘How To Make Baking Powder’ post to learn more.

Baking Soda

• Baking soda doesn’t contain acid, so it activates ONLY when mixed with acidic ingredients like buttermilk.
• It reacts with acid from buttermilk, creating air pockets to make pancakes rise.
• Baking soda also reacts with hot sugar during baking to give the pancakes golden and crispy edges.

Salt

• Salt enhances the flavors and keeps the lemon and ricotta pancakes from tasting bland.

Eggs

• Eggs enrich flavors, provide an emulsifier from yolks to bind all ingredients homogeneously, and retain air from egg whites to make pancakes fluffy and soft.
• Always use large, room-temperature eggs when baking unless specified otherwise. This is because room-temperature eggs mix better in the batter.
• I don’t recommend using an egg substitute in this recipe. The eggs are necessary both for enough structure to support the ricotta pancake batter and for creating a fluffy texture.

Ricotta Cheese

• Ricotta, a rich, creamy, Italian whey cheese, adds extra moisture to yield extra fluffy and tender pancakes.
• Additionally, ricotta adds a pleasant, subtle tang.
• Be sure to use fresh, room-temperature (70°F/21°C-76°F/24°C) ricotta for the best results.
• If you don’t have Ricotta, use my recipe to make Ricotta Cheese.

Buttermilk 

• Buttermilk contains acid to break down protein in flour, not only tenderizing lemon and ricotta pancakes but also producing smaller air bubbles to lock in moisture in pancakes more easily.
• Use my easy homemade Buttermilk Substitute if you’re out of buttermilk.
• Buttermilk, plain yogurt, and sour cream can substitute one for another and you can make them at home. A good rule of thumb is to use up to three-quarters of the required amount, and then adjust it accordingly to get the same consistency as the recipe.

Lemon zest

• Lemon zest, which is made from oil-rich lemon peel, adds flavor and aroma.
• The bursts of freshness from lemon zest perfectly balance out the sweetness in both the pancakes and macerated blueberries.

For the Macerated Blueberry Topping

Blueberries

• Macerated blueberries (soaking them in liquid) not only pack great sweet and tart flavors but also add an indigo pop of color to your pancakes.
• Either fresh or frozen blueberries will work well in this Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Recipe.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated adds extra sweetness.
• Importantly, sugar creates a syrupy texture.
• Sugar doesn’t need to caramelize in this recipe so sugar-free substitutes from my chart will work.

Lemon juice 

• Freshly-squeezed lemon juice is the best but bottled lemon juice will also work.

Butter

• Cooking the pancakes in butter adds extra flavor and a golden brown color to your pancakes.
• Use cooking spray or vegetable oil to cook your pancakes if you prefer.

How To Make Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

To Make the Macerated Blueberries

1. Combine the ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
2. Let the blueberries macerate: Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the blueberries release their juices.

To Make the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, ricotta, buttermilk, and lemon zest until smooth.
5. Combine the batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are okay.

To Cook the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

6. Heat the pan and portion the batter: Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add a small amount of butter, and pour a ⅓ cup (2½ oz/71 g) of batter onto the pan.
7. Cook the first side: Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.
8. Flip and finish cooking: Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes, or until the other side is golden brown.

9. Keep the pancakes warm: Place the cooked pancakes on a plate covered with a clean tea towel to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter.

To Serve and Store the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

10. Serve and store: Serve warm topped with the Macerated Blueberries. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 10–20 seconds before serving.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips:

• Macerating blueberries will take a bit of time but don’t serve until the sugar has dissolved or they will taste grainy.
• If you are pressed for time, gently heat half of the blueberries and all of the sugar over a low flame or in the microwave just until the berries release a bit of juice and the sugar has dissolved. Then, stir this into the remaining blueberries and lemon juice and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Be sure to start with room temperature ingredients for the most even mixing and the best, fluffiest results.
• Some recipes call for only egg yolks, but I like to include both egg yolks and whites for ultimate tenderness and binding power in the batter.
• You can use cooking spray or vegetable oil to cook your pancakes if you prefer.
• Feel free to add a splash of vanilla extract to enhance the overall flavor of the pancakes.
• You can replace blueberries with other fresh berries of your choice. If choosing strawberries or another large berry, half or quarter them before macerating.
• Feel free to top off your pancakes with maple syrup, butter, powdered sugar, or more lemon zest!
• For a fun baking project, try making these completely from scratch with Homemade Ricotta and Homemade Buttermilk!

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• Unfortunately, you cannot make this pancake batter ahead of time and let it sit out without affecting its ability to rise effectively. Since baking powder activates the moment it’s combined with wet ingredients, it’s best to cook them off immediately.
• However, you can make the batter in advance by omitting the baking powder and baking soda until you’re ready to cook them.
• You can store the batter without baking soda and baking powder in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
• When ready to cook, sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda over the batter and gently fold using a silicone spatula. Make sure just to fold until combined, being careful not to overmix.

How to store leftovers

• Room temperature: You can leave your Lemon Ricotta Pancakes out at room temperature for no more than 2 hours.
• Refrigerator: 
  • The best way to store leftover pancakes is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  • Reheat: To reheat pancakes from the fridge, use a hot skillet or microwave for about 30 seconds.
• Freezer: 
  • Freeze pancakes with pieces of parchment paper placed in between to prevent sticking. Wrap the stack of pancakes in foil and place them in a resealable bag for extra protection from moisture.
  • Reheat in the microwave: To reheat from frozen, place your pancakes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Reheat on the stove: You can also heat them in a skillet, but you will want to thaw your pancakes overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before cooking.
  • Reheat in the oven: Reheat pancakes at 300°F/150°C-350°F/180°C for 5-10 minutes or until warm throughout.

FAQs

Can I make these lemon pancakes gluten-free?

Yes, you can make this delicious Lemon Ricotta Pancakes recipe gluten-free!

• Substitute the all-purpose flour with the same amount of a 1:1 gluten-free blend, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.

Why use both baking soda and baking powder?

The goal of using both baking powder and baking soda is to make your pancakes as light and fluffy as possible with golden and crispy edges. 

• Most baking powder activates when mixed with liquid and exposed to heat to form air pockets to make pancakes rise.
• Baking soda activates when mixed with acidic liquid to create air pockets to help pancakes rise.
• Baking soda also reacts with hot sugar to give the pancakes golden and crispy edges. 

How do I make sure my pancakes aren’t rubbery?

Rubbery or tough pancakes are due to over-mixed batter, dry batter, or over-cooking.

• Over-mixed batter: The number one cause of rubbery pancakes is over-mixing the batter, which increases gluten formations to toughen the texture.
  • To prevent this from occurring in the future, whisk and fold the room temperature ingredients just until combined.
• Dry batter:
  • Flour varies by brand, so you may need to adjust the amount of buttermilk slightly.
  •  A properly mixed ricotta pancake batter is thick, but spoonable—it shouldn’t be dry or difficult to stir. If it is, add extra buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the batter loosens.
• Overcooking the pancakes:
  • First, make sure to cook pancakes at medium-low temperatures and in the center of the pan to prevent fast or uneven cooking.
  • Second, cook them just until both sides are golden brown and no longer.

• How do I make sure my pancakes don’t stick to the pan?

  Your pancakes may stick to the pan due to insufficient preheating, greasing, or cooking time.

  • A preheated pan produces steam in touch with water from the relatively colder batter. The hot air can create a gap between to prevent the pancakes from sticking to the pan.
  • Be sure to swirl the melting butter around for even greasing across the surface of your pan.
  •  Do not flip too early. Wait until your pancakes are bubbly on the surface and the sides are turning slightly golden brown before flipping the pancake. If you flip it too early, it likely hasn’t developed a crust or skin to detach itself from the hot pan.

Why are my macerated blueberries watery?

• Frozen blueberries tend to have a lot of moisture content when left to thaw in a bowl. I suggest letting them thaw at room temperature and straining the excess water that comes out so that once you combine them with the sugar and lemon mixture, only the sweet inner contents of the blueberries will be left.
• Soft and extra-ripe blueberries can be a bit watery by nature. I recommend using firmer blueberries for the maceration process.
• For a silky, sightly thicker blueberry topping option, try my Blueberry Topping for Cheesecake

More Pancake Recipes

• Buttermilk Pancakes
• Souffle Pancake
• Boxty Recipe (Irish Potato Pancakes)
• Sheet Pan Pancake
• Maple Pancakes

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 7/19/2026, to include updated explanations of key ingredients, clearer step instructions, make-ahead and storage instructions, answers to the most frequently asked questions, and Pro Chef Tips. 

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