These lemon ricotta pancakes are fluffy, citrus-scented, and full of 10 grams of protein per pancake! They’re prepared in simply 20 minutes and enjoyable breakfast that’s secretly easy to make.

OK, right here’s one in all my favourite breakfast recipes that sounds fancy however is secretly full of protein: lemon ricotta pancakes! Like my fashionable cottage cheese pancakes, they’re impossibly fluffy and light-weight: however these have a pop citrus taste on the end.
They’re additionally roughly 10 grams protein per serving and made with half the flour of a traditional pancake! (How?) They sound fancy, however they’re so straightforward to whip up and excellent for impressing family and friends at a lazy breakfast or brunch. (My children adore them!)
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Components in Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
This lemon ricotta pancakes recipe follows a components that’s just like my Cottage Cheese Pancakes. The bottom is principally this high-protein cheese and eggs, and also you want solely half the all-purpose flour that’s known as for in a typical pancake. This not solely hundreds the pancake with protein, however it makes it impossibly fluffy. You’ve obtained to do this trick! Right here’s what you’ll want:
- Eggs: That is a part of why the protein rely is so excessive. They bind collectively the batter (no substitutions please!).
- Ricotta cheese: Use whole-milk ricotta for the creamiest, fluffiest consequence. Half skim works too.
- Maple syrup: I all the time use syrup marked “Grade A: Darkish Coloration and Sturdy Taste”
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavour.
- All-purpose flour: All you want is ¾ cup! That’s roughly half what a typical pancake recipe requires.
- Baking powder and salt: Offers them a bit of raise.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest: That is clearly the star ingredient! A bit of lemon zest and recent juice make that brilliant, stunning taste. I all the time use a microplane to zest.

A Observe On Protein
These lemon ricotta pancakes are irresistibly tasty and protein-packed, which makes them a win-win-win in my e-book. The protein helps flip them right into a filling breakfast the place you’re not hungry an hour later (which occurs to me with traditional flour pancakes). Right here’s the breakdown for this ricotta pancake:
- Lemon Ricotta Pancake has 9.6 grams protein! That’s 20% of your every day protein: in a single pancake.
- 1 Customary Pancake has roughly 4 grams protein. So the ricotta pancake is sort of double the protein!

Professional Ideas for Excellent Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
- Don’t rush the warmth. Medium warmth is the aim: you need it low sufficient that the middle cooks by way of earlier than the skin will get too darkish. Should you see the sides browning quick, dial it down.
- The feel is a bit completely different from traditional pancakes. Bear in mind, while you flip the pancakes a few of the batter might ooze out the edges: that is okay! Hold cooking till it’s totally set.
- Complete-milk ricotta is value it. The fats content material is what makes these so tender.
- Leftovers work nice as snacks. My children (and me) are always grabbing pancakes for snacks: topped with a bit of nut butter, it’s a superb filling snack.
Topping Concepts
Lemon ricotta pancakes are nice with any toppings, however there’s a pure selection that matches greater than every other: blueberries! Use both recent blueberries or make a fast sauce. Listed here are a few of my different favourite toppings:
- Pure maple syrup and powdered sugar: These style unimaginable dressed merely.
- Blueberry sauce or compote: Attempt my stovetop Blueberry Sauce or Blueberry Compote.
- Peach compote: This straightforward peach compote could be an ideal pairing.
- Contemporary berries like raspberries, blackberries or blueberries look good.
- Crushed nuts like pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts or slivered almonds additionally add texture and visible enchantment.
- Nut butter makes these pancakes much more filling, like peanut, almond, pecan, pistachio, or walnut butter.

How you can Retailer and Reheat
Lemon ricotta pancakes reheat nicely, which makes them an incredible make-ahead choice. Retailer hermetic within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Reheat in a toaster oven or skillet for one of the best texture, however the microwave truly works too!
I haven’t tried freezing these pancakes, however you possibly can give it a go in the event you like! Nevertheless, they could change into soggy after thawing.
Dietary Notes
This lemon ricotta pancakes recipe is vegetarian.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Sure! Cottage cheese works nicely as a swap. The pancakes will nonetheless be fluffy and protein-packed. For greatest outcomes, use full-fat small-curd cottage cheese. See my Cottage Cheese Pancakes recipe.
I’d advocate making these recent: the baking powder begins to react as quickly because it contacts the liquid substances. For superior prep, you’ll be able to measure out your dry and moist substances individually the evening earlier than and mix them within the morning.
A non-stick skillet or griddle is good. Forged iron additionally works nicely, however requires a bit of extra consideration to temperature regulation.
Search for bubbles forming and the sides beginning to look set (not shiny). Ricotta pancakes take a bit longer to cook dinner than normal pancakes, so don’t rush it.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
These lemon ricotta pancakes are fluffy, citrus-scented, and full of 10 grams of protein per pancake! They’re prepared in simply 20 minutes and enjoyable breakfast that’s secretly easy to make.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 10 minutes
- Complete Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 9 medium pancakes 1x
- Class: Breakfast
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: American
- Food plan: Vegetarian
Components
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon recent squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, ricotta, maple syrup and vanilla.
- In one other bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add it to the bowl with the moist substances, then add the lemon juice and lemon zest and blend till a easy batter types.
- Warmth a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium warmth, then add a little bit of butter to coat. Scoop out ¼ cup parts of batter and cook dinner the pancakes till golden brown on one facet, adjusting the warmth so it doesn’t brown too quick. Flip and cook dinner till cooked by way of and not gooey on the edges (the batter will ooze out a bit on the sides; simply hold cooking till it’s totally cooked, adjusting the warmth as essential so it doesn’t brown too quick). Place the pancakes in a stack below an overturned bowl, and cook dinner the second batch of pancakes.
- Serve instantly, topped with pure maple syrup.
