If you’ve ever had a lemon cheesecake then you need no convincing that there’s something magical about lemon flavor when it’s combined with something creamy. In this case it’s ricotta instead of cream cheese and the 2 flavors are seamlessly combined in the fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes. If you’ve ever seen those thick, almost soufflé-like Japanese pancakes, just imagine a slightly shorter version but filled with lemon zest and with a delicate ricotta flavor. I can say without hesitation that these are hands down the best pancakes I’ve made.
The batter requires the zest of two lemons and while that might seem like a lot, it’s actually the perfect amount. It’s this zest in combination with lemon juice and lemon extract that gives these pancakes depth of lemon-y flavor and this translates to a very full lemon flavor that’s not sharp at all.
This means you end up with a the perfect balance of flavors in the end result. And, aside from zesting and juicing some lemons there’s pretty much no extra effort involved in making these delectable pancakes.
Once you’ve got your batter made fold in the zest and the ricotta and then fry them on medium-low. I recommend a fairly low setting so that they don’t get too dark on that first side.
Serve these with some butter and just a splash of maple syrup to bring out the not-too-sweet flavor of these blintze-like pancakes. Or if you want to really dial up the lemon flavor you could spread lemon curd over the hot pancakes and let it melt into them.
If you love lemon, pancakes, or just trying new combinations then these pancakes will not disappoint. I can’t wait for a reason to make these again soon!
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1 lemon
- vegetable oil for frying
Preparation
- In large bowl combine flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl whisk together milk, ricotta, egg, vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mixture will be lumpy.
- Pour half wet ingredients into dry and stir. Repeat and stir until just combined.
- Heat pan on medium-low. Pan is ready when a few drops of water sizzle and dance across pan. Add teaspoon vegetable oil, followed by 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles in center of pancake burst and stay open.
- Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes. Place cooked pancakes in warm oven until all pancakes are cooked.
- Serve pancakes with maple syrup, butter, and/or lemon curd.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy.
