This pancake recipe is easy to make and is a wonderful choice for any weekend breakfast routine. This classic pancake recipe is elevated by smooth ricotta cheese and juice from a fresh lemon. While the ricotta adds a rich, chewy texture without making the pancakes too dense, the citrus tang from the lemons is perfect for a morning meal.  

There’s a sort of tranquility when it comes to waking up to scents of mouthwatering breakfast foods on a Sunday morning. This calm symbolizes time spent resting in the hands of family and, of course, wonderfully made food. These lemon ricotta pancakes definitely do the job of satisfying early morning cravings and bringing together family and friends over a delicious meal. Soon, these pancakes will become a staple of your early mornings.

Another addition to the lemon ricotta flavor of the pancakes is the perfect pairing of blueberry to go along with it. For this recipe, blueberry compote is drizzled over the pancakes at the end of the process. While it may look sort of daunting at the beginning of the process, the compote is really very easy to make. By combining just sugar, water, blueberries, and a dash of lemon juice, you can whip up the compote in no time, creating a perfect topping to the pancakes. 

Lemon and blueberries is a pairing done to perfection, with the mellow acidity of the blueberries both cutting and elevating the flavor of the lemon. With this recipe, the compote does just that, acting in opposition and in conjunction with the other ingredients. 

Another positive to this blueberry compote comes from the appearance aspect of any dish. As many say, people eat with their eyes first, so the dark purple-blues that comes from the blueberry compote perfectly juxtapose the light yellows of the pancake batter, perfectly complimented by a touch of green from a sprig of mint or rosemary on top. 

With relative ease, novice and experienced cooks alike can enjoy these pancakes, especially the process of making them and the complex flavor profile that it yields. Light and fluffy, these pancakes will ruin any sort of boxed pancake mix and complete the transition to the ‘from-scratch’ side of cooking. 

Recipe for Lemon Ricotta pancakes: 

¾ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ cup sugar

Lemon zest from 1 large lemon

Lemon Juice from ½ of lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

¾ cup ricotta

¼ cup whole milk

1 tbsp melted butter (plus extra butter for cooking)

1. In a small bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. 

3. Add the vanilla and whisk each egg into the sugar mixture one at a time until it is homogenous, fluffy and has lightened slightly in color. 

4. Add the ricotta, whole milk, and melted butter to the other wet ingredients.

5. In two additions, incorporate the flower mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix until most of the large lumps have disappeared, but do not overmix as the pancakes could become tough.

6. Over medium heat, generously butter a non-stick skillet or griddle and dollop a generous amount of batter (about ¼ cup) onto the hot skillet. When the edges of the pancake begin to turn golden-brown and small bubbles appear on the batter, flip the pancake. Allow to cook for a few more minutes, until the edges on the other side begin to turn golden-brown, then remove from the skillet.

7. Repeat the cooking process until all the batter has been used. (Makes about 10 medium-sized pancakes)

The pancakes are best served warm, with the blueberry compote drizzled over the top. If desired, whipped cream could also be added to give something extra-sweet to the flavor. 

Recipe for blueberry compote topping:

1 cup blueberries (any other preferred berry can also be used with the same measurements)

3 tbsp water

2 tbsp sugar

Lemon juice from ½ of lemon

1. In a medium saucepan, add the blueberries, water, and sugar, occasionally stirring the mixture over a low flame. 

2. Once the mixture has begun to bubble, add in the lemon juice and turn down the heat further and continue to 

3. When the mixture is to a satisfactory texture (thick, but not too thick to drizzle), turn off the heat, and pour on top of the pancakes while still warm.

The compote is best served warm on top of the pancakes, but can be stored in the fridge for a few days after use. 

Recipe for Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tbsps of white sugar

½ tsp of vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the cream and start whipping. An electric hand mixer or standing mixer would work best, but hand whipping would also work

2. Once the cream is frothy, add the sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to whip vigorously.

3. Stop whipping once the mixture is shiny and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted.

As for plating, we chose to use some of the products left over to create a nice picture. The zested lemon was sliced and placed on the side of the pancakes, while a few blueberries were sprinkled around the food. This part of the recipe, however, is completely fluid, and you may adapt the toppings out of desire or necessity. A few other well-paired toppings may be a sprig of mint, whipped cream, and even some honey drizzled over the compote and pancakes. 

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