One Reader’s Family Called These Lemon Ricotta Pancakes “The Best They’ve Ever Had”

These lemon-ricotta pancakes are tender and delicious, with lightness from meringue, creaminess from whole milk ricotta, and punch from fresh lemon zest.

By
Genevieve Yam
Genevieve Yam headshot
Genevieve Yam
Senior Editor
After graduating from the International Culinary Center, Genevieve cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se. Prior to joining Serious Eats, she was an editor at Epicurious. She grew up between Toronto and Hong Kong and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She currently lives in New York with her husband and two cats.
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Published May 22, 2025
A stack of lemon ricotta pancakes topped with a blueberry compote

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Why It Works

  • Rubbing lemon zest with the sugar helps draw out its fragrant oils, resulting in a more flavorful pancake.
  • Whisking the meringue at a lower speed for longer results in a stronger foam that's less likely to deflate.

People usually fall into two camps at breakfast time: sweet or savory. While my husband almost always goes for the eggs, potatoes, and bacon, my sweet tooth reigns supreme even at breakfast. I adore French toast, waffles, and pancakes of any kind. Though the basic versions of those breakfast classics are delicious, I enjoy incorporating different ingredients for fun flavor combinations, including the lemon-ricotta pancakes below.

The recipe for these pancakes was originally published on our site in 2009, and I decided to make them after one of our readers, Laurie, wrote in to tell us what a hit they were. “My family said they were the best pancakes they've ever had," Laurie wrote. The lemon is subtle, and the overall flavor is delicious. Definitely better with strawberries on top, but great on their own too with some syrup.”

Like Laurie, I've come to love these lemon ricotta pancakes. Though they are slightly fussier than most pancake recipes—you have to separate the eggs and whip the egg whites—they are tender and delicious, with lightness from the meringue, creaminess from the whole milk ricotta, and just the right amount of punch from fresh lemon zest. 

I've tweaked the original recipe slightly: Instead of just incorporating the lemon zest, I call for tossing the zest with sugar, which draws out the skin's fragrant oils, giving the pancakes a more potent citrus flavor. You can choose to whip the egg whites by hand with an old-fashioned whisk, which is what the original recipe calls for, but I find it much, much easier and quicker to rely on my good friend the stand mixer. An electric hand mixer will also work, so choose whichever tool (and arm workout level) you prefer. I recommend whisking your egg whites on a lower speed for longer, which produces a sturdier foam that's less likely to deflate, and may result in dense, rubbery pancakes.

This recipe was developed by Robin Bellinger; the headnote was written by Genevieve Yam.

Recipe Details

One Reader’s Family Called These Lemon Ricotta Pancakes “The Best They’ve Ever Had”

Prep 10 mins
Cook 10 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 2 to 3
Makes 8 pancakes
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 226 g whole milk ricotta cheese (8 ounces; 1 cup)

  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk

  • 4 large eggs, separated

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 141 g all-purpose flour (5 ounces; 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

  • 45 g granulated sugar (1 1/2 ounce; 3 tablespoons)

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • 28 g unsalted butter (1 ounce; 2 tablespoons), plus more for serving

  • Fresh fruit or compote, for serving

  • Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and lemon zest, using your fingers to rub them together until mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds; set aside.

    A glass bowl containing grated lemon zest mixed with sugar, prepared for use in a lemon ricotta pancake recipe

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  2. In a large bowl, whisk ricotta, milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon sugar to combine; set aside. Using fine-mesh sieve, sift in flour, baking powder, and salt to ricotta mixture. Whisk until just combined.

    Steps of preparing lemon ricotta pancake batter with a whisk in a series of bowls

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until they begin to foam, about 1 minute. With mixer running at medium speed, slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar. Continue to whisk until meringue is glossy and reaches medium-stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, gently fold meringue into pancake batter. (Alternatively, egg whites can be whisked in a large bowl using a traditional whisk or an electric hand mixer.)

    A mixing bowl containing batter being folded with whipped ingredients using a yellow spatula

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

  4. Place a wire rack inside a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside.

  5. Heat a large electric nonstick griddle to medium heat (350°F/175°C) or large nonstick, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet or stovetop griddle over medium heat. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter, and, using a 1/3 cup scoop or measuring cup, scoop batter onto griddle or skillet to form 3-inch pancakes spaced 1/2 to 1 inch apart, working in batches if necessary. Cook until bubbles begin to appear on top of batter and bottoms are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip pancakes and cook until bottoms are lightly golden and pancakes are cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to prepared wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with fresh fruit, compote, and/or maple syrup.

    A single pancake shown from above on a white surface

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Special Equipment

Whisk, stand mixer or hand mixer, wire rack, rimmed baking sheet, nonstick electric griddle or large nonstick, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet or stovetop griddle

Make-Ahead and Storage

Once cooled, pancakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or a 300°F (150°C) oven until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
626 Calories
27g Fat
70g Carbs
25g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 626
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 35%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 316mg 105%
Sodium 567mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 70g 25%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 25mg 125%
Calcium 394mg 30%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 451mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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