Ricotta Pancakes

Ricotta pancakes are extra fluffy and flavorful on the inside and deliciously golden on the outside. Top these with syrup and a squeeze of lemon for the ultimate breakfast treat!

 

Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese that you often use to make Homemade Lasagna. But did you know that you can use ricotta to make the fluffiest pancakes ever? Ricotta pancakes are such a breakfast treat. They’re ultra soft, moist, and cakey, with a subtle flavor that tastes a little like cheesecake. Of course, there will always be space in my heart (and at my table) for traditional pancakes. But trust me, you can tell that these ricotta pancakes are special from the very first bite!

Why You’ll Love This Ricotta Pancakes Recipe

• Extra fluffy. Similar to my Greek yogurt pancakes, ricotta makes these pancakes super soft, spongey, and irresistibly flavorful. It’s a great way to step up traditional pancakes with just one ingredient.
• Quick and easy batter. The batter is ready for the griddle in 10 minutes. You can even prepare it the night before, for even more flavor-filled pancakes.
• Made at home. Ricotta pancakes are a popular menu item in trendy breakfast spots. This easy homemade recipe is the best excuse to stay in for brunch!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Apart from fresh ricotta, this pancakes recipe uses basic pantry ingredients. I include some notes below. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.

• Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure you’re using baking powder and not baking soda (they aren’t the same!). 
• Eggs – Whole large eggs, brought to room temperature for best results.
• Sugar – You can use granulated white sugar or light brown sugar.
• Ricotta Cheese – Use whole milk ricotta as low fat ricotta isn’t as creamy or flavorful. See below for details. 
• Milk – Either whole milk, 2%, or 1%.
• Vanilla – Make sure to use real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Butter – To coat the pan when cooking the pancakes. You can also use non-stick spray.

What Is Ricotta Cheese?

Ricotta is a light and spongey, fresh Italian whey cheese. You may recognize it as the creamy cheese filling in savory dishes like stuffed shells and lasagna soup. It’s also delicious in desserts, like this lemon ricotta pound cake. The extra moisture and flavor from ricotta cheese turns plain pancakes into something truly next level.

You’ll find ricotta sold in vacuum-sealed packages in the grocery store or over the counter at your local deli. Make sure to buy the regular kind, and not whipped ricotta or another variation.

How to Make Ricotta Pancakes

Here’s how to make homemade ricotta pancakes in just a few easy steps. Don’t forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for printable instructions.

• Make the batter. Start by whisking the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients, including the ricotta. Afterward, whisk the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients until everything is combined.

• Cook. Next, use a ladle or a measuring cup to add scoops of batter to a preheated, lightly buttered griddle or skillet (about ½ cup of batter per pancake). Working in batches as needed, cook the pancakes for 3-4 minutes per side.
• Serve. Serve these pancakes hot and fresh from the pan topped with syrup, berries, or any toppings you’d like! See below for more ideas.

Tips and Variations

These are some helpful tips that I’ve picked up after (many, many) years of making pancakes, plus some easy variations:

• How long should I wait to flip a pancake? After 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat, you should start to see small bubbles beginning to break the surface of the pancake batter (see the step-by-step photo in the How to Make section above). This means the pancake is ready to flip!
• Get your pancakes perfectly browned. It’s more of a visual thing, but using a small amount of butter (or non-stick cooking spray) in the pan helps to “toast” these ricotta pancakes to a lovely golden brown.
• Hands off! Once you flip your pancakes, resist the urge to press or move them. Pressing the tops with a spatula leads to dense, chewy pancakes.
• Keep pancakes warm. If you’re making a larger batch or if you’re not serving these straight from the griddle, I recommend wrapping the finished pancakes in a clean kitchen towel to place on a baking sheet. Keep the wrapped pancakes warm in the oven, set to the lowest temperature.
• Prepare the batter ahead. You can mix the batter for these ricotta pancakes up to 1 day ahead and store it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Not only is it a great way to get a head start on this recipe, but resting the batter produces an even better pancake texture.
• Make lemon ricotta pancakes. Add fresh zest from one lemon into the batter for a subtle citrus flavor. For a stronger lemon flavor, replace the vanilla extract with lemon extract. You can also check out my recipe for lemon pancakes.
• Add blueberries. Stir fresh blueberries into classic ricotta pancake batter, or try blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes by adding blueberries to the variation above.

Pancake Toppings

Choc full of flavor as they are, ricotta pancakes are wonderful slathered with butter and maple syrup. I also like to top my ricotta pancakes with fresh strawberries and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It brightens up the flavor and compliments the ricotta!

If your family is anything like mine, though, there’s no holding back when it comes to toppings. Here are more yummy ideas to try:

• Fresh fruit
• Powdered sugar
• Strawberry syrup
• Greek yogurt
• Homemade whipped cream

What to Serve With Ricotta Pancakes

These pancakes are one of my favorite weekend breakfast recipes! Served alone or with easy sides like crispy bacon, ricotta pancakes are so versatile. I’ll even serve them at brunch with deviled eggs or sausage quiche, and baked favorites like lemon raspberry muffins. And no matter the occasion, ricotta pancakes are wonderful washed down with a fizzy raspberry mimosa!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Pancakes

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover ricotta pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Reheat. An easy way to reheat pancakes is in the toaster oven! You can also warm your pancakes in the microwave in 10-second increments, until hot throughout.
• Freeze. Once the pancakes are cooled, store them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Frozen pancakes can be reheated straight from frozen if you’re using the toaster. If you’re using the microwave, thaw the pancakes first.

More Pancake Recipes

• Oatmeal Pancakes
• Gingerbread Pancakes
• Sheet Pan Pancakes
• Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes 
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes

Continue to Content

Yield: 10 pancakes

Ricotta Pancakes

Print

Ricotta pancakes are extra fluffy and flavorful inside and deliciously golden on the outside. Top these with syrup and a squeeze of lemon for the ultimate breakfast treat!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 whole large eggs
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• ¾ cup whole milk ricotta
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

1. In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. 
2. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, ricotta, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the flour mixture and whisk until combined. 
3. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat. Spray with non-stick spray or brush pan with butter. 
4. Scoop about ½ cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for 3-4 minutes until lots of little bubbles form on the surface, flip and cook for 3-4 more minutes until cooked through. 
5. Remove and serve topped with berries, syrup etc.a

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 138Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 54mgSodium 183mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 0gSugar 5gProtein 5g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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