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Ricotta cheese pancakes are extra fluffy, moist, and rich — made in one bowl with no egg-separating required. Top with syrup for the best breakfast treat!
Ricotta cheese pancakes are extra fluffy and flavorful on the inside, with a deliciously golden crust on the outside. Top these with syrup and a squeeze of lemon for the ultimate breakfast treat!
Cheese in pancakes? Hear me out. Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese that you usually see in savory dishes like Homemade Lasagna, but it also happens to make the fluffiest pancakes you’ve ever had. These ricotta cheese pancakes are ultra soft, moist, and cakey, with a subtle flavor that tastes a little like cheesecake, not cheesy at all. Of course, there’s always room in my heart (and at my table) for traditional pancakes, but trust me, you’ll know these are special from the very first bite.
Erin’s Notes
- Extra fluffy. Similar to my Greek yogurt pancakes, ricotta cheese makes these pancakes super soft, spongey, and irresistibly flavorful. It’s a great way to upgrade traditional pancakes with just one ingredient.
- One bowl, no fuss. No need to separate eggs or whip egg whites here. The batter comes together in about 10 minutes with two bowls and a whisk — you can even mix it the night before.
- Made at home. Ricotta cheese pancakes are a popular menu item at trendy breakfast spots. This easy homemade recipe is the best excuse to stay in for brunch!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- 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, spongy, fresh Italian whey cheese. You may know it as the creamy filling in savory dishes like stuffed shells and lasagna soup. It’s also delicious in desserts, like lemon ricotta pound cake. The extra moisture and richness from ricotta cheese is exactly what turns plain pancakes into something special.
You’ll find ricotta cheese sold in vacuum-sealed tubs in the grocery store, or over the counter at your local deli. Make sure to grab the regular kind, not whipped ricotta or another variation, which will throw off the texture of the batter.
Ricotta Pancakes
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
- In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, ricotta, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the flour mixture and melted butter, whisk until combined.2 whole large eggs, 3 Tablespoons sugar, ¾ cup whole milk ricotta, ¾ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons butter
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat. Spray with non-stick spray or brush pan with butter.
- 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.
- Remove and serve topped with berries, syrup etc.a
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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 breaking the surface of the batter. That’s your cue to flip.
- Get your pancakes perfectly browned. It’s mostly a visual thing, but a small amount of butter (or non-stick spray) in the pan helps “toast” these 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, wrap the finished pancakes in a clean kitchen towel and place them on a baking sheet. Keep them warm in the oven set to the lowest temperature.
- Prepare the batter ahead. You can mix the batter up to 1 day ahead and store it covered in the fridge. It’s a great way to get a head start, and resting the batter actually produces an even better texture.
- Try a lemon variation. Add fresh zest from one lemon into the batter for a subtle citrus flavor — lemon and ricotta are a classic pairing. (Haven’t tested this with lemon extract or as a full standalone recipe yet, so stick with fresh zest for now!)
- Add blueberries. Stir fresh blueberries into the batter, or combine with the lemon zest variation above for blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes.
This usually comes down to overmixing the batter or using watery ricotta. Whisk just until the dry and wet ingredients are combined, a few small lumps are fine. If your ricotta looks especially wet or watery, see the draining tip below.
You can, but whole milk ricotta gives the best texture and flavor. Low-fat or part-skim ricotta tends to be wetter and less rich, which can make the pancakes a little less fluffy.
Ricotta cheese pancakes and cottage cheese pancakes are actually two different recipes with different textures. Ricotta gives a smoother, custardy crumb, while cottage cheese tends to be lumpier. This recipe is written and tested specifically for ricotta, so swapping in cottage cheese isn’t recommended without adjusting the batter.
Pancake Toppings
Full of flavor as they are, ricotta cheese pancakes are wonderful slathered with butter and maple syrup. I also love topping mine with fresh strawberries and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice as it brightens the flavor and complements 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.
I tried your Ricotta Pancakes recipe this morning and they were absolutely divine! So fluffy and light, with just a hint of sweetness. They paired perfectly with a drizzle of maple syrup.
These are the best pancakes I’ve ever made! We loved it!
These were so tasty and EASY to make! Loved every bite!