Lemon, Ricotta and Blueberry Pancakes

There is a sunrise happening that you have to see to believe. The light began creeping over Navajo mountain in shades of yellow and pastel pink. Clouds are hovering in the baby-blue sky as if a train just chugged by at a crawl, leaving its puffs of smoke behind. And I can see the outlines of the cliffs surrounding the lake, Navajo mountain, Tower Butte and Castle Rock. They look like a cutout from a play: flat, one-dimensional. As I sit, drinking tea, the light reaches the clouds and turns their bellies pink. I could take a picture for you, but it would fail to capture the magic and stillness of the moment. You should also know; I am selfish with moments like this.

It's time to make breakfast. Because we have guests and I want something special, I make pancakes.

Soon the peace of the morning is drowned out by friends gathering in the kitchen. The smell of coffee and pancakes is warm and wakes us up slowly. Breakfast is eaten while plans are made. In the summer, the lake is the best option. While fall, winter and spring are times for exploration. We are in good spirits, partly due to the sugar coursing through our veins, and partly because we are together. The day holds promise.

I love making pancakes for people when they visit. Alex and I almost never eat them when it is just the two of us, which is probably why they feel like such a treat. And every time someone comes to stay with us, I try a different version of this recipe. In the beginning this was a buttermilk recipe, no ricotta, just two cups of buttermilk. I found that I could switch out the liquid for yogurt and the next logical progression was ricotta. The switch to ricotta made these pancakes a bit dryer so I added a bit of milk to the mix. This batter will be much thicker than a traditional pancake batter and you will need flatten them out a bit in the pan. But they stay moist through cooking and are absolutely worth the effort you put in to make pancakes from scratch!

This is a very versatile recipe as long as you stick to the basic measurements.

You can cut it in half if you are two people, omit the blueberries and add rhubarb compote. Substitute gluten-free flour for the A.P. flour or oat milk in place of whole milk. You may also notice that the recipe calls for 2-4 tbsp sugar. I think the blueberries and sugar you will pour over the top of these makes them sweet enough, so I go with two tablespoons. However, if you want these to be super sweet, the recipe can take up to four tablespoons.

These pancakes are a real fan favorite, I hope you love them as much as we do!

Servings 6

Author Kelsey Hebert

Prep time

5 Min

Cook time

30 Min

Inactive time

15 Min

Total time

50 Min

Lemon, Ricotta and Blueberry Pancakes

These zesty, fruity pancakes are so fluffy that they require a few minutes in the oven to finish cooking. You can add them to the oven as they finish in the pan, then by the time you've used all the batter and tidied up a bit, the pancakes will be hot and ready. Might I recommend skipping the maple syrup? My family always topped pancakes with powdered sugar and lemon juice, and I did the same here. To me, this feels just as decadent as maple syrup but a bit lighter, and with an added lemony bonus.

Ingredients

2 c all-purpose or gluten free flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2-4 tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
1tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c whole milk
1 c ricotta
1 1/2 c blueberries
1/2 c coconut oil
powdered sugar and lemon juice to top

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, ricotta and vanilla.
Add the flour mix to the egg mixture and fold together until just combined. Be careful to not over mix, it is okay to have little patches of dry flour here and there. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. This allows the batter to rise a bit resulting in a lighter, fluffier pancake.
Heat your pan over medium-low. If you use a pancake griddle or a cast iron, you can start heating while the pancakes rest. Place a sheet tray in the oven, you will add pancakes to it as you pull them from the pan.
When your pan is hot and time is up, add 2 tbsp coconut oil. Scoop 1/4 c batter into the pan. The batter is rather thick and you will need to flatten to about 1/2" using the back of a spoon or a spatula. I also push them down a bit after flipping.
Cook for about two-minutes on each side, or until golden brown, remove from the pan and place on the sheet tray in the oven to finish baking. This takes anywhere from two, to five-minutes. Repeat steps with the remaining batter, adding more coconut oil as needed. Serve hot pancakes with butter, a spoonful of powdered sugar and a good squeeze of lemon.