Originally, I planned to name this recipe after my god-daughter Maggie, but she gently reminded me that she prefers another version. Which I’ll share later; a little better, in her opinion. In the meantime, I’ve revamped this recipe, and over the summer, we’ve eaten hundreds of these ricotta pancakes while fine-tuning it. We absolutely LOVE them!
I also thought about calling them “High-Protein Ricotta Pancakes” and tossing in some protein powder for fun. But that’s not really my style—I’ve been seeing protein powder added to everything lately, and honestly, I kind of hate it. So, I’m keeping it real and, dare I say, authentic.
When Maggie made these for us over the summer, I was super curious—there are so many different versions floating around the internet. I’m usually not much of a pancake person since they tend to be too sweet for me. But not these ricotta pancakes! What I love, besides how delicious they are, is that they’re light and almost crepe-like. You can eat a bunch without feeling guilty.
I tweaked Maggie’s recipe a bit (sorry, Maggie!) by using semolina flour. I was out of all-purpose and thought, why not? They turned out so well that I kept experimenting back and forth, so now you have options. We’re also trying to cut back on butter, which I know is a sin but olive oil works beautifully in this recipe too. I added a touch of baking powder for a little extra fluff, and the pancakes are scented with lemon zest and vanilla, which is just perfect for any pancake.
I always like to serve fruit with my pancakes, waffles, or French toast, so for this recipe, I paired them with a little blueberry compote. Lenny loves to tease me about my compotes; I make them all the time! This one is so simple, I’m not even giving a full recipe. Just toss some blueberries into a saucepan with a teaspoon of water, cover with a lid, and simmer until the berries burst and the juices thicken. Just be sure to simmer over low heat, or it will burn!
Enjoy!
Ricotta Pancakes
Light, fluffy, and subtly sweet, these ricotta pancakes are almost crepe-like and irresistibly delicious. Scented with lemon and vanilla, they’re perfect with fresh fruit or a simple compote; guilt-free indulgence for breakfast, brunch, or anytime you crave something special.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk or skim milk ricotta
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose or semolina flour
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Blueberries or your favorite fruit, for serving
Instructions
Place all ingredients except the fruit into a blender and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Preheat a cast-iron griddle or large frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with melted butter or olive oil. For small pancakes, use about 1/8 cup of batter per pancake. Pour onto the hot griddle and cook until small bubbles form, then flip. Cook for another 30–60 seconds. Remove cooked pancakes and place them on an oven-safe plate. Keep warm in a 170°F (77°C) oven while you finish cooking the rest. Serve warm with blueberries, fruit compote, or your favorite toppings.
Notes
Options - you can use all purpose flour or semolina. You can also use butter or olive oil. Both ways turn out perfectly, and taste amazing!