Gluten-Free Ricotta Lemon Pancakes
These pillowy ricotta pancakes are light as air with a bright citrus zing. The ricotta cheese creates an incredibly tender crumb while lemon zest adds a sunny flavor that makes every bite feel like a special occasion.
30 min
Total Time
8
Servings
medium
Difficulty
10 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 0.5 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ricotta, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.
- 2
Add the GF flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined.
- 3
In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- 4
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in two additions — this is the key to fluffy pancakes. Don't deflate them.
- 5
Heat a nonstick griddle over medium-low heat and lightly butter it.
- 6
Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Cook until the underside is golden and edges are set, about 3 minutes.
- 7
Flip gently and cook 2 minutes more. These are delicate — use a wide spatula.
- 8
Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Tips & Notes
- •Room-temperature ricotta and eggs will whip up fluffier.
- •Use a microplane to zest the lemon for the finest, most aromatic zest.
- •Keep heat at medium-low — these burn faster than regular pancakes because of the sugar and ricotta.
Recipe Variations
- →Replace lemon with orange zest and juice for an orange ricotta version.
- →Add 1/4 cup poppy seeds for a lemon poppy seed pancake.
- →Top with lemon curd and whipped cream for a restaurant-style brunch.