Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Buttermilk pancakes are a brunch staple. But for special occasions like bridal showers or Mother’s Day, I like to pull out something a little more elevated. Lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce are just as easy as the best pancakes, but special ingredients—ricotta, fresh lemon juice and a homemade blueberry sauce—make them supremely tender with tart, sweet and rich flavors.

Tangy ricotta cheese is the key to the light, soft and luxe crumb. Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the sunny flavor even more. With a healthy pour of homemade blueberry sauce on top, these pancakes embody a summer brunch. Complete your elegant brunch menu with quiche, peach Bellinis, fruit salad with a lemon-basil dressing and a simple lemon mousse to finish.

Ingredients for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

• Blueberry sauce: Homemade blueberry sauce is the cherry on top of these pancakes—pun intended! You’ll need fresh or frozen blueberries (no need to thaw them), cornstarch to thicken the sauce, sugar to sweeten and break down the berries, and lemon juice and zest to brighten the flavor.
• All-purpose flour: One of the biggest pancake mistakes is not measuring the flour properly. Instead of digging the measuring cup into the flour bag (which packs too much flour into the cup, making the pancakes dense), spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a butter knife.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the pancakes and blueberry sauce. You can use brown sugar instead if it saves you a trip to the store.
• Baking powder: After about six months, baking powder will start to lose its potency. If you’ve had yours for a while, test the baking powder (and soda!) to make sure it’s still strong. If it’s pretty weak, you won’t have fluffy pancakes.
• Ricotta cheese: Use whole- or skim-milk ricotta for these pancakes. Whole milk will make much richer pancakes than skim milk, though.
• Whole milk: Milk loosens the pancake batter so it’s pourable. While we suggest whole milk for a rich flavor, you can use 2%, skim or nondairy milk alternatives instead.
• Lemons: Lemon zest and juice brighten the pancakes and blueberry sauce in this recipe. You’ll need about two lemons for this recipe. Always zest the lemons before juicing them!

Directions

Step 1: Make the blueberry sauce

In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually whisk in the water until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the blueberries, lemon zest and lemon juice, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir the mixture until thickened, two to three minutes. Most of the berries will burst, but some will stay whole. (We want that! It’s much more visually appealing and creates a pleasant texture.) Set the blueberry sauce aside.

Step 2: Mix the batter

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, whole milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until they’re combined.

Editor’s Tip: Do not overmix the wet and dry ingredients! For the fluffiest pancakes possible, make sure there are a few lumps, and stop stirring when there are just a few flour streaks in the batter.

Step 3: Cook the pancakes

Drop the pancake batter by the tablespoonfuls, two at a time, onto a greased hot griddle. Cook the pancakes over medium heat until they’re lightly browned, one to two minutes per side.

Editor’s Tip: You’ll know the pancakes are ready to flip when bubbles form on the surface and start to pop. To flip the pancakes properly, slide a spatula large enough to fit under almost the entire pancake, then use your fingers (not your wrist!) to flip it over.

Step 4: Serve the pancakes with the blueberry sauce

Once all your pancakes are ready, serve them with the warm blueberry sauce. If desired, dust the assembled pancakes with confectioners’ sugar.

Recipe Variations

• Use another citrus: Play around with the type of citrus here. If you like lemons, try Meyer lemons or pink lemons. Or go a completely different route and use oranges as we do in our orange ricotta pancakes.
• Try another fruit sauce: Not a fan of blueberries? Serve the lemon ricotta pancakes with strawberry sauce, raspberry sauce, strawberry-rhubarb sauce or blackberry sauce instead.
• Make them gluten free: It’s super easy to make these pancakes gluten free! Just swap a good gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. For anyone particularly sensitive, ensure that all other packaged goods are certified gluten free as well.

How to Store Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Allow any leftover lemon ricotta pancakes and blueberry sauce to cool completely to room temperature, then store them separately in airtight containers. Place parchment or waxed paper between pancake stacks to prevent them from sticking together. The pancakes can last in the fridge for up to four days, and the blueberry sauce will last in the fridge for one week.

Can you make lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce ahead of time. Cook the blueberry sauce completely one or two days ahead of time, let it cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat it in a saucepan before serving it.

For the pancakes, I recommend you limit your advance prep to mixing the pancake batter the night before and storing it in the fridge. Pancakes are best hot and fresh off the skillet or griddle, but getting the batter ready early really helps cut down on morning prep.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce Tips

How do you serve lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce?

Serve all the usual brunch fixings, pancake toppings and sides with these lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry sauce. Set out butter for the pancakes and good maple syrup for anyone likes their pancakes really sweet (yes, maple syrup goes great with the blueberry sauce!). Greek yogurt on top is nice, too. For brunch sides, brew coffee, set out orange juice and make a plate of bacon, sausage or scrambled eggs for a bit of protein.

How do you keep the pancakes warm to serve them all at once?

To keep the pancakes warm so you can serve them all at once, set your oven to 200°F and place a parchment-lined sheet tray inside. Every time you finish a batch of pancakes, transfer them to the sheet tray in the oven. Try not to overlap the pancakes, as they might stick. Once you’re done with the batter, serve your warm pancakes all at once.

How can I get fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes?

To ensure that your lemon ricotta pancakes turn out fluffy, do not overmix the batter after adding the wet ingredients to the dry. Overmixing will cause gluten to develop, and too much gluten makes for tough pancakes. Mix the batter just until there are a few flour streaks—and lumps are a good thing! Let the batter sit for 30 minutes so the baking powder can get to work, too.