Lemon ricotta pancakes are a decadent breakfast that I reserve for special occasions. Over the weekend, the occasion was that I was sick of the snow and I wanted to do anything and everything to distract myself.

These pancakes are light, citrusy, slightly sweet, and fluffy. They’re delicious on their own but in this case, they get a boost from strawberry butter that I bought last week at Larder and Cupboard, one of my favorite specialty food stores in St. Louis. The butter is made from frozen summer berries and it’s like a little reminder of warmer times.

A word to the wise: Don’t use low-fat milk or ricotta in this recipe. I was tempted to do so because I had a whole container of skim milk that was about to expire, but instead I used a little whole milk that I had leftover from previous recipes. The whole milk and cheese will improve the flavor of the pancakes.

Also, feel free to add more lemon zest to the recipe if you want even more citrus flavor. I used about a tablespoon in this recipe but you could definitely use more if you want a more intense lemon flavor.

Here’s a song that reminds me of these pancakes.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberry Butter

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (214 g) all-purpose flour
3 1/2 Tbsp (46 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (236 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (180 g) whole milk ricotta
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 – 2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp (14 g) butter, melted
strawberry butter and maple syrup for topping

Directions

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, ricotta, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. It’s okay if the milk mixture curdles a little.

Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the milk mixture into the hole. Mix together until the batter is mostly smooth with a few lumps.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s melted, ladle 1/3 cup of batter onto the skillet. Cook the pancakes until bubbles form on the tops. Flip them and cook for another minute or so until golden brown on both sides. Serve with strawberry butter and maple syrup. Enjoy!