Ricotta Pancakes

Name: Ricotta Pancakes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 1-3 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending on your preference); 2 teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; 3 large eggs; ¾ cup ricotta cheese, full fat; 1/2 cup milk; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Ricotta Pancakes have dreamy, fluffy texture on the inside with perfectly crispy edges on the outside. The secret? Fresh ricotta is what takes traditional pancakes to the next level, making them ultra soft and tender. Plus, they are ready in just 15 minutes, making them ideal for a laid-back Saturday morning or as a little extra indulgence on a special occasion. Serve ricotta pancakes with just a drizzle of maple syrup and some butter or topped with heaps of fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Ricotta Pancakes have dreamy, fluffy texture on the inside with perfectly crispy edges on the outside thanks to fresh ricotta. Ready in just 15 minutes! | aheadofthyme.com

We love to make a big weekend breakfast around here and are often trying different pancakes, waffles, and more, just to see what the family thinks. These pancakes with ricotta always get more mmms and yums, which I credit to the ricotta itself. That extra fat adds so much moisture, making the pancakes soft and tender while also adding a subtle creaminess. It's honestly shocking just how much this tiny change can make. Decorate them in all your favorite toppings, serve them with some bacon and eggs, and enjoy a cozy weekend brunch with the whole family!

Why You'll Love These Ricotta Pancakes

Ready in 15 minutes. There's no need to spend hours in your kitchen to make a delicious, family-friendly breakfast. This ricotta pancake recipe is ready in a mere 15 minutes and delivers and amazing texture - soft, tender, and irresistibly fluffy - so you can easily throw them together even while still feeling groggy from sleep.
Easy to throw together. Most of the ingredients in these ricotta pancakes are simple pantry staples like flour, sugar, butter, and salt. The most decadent or expensive ingredient is easily the ricotta cheese, but it is so worth the extra couple of bucks!
Dress up or down. The flavor of the pancakes is so lovely on its own or with a drizzle of maple syrup, but you can really go wild with them. Add chocolate chips, fresh fruit, orange zest, warm spices, and more. Plus, that's just the fillings! You can go wild with toppings, too.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Ricotta Pancakes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all purpose flour - scooped and leveled for even measuring.
granulated sugar - adjust this to your preference. They can be served without any sugar or make them nice and sweet.
baking powder - to raise the pancake batter and make it nice and fluffy.
salt
eggs
full rat ricotta cheese - the extra fat will add a rich creaminess that makes these pancakes quite tender and decadent.
whole milk - to thin out the pancake batter and add extra tenderness.
melted butter - unsalted butter is best.
vanilla extract
butter and real maple syrup - for topping

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and a frying pan or griddle.

How to Make the Best Ricotta Pancakes

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Combine wet ingredients. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.

Add wet to dry. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined (will be lumpy). Do not over mix.

Heat. Lightly grease a large frying pan or griddle with butter. Heat over medium heat and add pancake batter using a ⅓ measuring cup. Pour as many as fit in your pan or griddle.
Cook. Cook for 2-2 minutes until small bubbles have began to form on the surface and the edges firm up. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the other side is also golden brown and cooked through.

Repeat. Repeat until batter is used up.
Serve. Serve warm with your favorite toppings such as pats of butter on top and a drizzle of maple syrup, or fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Recipe Variations

Play with add-ins. Pancakes are one of the most versatile foods out there! They can be serve with a range of different flavors. I like to keep it simple and add lemon zest and a little lemon extract for refreshing lemon ricotta pancakes, or you can sprinkle dark chocolate chips, sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries, and more.
Try cake flour. If you have a box of cake flour on hand, feel free to use it! Cake flour is lower in protein and makes the most amazing pancakes, cakes, cupcakes, and more. Although it's totally optional, this is a nice way to use some up if you have it around.
Go savory. Skip the sugar in the batter, and add fresh chives, shredded cheddar cheese, and a little garlic powder. Delicious with eggs!
Adjust the consistency. Feel free to add more milk for the thickest, fluffiest pancakes or less for thinner ones.

How to Serve

These Ricotta Pancakes are delicious served on its own, or paired with other breakfast and brunch recipes as part of larger spread. Some of our favorite dishes to pair with these fluffy pancakes are:

For more recipes, see our 50 Best Breakfast Ideas.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use full fat ricotta. I know it's tempting to buy the low fat or fat free stuff, but fat equals flavor! It will also help make your pancakes extra soft and tender.
Don't add too much flour. It's very easy to accidentally add too much flour to pancake batter, especially if you scoop into your flour container with the measuring cup. This compresses the flour and causes you to add more than necessary, which makes your pancakes dry and heavy. It's best to scoop the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon, then level it flat.
Preheat properly. A properly preheated griddle is key to making the perfect pancake. It helps to spray the griddle or skillet for the first pancake, but you'll get that classic golden brown color once the griddle fully preheats and the oil cooks off!

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They will start to stick together, so it can be helpful to place a thin piece of wax paper or parchment between each one.

How to Reheat

You can heat pancakes for 30 seconds to 1 minute on a microwave-safe plate, but the best method is to bake them in a countertop oven (or air fryer) or warm them in a skillet. This keeps them from becoming chewy on the outside and soggy in the middle, and gives them a fresh-from-the-griddle flavor.

How to Freeze

Just like regular pancakes, ricotta pancakes freeze really well! Just arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze solid. Place a piece of parchment paper between each one, then transfer to a freeze-safe bag.

FAQ

Can you make ricotta pancakes with cottage cheese?

Ricotta and cottage cheese are quite similar and are often substituted in lasagna and other recipes. Technically, you can use small curd cottage cheese in these pancakes, but the larger curds won't integrate into the batter as well. This will result in little pieces of melting cheese curds throughout your pancakes...not ideal. If you want to use cottage cheese, try blending until smooth and creamy to break down the curds. Then whisk it in like normal.

Can you substitute sour cream for ricotta in pancakes?

If you somehow run out of ricotta, sour cream is perhaps the best substitute. It has a thick consistency, sufficient fat, and a nice tanginess that mimics the effect you get from ricotta. It's not a perfect swap, but it's pretty good!

Do ricotta pancakes taste cheesy?

Nope! The ricotta blends into the pancake batter and adds a creamy richness, similar to sour cream. There's no cheesy flavor whatsoever!

More Pancake Recipes

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