I am a full-on pancake snob.
If I am going to eat pancakes, I don’t want them to be the gummy ones that stick to the roof of my mouth. Are you with me?
Sweet Cream Ricotta Pancakes are a game changer. I am going to lovingly refer to them as the “Crossover Pancake” because they are cross between a light and fluffy pancake and a creamy crepe. The texture of these pancakes is what sets them apart from the rest. These Sweet Cream Ricotta Pancakes are creamy, smooth, and literally melt in your mouth.
Ricotta cheese is the difference maker in these babies as it is responsible for making them extra creamy. Buttermilk is a magic potion that transforms baked goods, without all of the extra fat of heavy cream. It’s low in fat yet transforms the texture of baked goods and makes them extra tender.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. It’s not as good as the original but it comes in a close second. It’s super simple. Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice per 1 cup of milk in a bowl and let sit for 10-15 minutes. It’s imperative to let it sit so it can begin to curdle.
My kids LOVE breakfast and they are usually begging for breakfast before I can even fully open my eyes, so I want something easy. This is a one bowl recipe. There is no beating of egg whites (even though I fully support this method and it adds to the springiness of the pancake so knock yourself out if you have time). It can literally be mixed together in 2 minutes for those lazy mornings.
This is a super versatile pancake recipe. You can make Fresh Lemon Sweet Cream Ricotta Pancakes by adding 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (click HERE for a fabulous zester). It pairs perfectly with the Homemade Berry Maple Syrup. You can make the homemade syrup with blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries and it is oh so good. Homemade syrup in less than 5 minutes is a no-brainer to me!
I am a huge fan of the 100% real maple syrup from Costco. It’s a much better deal to buy it at Costco or Sam’s Club but any grocery store carries the real thing too. Before my father-in-law became sick with Parkinson’s, they would visit often from Texas. They would make the 1,000 mile journey and would always bring two things with them – their Vitamix and real maple syrup. I finally clued in and saved up to buy a Vitamix (best investment) and purchased real maple syrup the next time they came into town.
Once you drink the real stuff, it’s hard to go back! You can also buy REAL MAPLE SYRUP online HERE.
Another tip is to make sure that your skillet is at the correct temperature. If it runs too hot, it will char the outside without fully cooking the inside of the pancake. If it’s too low, it will take forever to get golden brown. I tend to start with it at a lower heat and can always crank it up. Always coat your skillet with butter before cooking each batch of pancakes because butter helps to create that golden brown crust on the outside plus it’s a huge flavor enhancer. I LOVE BUTTER.
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 cup Flour
- 4 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder can use 1 teaspoon if you want a thicker pancake
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- Butter for skillet
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Zest
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- 1/4 cup Butter melted
- 1 cup Real Maple Syrup
- 1 cup Blueberries or Raspberries
- In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
- Carefully fold in flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and stir until just combined, avoiding over-mixing.
- Heat skillet over medium heat. Place a pat of butter onto skillet and wait for it to sizzle.Pour batter in 1/2 cup portions and cook until golden brown on each side.
- Berry Maple Syrup:
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add butter and let it melt. Add syrup and berries and heat for about 3-4 minutes until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat and serve with pancakes.
Simple, quick, easy Sweet Cream Ricotta Pancakes are going to be a hit in your family. Now go share this recipe with your fellow pancake lovers!
Happy Cooking! xo
I just made these pancakes and they are to die for!!Im in heaven.This is the first time I made the pancakes right.Thanks for the recipe!You are amazing!😊
Yay Eileen! So happy to hear that you loved them! They are such unique pancakes and a family favorite. Thanks for taking the time to write a comment. It’s always appreciated! Have a great day. – Melissa
These were a huge hit. I was out of sugar, I meant to just substitute it with honey but forgot. No one noticed as they all used either honey or maple syrup on them. Perfect compliment with the lemon and the blueberries. A love that they have a higher protein content thanks to the ricotta cheese. No more, I ate pancakes and now I need a nap, feeling after eating.
Hi April! That is so great to hear! I love that you removed the sugar and they were still delicious! The beauty of these pancakes is they are so soft that they can be eaten alone. You are so right about the protein content — I always feel good about serving these to my kids. Thanks for taking the time to comment! – Melissa 🙂
These were amazing! My husband devoured half the batch.
Very yummy😋, nice golden brown.
Best pancakes ever! Used half whole wheat and threw in some ground flax too! Super yummy!!
Leftover ricotta = my favorite pancakes of all time.
Thanks!
My son is allergic to eggs. Do you know how these would turn out if replaced with flax? Thanks!
These were so good! I added blueberries to the batter and they were so good! Next time I will double the recipe because my family wanted more. Can’t wait to make again with lemon!
I had a hard time cooking them. Any tips for cooking on a electric stove top? When I finally got one they were amazing.
I was wondering are these freezeable? The reason I ask it’s just me and my husband now so I need to freeze part of them. Thanks for your help.
Hi Connie. Absolutely! They freeze well in a resealable freezer bag. They keep for probably a month in the freezer. I hope that helps!
I really enjoyed the pancakes. I liked the idea of adding ricotta cheese. I also liked the maple syrup with blue berries. I had a happy tummy. Thank you for the yummy recipe.
I had leftover ricotta cheese and needed to make good use of it, so I Googled “Ricotta Pancakes” and yours was at the top of the page.! I used about 3/4 cup ricotta (all I had) and 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar in place of the buttermilk. No regrets. This was awesome for my first hand at making ricotta cheese pancakes. Tip: Addition of the lemon zest and juice is a MUST.
I am so glad you found me! We love these pancakes too and I am so glad you tried them. Thank you so much!
Do you think the mixture would never ok in the fridge for a night so they could be cooked first thing?
Would this still work without the vanilla? We don’t like things too sweet and I have no vanilla on hand. Wasn’t sure if it had another function though?
Hooooooly pancakes!!! These are so fabulous. I made them last weekend and have been thinking about them ever since. The second best thing about them (besides the incredible taste and texture) is they didn’t give me the awful blood sugar crash regular pancakes always do. 5 stars!!!
These are the most delicious pancakes I have ever had! Silky smooth, and delicately sweet. I had one with blueberries and tried a bite without blueberries and they were still just as great. They don’t stuff either like old fashioned pancakes and I stayed full for twelve hours! I didn’t need a sandwich until nine at night! I’m usually starving just a few hours after pancakes. I could live on these pancakes!
Made these with leftover cannoli cream made of ricotta, powdered sugar, orange zest, marscarpone and hazelnut extract. (I omitted the sugar since the cream had plenty and used 1 cup of cannoli cream in place of ricotta). Yowsas! Topped with more cannoli cream, a dusting of powdered sugar and mini chocolate chips and that is one fancy breakfast!