Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes
Light, cloud-like pancakes made with ricotta cheese for extra protein and tender crumb. Naturally vegetarian comfort food that feels restaurant-quality on a weekday morning.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 11g
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 4 whole large eggs
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for griddle
Instructions
- 1
Set a 12-inch nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and let it preheat for 2 minutes. You'll know it's ready when a drop of water sizzles gently and evaporates slowly—this ensures even cooking without burning.
- 2
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, 4 large eggs, and 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. The mixture should look creamy and slightly thick, with no large lumps of ricotta remaining.
- 3
In a separate small bowl, whisk together 0.75 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt. Mix thoroughly to distribute the baking powder evenly—this ensures the pancakes will rise uniformly.
- 4
Pour the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Stop as soon as you don't see streaks of flour—do not overmix. Lumps in the batter are fine and actually desirable; overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough.
- 5
Drizzle 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter over the batter and fold it in gently with just 3-4 strokes of the spatula. The batter will be slightly thicker and looser than traditional pancake batter, and that's exactly right.
- 6
Rub the preheated griddle lightly with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter using a paper towel or pastry brush. You should see the butter sizzle gently but not smoke—this prevents sticking while preventing the butter from burning.
- 7
Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup or cookie scoop, pour the batter onto the griddle in 4 separate mounds, spacing them 2 inches apart. The batter will spread slightly but not as much as regular pancakes—ricotta pancakes are naturally thicker. Do not spread them with the spatula; let the heat do the work.
- 8
Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until the edges look set and dry, and the bottom is golden brown. You'll see small bubbles forming on the surface that don't immediately pop—this signals that the inside is setting up.
- 9
Flip each pancake carefully with a fish spatula, working the spatula underneath the entire pancake in one smooth motion to support it fully and avoid breaking it. Cook the second side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 10
Transfer the cooked pancakes to a warm plate and keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining batter in 2-3 more batches, lightly buttering the griddle between each batch.
- 11
Stack the warm pancakes onto individual plates and top with fresh berries, a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of whipped cream or Greek yogurt, and a pinch of fleur de sel. Serve immediately while the pancakes are still warm and the butter can melt into the layers.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch nonstick skillet or griddle
- medium mixing bowl
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- spatula
- fish spatula
- paper towels
- pastry brush
- 1/4-cup measuring cup or cookie scoop
- toothpick
- warm plate
- oven
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