Fluffy & Easy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (Gluten Free)

The fluffiest lemon ricotta pancakes just got upgraded to be secretly healthy too! Just one bowl, entirely gluten free, vegan, and zero refined sugar, these ricotta pancakes are fluffy, sweet, and perfect for any spring morning!

These fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes are the definition of heavenly blissful clouds on a plate. They’re so soft and rich with flavor while also being the perfect balance of light and refreshing.

Honestly, these pancakes are one of my proudest moments. My mom, who is obsessed with lemon ricotta pancakes (requests them every Mother’s Day!) declared this is her all time favorite recipe.

They’re just one bowl, super easy, perfect for spring and summer gatherings, and an absolute crowd pleaser. Not to mention, these lemon ricotta pancakes are unnoticeably gluten free and actually have an option for being entirely vegan too (though if you don’t want vegan lemon ricotta pancakes, not a problem!)

This post contains affiliate links. This means that when you make a purchase from these links, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. All recommendations are based on my personal experience and preference! Thank you for supporting The Banana Diaries!

Inspiration behind these Healthy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes:

Well, one of my mom’s favorite breakfasts in the history of breakfasts is lemon ricotta pancakes. We used to go to the Cheesecake Factory for Mother’s Day brunch and her birthday (all in the same month…May should just be called the Month of Mom…so M.O.M. ha!). In fact, we still do!

She always loves to order the lemon ricotta pancakes. They serve two massive pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar, berries, maple syrup, and whipped cream.

Absolutely decadent. The pancakes are fluffy and sweet and absolutely delicious.

Well I thought to myself…sure, I could do better! That’s my ego talking haha!

So I decided to take on the challenge- make a lemon ricotta pancake recipe that is just as good, if not better, than the Cheesecake Factory and make them with a twist.

That twist involves making gluten free lemon ricotta pancakes that require zero added gums like most gluten free recipes call for and yet are undetectably gluten free and refined sugar free.

Well, folks, you know I love a challenge! Let’s dive into what is actually in these pancakes, and how they actually came out 🙂

How to make super fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes:

As with all of my recipes, the full written instructions are found down below in the recipe card. Now, I have two options for this recipe. When I originally created this recipe, The Banana Diaries was simply a healthy recipes site, but we’ve since transitioned to fully vegan and plant based eating!

The methods are essentially the same though 🙂 And the results are nearly IDENTICAL.

First, we start by sifting the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt together. Make sure that it’s well combined, as you want even pancakes throughout the cooking process.

Next, we add in the ricotta (if doing regular dairy) or the dairy free options listed below, lemon, applesauce (or eggs), and dairy free milk. Mix until there are just no more dry streaks using a hand mixer or a rubber spatula.

Heat a pancake griddle with vegan butter or oil, and once hot, spoon about 1/3 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle.

You can absolutely use the stove top for these pancakes, but I just love using a pancake griddle. I linked my favorite pancake griddle there. All you need is a little oil or butter when it first heats!

Let each pancake cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until the bubbles start to arise on the tops of the pancakes. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds.

And you’re done! Simple, right?

How to make these ricotta pancakes dairy free

I mentioned above that since The Banana Diaries is a fully vegan blog now, of course we’re offering a vegan option for these lemon ricotta pancakes! But since the original recipe was loved so much, I wanted to respect the original Banana Diaries readers who enjoy this recipe and keep the original below in the recipe notes.

That being said, I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting in order to get these dairy free vegan lemon ricotta pancakes just right.

There is a vegan ricotta on the market (one by Kite Hill), but I personally do not recommend it. I think they’re a great brand in general for dairy free products, but the ricotta misses the mark for me. It’s not at all like a regular full fat dairy ricotta, which makes it impossible to be a 1:1 swap.

There is a dairy free ricotta by Tofutti, but since I try to avoid processed soy, I wouldn’t use this personally!

The Simple Veganista does have a wonderful dairy free ricotta recipe that you could make for these vegan ricotta pancakes. However, it contains cashews, so if you’re nut-free I have a few more recommendations!

Now for the option I personally use every time: coconut milk yogurt. Specifically unsweetened and plain. This is very similar in taste and texture to ricotta (specifically the full fat version: it’s lightly sweet thanks to the natural sugars in coconut which cuts away from the tanginess of the yogurt, making it more like a mild cheese), so this option worked quite well and yields very similar results to regular fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes.

What to top these lemon ricotta pancakes with:

I absolutely love topping these lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes with some fresh blueberries or blueberry compote and maple syrup!

However, strawberries, or really any berry, also make a wonderful flavor combination! These would also taste amazing with a little powdered sugar if you’re going the more traditional route, or a dollop of coconut whipped cream.

These ricotta pancakes make the perfect Mother’s Day Brunch, Father’s Day Brunch or Spring and Summer morning get together! They’re beautifully fluffy, sweet, and undetectably healthy- perfect for kids to adults and picky eaters alike!

I hope you love these fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes as much as I do! If you make this pancake recipe, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment down below, as well as a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others may find it!

As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!

Happy pancake making!

More secretly vegan pancake recipes:

Best Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes

Fluffy Vegan Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Easy Banana Oat Pancakes

Decadent Vegan Chocolate Pancakes

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

Print