If you haven’t added ricotta to your pancake game-you’re truly missing out. I know, I know. Cheese in a pancake sounds awful. But stay with me. Ricotta transforms pancakes into airy, creamy, custardy delights. Once you taste these luscious ricotta pancakes, you’ll be making them non-stop.
Why would I add Ricotta to a pancake?
Why? Not to steal Loreal’s thunder, but- because you’re worth it. That’s precisely why you need ricotta in your pancakes. It’s still a pancake… just better. And you always deserve better. Plus ricotta doesn’t necessarily add flavor as much as it does mouth feel. It doesn’t taste cheesy, and it’s not ooey-gooey. Instead, these pancakes taste creamy, and the crumb is so moist it’s almost custard-like. The whipped egg whites lend airiness. You almost don’t need syrup. Almost. I can’t stop myself from dropping loads of blueberry sauce on each one.
Do I Have To Whip Egg Whites?
Yes, you’re going to have to whip egg whites. IT’S WORTH IT. These are birthday-breakfast-in-bed-tell-me-you-love-me pancakes. This is the recipe you use to impress your future mother-in-law. The one you trot out for that special brunch attended by the frenemy you imaginary fight with when you’re stopped at a red light. (Don’t act. We all have at least one.)
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS YOU CAN ADD TO RICOTTA PANCAKE BATTER
In the case that you want to take this batter to the next level (I’m talking a Princess Jasmine A Whole New World MOMENT) try adding these little nuggets of goodness:
- A 1/2 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest
- A 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips
- A 1/4 cup of chopped dried apricots
- A 1/4 cup of your favorite berry
- A 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
Can I make RICOTTA PANCAKE batter ahead of time?
I wish. Because it has whipped egg whites, this batter is more fragile than a Hollywood ego. (Don’t come at me if you live in LA. You know exactly what I’m talking about.) The fluffiness of those whipped whites doesn’t last forever. So as soon as you make the batter, you should cook it. The best you can do to save time is to mise everything out. (That’s just chef speak for measuring out all of your ingredients and having everything ready to go.) You can pre-mix the dry ingredients, of course. But you’ll have to make the batter the day of.
How To Store, Thaw, and Reheat Ricotta Pancakes.
I doubt you’ll have leftover pancakes. But in case you do: refrigerate in an air-tight container with parchment paper between each layer for up to four days. Do the same if you’re going to freeze them, where they will keep for a couple of months. To reheat, you can just put them in the microwave and cook in 30-second increments until they start to steam. I prefer to warm them in an oven at 350°F. Add a cup of water to an oven-safe container and place it in your oven before you start preheating. It will keep the pancakes from drying out.
What Can I Serve RICOTTA Pancakes With?
Top them with lemon curd, blueberry sauce, or strawberry syrup. Serve them with Fruit Salad or an Omelet. Or eat them with your bare hands while you watch a Handmaid’s Tale and wonder what happened to women’s rights. (Very specific, I know. But I highly recommend it.)
Ricotta Pancakes
Servings 4 2 pancakes eachIngredients
- 2 large eggs ($0.36)
- 1 cup flour ($0.09)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.03)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar ($0.01)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1 cup ricotta* ($1.22)
- 1 cup milk ($0.24)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.29)
- 2 Tbsp oil, for cooking ($0.04)
Instructions
- Separate the eggs into yolks and whites. Set the whites aside. Beat the egg yolks until they run in a smooth stream through the tines of a fork.
- Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a small bowl. Whisk it together to incorporate it fully.
- Add the strained ricotta, milk, beaten egg yolks, and vanilla to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients on top of the ricotta mixture and gently fold it in.*
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add a few tablespoons of the fluffy egg whites to the batter and stir them in to lighten it.
- Add the remaining egg whites to the top of the batter and fold them in with a spatula. Lumps are OK; if you over-mix, you will remove all the air from the batter.
- Place a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add a 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Use a 1/3 cup ladle or measuring cup to add batter to the pan.
- Cook the pancake until you see a few bubbles popping through the batter, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook another 2 minutes until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil as needed. Makes about 8 pancakes.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make RICOTTA PANCAKES – Step by Step Photos
Separate the eggs into yolks and whites. Beat the egg yolks until they run in a smooth stream through the tines of a fork. Set the whites aside
Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a small bowl. Whisk it together to incorporate it fully.
Add the strained ricotta, milk, beaten egg yolks, and vanilla to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
Add the dry ingredients on top of the ricotta mixture and gently fold it in. Folding is a series of gentle strokes to create an airy batter. Use a wide rubber spatula to slice straight down through the dry ingredients. When the spatula hits the bottom of the bowl, scrape alongside the curve of the bowl for a few inches, scooping up the batter and bringing it towards the top, then “folding” it on top of the dry ingredients. Rotate the bowl fifteen degrees and continue the stroke until the wet and dry are incorporated.
Use a hand mixer with whisk attachments to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. If you don’t have a hand mixer, use a whisk and a whole lot of elbow grease.
Add a few tablespoons of the fluffy egg whites to the batter and stir them in to lighten it. Add the remaining egg whites to the top of the batter and fold them in with a spatula.
Continue to gently fold in the egg whites until they’re incpororated. Lumps are OK; if you over-mix, you will remove all the air from the batter.
Place a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Use a 1/3 cup ladle or measuring cup to add batter to the pan. Cook the pancake until you see a few bubbles popping through the batter, about 3 minutes.
Flip the pancake and cook another 2 minutes until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil as necessary. Makes about 8 pancakes.
These look great! Quick question: does it matter if I use part-skim ricotta? I thought it might be ok because it’s usually drier, but will less fat change the texture too much? Hoping to save a grocery store trip tomorrow.
Part skim should work just fine! XOXO -Monti
These were a miss for me. A lot of steps, many dirty dishes (multiple bowls, strainer, egg separator), not a significant upgrade from any ol’ pancakes. My batter did look exactly as pictured. One annoyance was some of the egg whites actually flopped out of the pancake when flipping. Also, cooking one at a time took forever. Had a problem with the outside burning while the inside was raw, maybe I had the heat too high?? Won’t make again.
My six year old gave “infinite thumbs up!” Thank you!
Awww!! I love that!! Tell them thank you for me, please! XOXO -Monti
These were delicious! I served them to my kids hot off the griddle with blueberry sauce, and my 11 year old said “This is so good, I don’t even care that I’m burning my mouth!” Ha :)
AWWWWWW!!!!! Kiddo-approved is the best sort of compliment. Thanks for sharing and for making it. XOXO -Monti
These are fantastic!
What a great site. I love the humor and how easy to follow recipe
Could these be made as waffles in a waffle maker? Thanks!
Hi DJ, unsure how well they would hold up in a waffle maker, as the batter is not light and airy. But it sounds like a fun experiment! XOXO -Monti
Thanks Monti carlo!
These were really good. My kids liked them but commented that they were “wet”. Next time I’ll probably add 1/4c more flour. But, on that same note, I used homemade ricotta cheese so maybe that accounts for some of the extra liquid. Definitely will remake. thanks!
HI Jerilea! Thanks for making my recipe! FYI homemade ricotta should definitely be strained. It needs to be dry. I explain what to do in the recipe card. XOXO -Monti
We make a similar recipe with cottage cheese – which is a bit less work since all ingredients are just mixed together and you’re ready for the griddle.
Diverging from the food angle for a bit, I agree Monti, the Handmaiden’s Tale has manifested itself into reality through surrogacy, AKA using women (whoops! I meant pregnant people!) as rented wombs and the resulting children as a commodity for rich people.
It’s such a powerful show. XOXO -Monti
Is Budget Bytes going to be political now? Every recipe comes with a dose of current events or politics? I get enough of that from everywhere else. The awkward jokes in every paragraph are one thing, but putting political commentary in a cooking blog feels off-putting.
One comment about a show on one recipe means Budget Bytes is going political? It’s also not lost on me that apparently talking about women’s rights is seen as political – it’s not.. women’s rights are human rights. I understand where you would just want a recipe without the fluff; if that’s the case, there’s a big yellow “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page.. but then you’ll miss Monti’s bright energy and wonderful wit.
Why Chad Powers!! Thank you so much! XOXO -Monti
But for so long, what made Budget Bytes great was that there WASN’T a bunch of fluff. Beth might make one joke or light-hearted comment, and then follow it with a bunch of useful information relevant to the recipe. Now that useful information is mixed up with attempts at humor, pop culture references, mentions of brand names, etc.
I use your recipes quite often, and they are all impressive. This one though, honestly the BEST pancakes I have ever eaten. The family devoured them, thank you!
WOOOOOT!!! Love to hear that! XOXO -Monti