These lemon pancakes have a deliciously bright and citrusy flavor from fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. They're extra fluffy with golden brown crispy edges and taste like a warm sunny day! They're extra delicious topped with blueberries, whipped cream, and maple syrup.
What's better than homemade pancakes and a cup of coffee in the morning? These lemon pancakes will be the star of your next weekend breakfast or Sunday brunch table (besides the mimosas, of course).
They taste like sunshine and go with so many toppings, like lemon curd, fresh berries, or blueberry compote. The lemon flavor is zesty, sweet, and tart- not sour or overpowering.
These pancakes are so soft and moist- they basically melt in your mouth. Whipping up a batch in the morning could not be easier. They're done in under 30 minutes!
If you're looking for more recipes to add to your weekend brunch menu, try my almond flour banana muffins, almond flour biscotti, chocolate chip biscuits, and iced toasted vanilla oatmilk shaken espresso.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Restaurant quality pancakes- These pancakes are similar to the traditional buttermilk pancakes served at restaurants.
- Easy to make- You can make them under 30 minutes!
- Fresh, wholesome ingredients- The bright lemon flavor comes from fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. The pancakes are made from scratch without Bisquick.
- My favorite way to serve these pancakes is with melted butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a dollop of coconut cream or Greek yogurt. If you don't have maple syrup, check out these maple syrup alternatives.
Ingredients
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For quantities, check out the recipe card below.
- All purpose flour- This type of flour gives the pancakes just the right amount of chew while keeping them fluffy.
- Baking powder + baking soda- Using both gives the pancakes a better rise and makes them fluffy. The secret to delicious pancakes is using the right amount of leavener!
- Sea salt
- Granulated sugar- Sugar balances out the tartness of the citrus.
- Avocado oil- I love this in the batter because of its neutral yet buttery taste and healthy fats. Use avocado oil instead of melted butter to grease your griddle or pan too.
- Milk- I use oat milk to make this recipe dairy free. If you want richer pancakes, use whole milk.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Grated lemon zest- You can make this recipe using regular lemons or Meyer lemons. A Meyer lemon is a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange. They're sweeter and have a thinner peel.
- Lemon juice- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled juice. This is important and will lead to a brighter, fresher citrus flavor.
Substitutions
- Oat milk: Any kind of milk can be used.
- Avocado oil: Any mild oil works, like grapeseed oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
- Mixing bowls- I love my Duralex glass mixing bowl set. The bowls come in 10 different sizes and are heat-proof and dishwasher safe.
- Citrus zester
- Citrus squeezer
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Frying pan
How to Make Lemon Pancakes
Measure your ingredients and preheat your griddle to 350F before starting. You can also use a skillet or frying pan on medium-high heat.
STEP 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, sift the all purpose flour to prevent flour lumps. Then, gently whisk in baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
STEP 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate medium mixing bowl, stir the cane sugar, egg, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Make sure to tap the flour off of your whisk before your stir the wet ingredients or use a clean whisk.
STEP 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Whisk until barely combined.
STEP 4: Fold in the lemon zest. With a rubber spatula, fold in the lemon zest by lightly scraping around the sides of the bowl and turning the spatula, making figure-8 type motions.
STEP 5: Rest the batter. Let the batter sit for about 10 minutes. This lets the leavening agents activate.
STEP 6: Cook the pancakes. Preheat the griddle to 350F or skillet to medium heat and prepare it with a little oil or cooking spray. Then, add ¼ cup of batter to the surface. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the surface appears matte and little bubbles appear. Flip and cook for 2-4 more minutes. The finished pancakes should be cooked through and golden brown with crispy golden edges.
STEP 7: Serve! Serve the pancakes hot dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Expert Baking Tips
- Measure your flour properly using the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and swipe a knife across the top to remove the excess flour.
- Grease your pan with avocado oil instead of butter. The pancakes are less likely to burn because of the higher smoking point.
- If your pancakes are burning on the outside but raw on the inside, your cooking temperature is too hot. We want each side to cook for 1-2 minutes, so adjust the heat as needed.
- Flip the pancakes only once for the prettiest, matte finish. You'll know they're ready to flip when bubbles are forming and popping on top.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing will make the batter thin and the pancakes will lose their height and light texture. The secret to fluffy pancakes is just barely combining the ingredients and having a thicker, droppable consistency.
- To make perfectly round, evenly sized pancakes, try using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop. You can also try putting the batter in a condiment bottle and gently squeezing even amounts of batter onto the griddle.
Additions and Variations
- Make orange pancakes by using orange juice and orange zest.
- Make lime pancakes by using lime juice and lime zest.
Add toppings like:
- Nuts- macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds.
- Fruit- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries.
- Jams- blackberry jam, blueberry jam, raspberry jam.
- Syrups- maple syrup, date syrup, blueberry syrup, pomegranate molasses.
Other ideas include toasted coconut, ricotta, honey drizzle, a dusting of matcha powder, and white chocolate chips!
Frequently Asked Questions
You probably overmixed the batter! We are looking for a thick consistency to get light and fluffy pancakes.
Yes, you can use lemon extract instead of vanilla for an extra citrusy flavor.
You can't store your pancake batter in the refrigerator because of leavening agents. They will begin working as soon as you add them to the batter and will get weaker over time. You can't make the batter ahead of time, but you can make the pancakes ahead of time following the storage instructions in the recipe card!
Yes! You can make these pancakes any size from silver dollar to the size of a full dinner plate. Look for the same visual cues to flip them over, but the cook time may be longer or shorter depending on which size you choose.
How to Store
Let your cooked lemon pancakes cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Then, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the griddle or in a pan on medium-low heat. They can also be reheated in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
Freezing
Place the cooked pancakes in a gallon freezer bag, arranging them in a single layer. Then, store in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Reheating Frozen Pancakes
- Oven- Place the pancakes on a lined sheet pan and warm at 350F for about 5 minutes. Add more time for a crispier pancake.
- Microwave- Place the pancakes on a plate lined with paper towels and microwave for about 30 seconds. Add an additional 5 seconds until they are heated through. Remove the paper towel before eating.
- Toaster or toaster oven- Reheat the pancakes for about 3-4 minutes using a medium heat level if your toaster has one.
- Skillet- Warm the pancakes in an oiled skillet on medium-low heat. This will take about 5 minutes or so.
- Air fryer- Using the reheat setting, reheat the pancakes in the air fryer for 1-3 minutes. Be sure to check after 1 minute.
More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
📖 Recipe
Fluffy Lemon Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 citrus squeezer optional
- 1 frying pan, skillet, or griddle
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon cane sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 ½ tablespoon lemon zest grated
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the all purpose flour through a fine mesh sieve to prevent flour lumps. Gently whisk in baking soda, baking powder, and salt.1 ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir the cane sugar, egg, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together. Make sure to tap the flour off of your whisk before your stir the wet ingredients or use a clean whisk.2 tablespoon cane sugar, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Whisk until barely combined. Then, gently fold in the lemon zest with a rubber spatula.2 ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes so the leaveners can activate.
- Preheat the griddle to 350F or skillet to medium heat and prepare it with a little oil or cooking spray. Add ¼ cup of batter to the surface. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the surface of the pancake looks less shiny and has bubbles on it. Flip and cook for 2-4 more minutes. The finished pancakes should be cooked through and golden brown with crispy golden edges. Repeat cooking 1-2 pancakes at a time until you have used all the batter.
- Serve the pancakes hot dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped cream, maple syrup, and fresh fruit
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