These Lemon Blueberry Pancakes are extra fluffy, light, and bursting with flavor. Blueberries and lemon go perfectly together and the combo truly shine in these pancakes! They're easy to make, perfect for brunch, breakfast, or even dessert, and they're freezer-friendly!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love These Pancakes
Light and fluffy - Buttermilk makes these pancakes super fluffy while lemon juice and only a touch of maple syrup makes their flavor and texture extra light. Adding butter to the batter helps them crisp up on the outside while still staying pillowy soft on the inside.
The perfect flavor combo - The batter has both lemon juice and lemon zest for a double lemon flavor which goes perfectly with fresh blueberries. These pancakes are great for spring and summer when berries are in season.
Ingredients
- Flour - Both all-purpose and gluten-free flour works here. I make all of my pancakes and baked goods gluten-free using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Eggs - Large eggs are what holds the batter together here. I haven't tried any vegan substitutes so I can'gt guarantee success but you can try flax egg.
- Buttermilk - Classic buttermilk makes the pancakes extra light and fluffy but you can also use whole milk or dairy-free milk like almond milk. The lemon juice will do a similar job in the batter on its own even without buttermilk. See the next paragraph for homemade vegan buttermilk.
- Blueberries - You can use fresh or frozen blueberries here. I like using frozen wild blueberries because they're smaller and spread in the batter easier.
- Lemon - You'll need lemon juice and lemon zest for this batter so it's necessary to use a fresh lemon. Choose an organic lemon when using lemon zest whenever possible.
- Raising agent - The batter calls for both baking powder and baking soda. This in combination with sea salt and the buttermilk helps the pancakes rise extra high.
- Sweetener - A little bit of maple syrup is added into the batter to sweeten it. You can also use honey or agave if you prefer.
- Butter - Melted unsalted butter in the batter makes the pancakes softer and crisps them up on the outside. You can use cooking oil like avocado oil instead but I prefer the texture with butter. The pancakes are also cooked on butter.
Variations and Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour - If you don't want to use all-purpose flour, you can use your favorite gluten-free flour blend. I always use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free flour blend.
- Different berries - You can make these with raspberries (cut in half if fresh or crumbled if frozen) or chopped fresh strawberries for a different flavor.
- Dairy-free - You can make these pancakes either with just plain almond milk or make your own vegan buttermilk. If you just use almond milk the pancakes will be just as delicious, they might just not rise as well and won't be as fluffy.
Vegan buttermilk - Measure 2 cups almond milk and remove 2 tbsp. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and stir gently. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. It’s ready when it slightly thickens and curdles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Whisk until well mixed.
- Add buttermilk and whisk briefly again.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk and fold gently to mix. Do not overmix!
- When the batter is just mixed together, fold in the blueberries.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Add butter and form pancakes using a spoon. Don’t overcrowd your pan. I do 3-4 pancakes on a 12-inch pan.
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden.
- Flip when bubbles start to appear and the sides are set. Lower the heat if needed.
- Keep your cooked pancakes warm in a preheated oven at 170F (75C) on a baking sheet until you finish cooking the rest of the batter.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
There are so many toppings you can add to these pancakes aside from just the classic maple syrup. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Berries - These pancakes are delicious topped with fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and chopped strawberries. If you only have frozen berries, cook them down with a splash of maple syrup and a tiny bit of water to make a warm berry compote!
- Syrup - Pure maple syrup is a classic but you don't have to stop there! Double up on the blueberry flavor and drizzle your pancakes with some homemade blueberry syrup! Check out the flavored syrups category for more creative syrup ideas!
- Powdered sugar - A light dusting of powdered sugar is a classic for lemon and blueberry pancakes. You can use powdered erythritol instead as a sugar-free alternative.
- Nut butter - Add some homemade almond butter or homemade nutella for extra flavor, healthy fats, and added protein.
- Make it into a dessert - You can top the pancakes with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream to turn them into a dessert instead of breakfast!
Storing
Great news! These pancakes freeze really well! You can make a double batch and freeze them so that even on busy weekday mornings you can have delicious pancakes for breakfast.
Fridge - Store your pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days when stored properly. If you don't think you'll eat them within 4 days, I recommend just freezing them.
Freezer - Cool your pancakes completely before storing them. Store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet for 30 minutes first to avoid them sticking together if you have the space. You can also place wax paper or parchment paper between each pancake. Defrost in the fridge overnight to speed up warming them up or warm up from frozen.
Reheating
You can reheat your pancakes on the stove or in the oven. I prefer the oven because it requires less attention.
Preheat your oven to 300F (150C) and lay your pancakes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through. If your pancakes are frozen, they'll take longer to reheat but you can totally reheat them from frozen.
I don't recommend using a toaster as the blueberries might burn. I haven't tried reheating pancakes in the microwave (I don't have one) but I'm assuming it would work as well.
FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen with the same results. I recommend wild blueberries because they're smaller and distribute through the batter more easily. When you use fresh berries, you'll have those true purple berry pockets and light beige batter. When you use frozen berries, they turn your whole batter slightly purple.
Either you overmixed the batter or you didn't add enough raising agent. Double-check if you used the right amount. You want to whisk the batter until it's just mixed. You don't want to beat it like eggs so it deflates and creates thin dense pancakes.
Similar Pancake Recipes You'll Love
If you love pancakes and want to try other variations, check out the four recipes linked below! They're all extra delicious in their own way and they're freezer-friendly too!
- Lemon Pancakes (Similar to these but without the blueberries.)
- Peach Pancakes (Dairy-free batter with peach slices hidden in each pancake!)
- Banana Foster Pancakes (The most incredible banana topping!)
- Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes (A great way to use up those brown bananas!)
📖 Recipe
Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Pancakes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Lemon Blueberry Pancakes are extra fluffy and bursting with flavor. They're easy to make, perfect for brunch and they're freezer-friendly!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, I used frozen wild blueberries)
- Butter of cooking oil for cooking pancakes
- For serving: maple syrup, yogurt, nut butter, berries
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Whisk until well mixed.
- Add buttermilk and whisk briefly again.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk and fold gently to mix. Do not overmix.
- When the batter is just mixed together, fold in the blueberries.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Add butter and form pancakes using a spoon. Don’t overcrowd your pan. I do 3-4 pancakes on a 12 inch pan.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden on both sides. Flip when bubbles start to appear and the sides are set. Lower the heat if needed.
- Keep your cooked pancakes warm in a preheated oven at 170F (75C) on a baking sheet until you finish cooking the rest of the batter.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Vegan buttermilk - Measure 2 cups almond milk and remove 2 tbsp. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and stir gently. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. It’s ready when it slightly thickens and curdles.
Keep your pancakes warm - Preheat your oven to 170F (75C). Lay your finished pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and keep them in the oven while you cook the rest of the batter to keep them warm.
Storing - Store the pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Or store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Gloria
I love the lemon and blueberry combination. These will be great for brunch this weekend. I know I might as well make a double batch right from the start.
Bernice
Mmmm. These pancakes were incredibly fluffy and full of flavour. One of our favourite weekend breakfast recipes to be sure.
Julie
Holy delish! This was so good and everyone raved about it at breakfast. I have to save this to make these again.
Leslie
This is the perfect lemon blueberry pancake recipe! Love the use of butter milk as well! So so good!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
We have a big lemon tree in our yard and I love adding it to breakfast dishes. This with the blueberries was so good and perfect for Sunday brunch! Buttermilk is the key to this dish for sure! Definitely a keeper!
Kathryn
This made such a yummy breakfast! I had fresh lemons I wanted to use up and these pancakes hit the spot! Can't wait to make them again soon :)
Tracy Koslicki
These are so perfect for weekend brunch! So much flavor and bursting with blueberries and that lemon adds just the right acidic touch.
Ashley
Besides being so yummy, I think what I like most about this recipe is that they're freezer friendly! I can make a bunch on the weekend and then freeze the leftovers to enjoy all week! Woohoo!
Hayley Dhanecha
They look so incredibly fluffy I just had to give them a try! They came out perfect and my family were raving about them!