These Lemon Pancakes are light, fluffy, and packed with bright lemon flavor without being tart. Perfect for a Sunday breakfast or a brunch party when you want to impress your guests with something new! They're freezer-friendly and great for meal prep!
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Why This Recipe Works
Delicious lemon flavor - These pancakes have both lemon juice and lemon zest which means double the flavor! ¼ cup of lemon juice may sound like a lot but trust me on this, it's the perfect amount of lemon. These have quickly become one of my new favorite pancake recipes!
Light and fluffy - Instead of regular milk, the recipe calls for buttermilk. Adding buttermilk to your pancake batter always yields the fluffiest pancakes. I only started using it in my pancake recipes recently and it's such a game changer! Plus, you can also make vegan buttermilk by mixing non-dairy milk with lemon juice!
Freezer-friendly - You can easily make a double batch and freeze half of it for busy weekday mornings! Just pop a couple of pancakes in the toaster or warm them up in the oven to have breakfast ready in just a few minutes!
Ingredients
- Flour - You can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or gluten-free flour blend. I like using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Eggs - 2 large eggs help bind everything together and raise the pancakes. I haven't tried making these fully vegan so I can't promise success but you can try using your favorite vegan egg substitute if desired.
- Buttermilk - Buttermilk is what makes these pancakes extra light and fluffy while adding a slight tang along with lemon juice. Combined with baking soda and baking powder, this helps raise the pancakes.
- Butter - Unsalted butter in the batter makes the outside of the pancakes crispy and nicely golden. The pancakes are also cooked in butter but you can also use cooking oil if preferred.
- Sweetener - The pancakes are sweetened with a little bit of maple syrup. You can also use sugar or other liquid sweetener if desired.
- Lemon - The batter has both lemon juice, and fresh lemon zest for a double lemon flavor. Make sure to use organic lemons for lemon zest.
- Vanilla extract - Vanilla balances out all the flavors though you can't really taste it. You can use vanilla extract, vanilla paste, or vanilla powder. Keep in mind vanilla powder or the seeds from a whole vanilla bean are much stronger so you'll need less.
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegan buttermilk - Measure 2 cups of whole milk or any non-dairy milk, remove 2 tablespoons of the milk, and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar. Gently stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. It's ready when it curdles and thickens slightly. It won't have the same texture as regular buttermilk but it will have the same effect on the batter.
- Meyer lemons - You can use Meyer lemon instead of regular lemon if it's in season. It's sweeter and much less tart. Try to get organic lemons when using the zest whenever possible.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients first: Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted butter, and sea salt.
- Whisk in buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add a knob of butter.
- Spoon the batter into the pan to make pancakes. Don’t overcrowd your pan. I like to make 3-4 pancakes in a large pan.
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes on one side till the sides set a bit and bubbles start to form.
- Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until golden.
- Serve with toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Keep your pancakes warm: Preheat your oven to 200F (90C) and keep your cooked pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven while you finish cooking the rest of the batter.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these pancakes with just some maple syrup or get fancy and top them with a generous dollop of Greek yogurt, a dusting of powdered sugar (or erythritol), and some fresh lemon zest. Garnish everything with a slice of lemon and don't forget the classic maple syrup drizzle!
I often like to serve these with fresh berries - fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or even cherries are delicious! You can add fresh berries or simmer frozen berries with a splash of maple syrup to add on top.
You can also turn these pancakes into a dessert by serving them with some whipped cream or ice cream.
Storing
Fridge: Store your pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Lay your pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Transfer to a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Reheating
You can reheat the pancakes either in the oven or in a toaster. For frozen pancakes, it's best to do it in the oven. If you want to use the toaster, allow them to defrost in the fridge overnight.
Preheat your oven to 300F (150C) and lay your pancakes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Warm up in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. Frozen pancakes will take longer to defrost and warm up.
FAQs
Yes, absolutely! Just follow the instructions of your griddle's manufacturer.
No, it's not necessary. It just helps to have them separated. Most of the time, I don't have space in my freezer for a baking sheet so I just freeze them wrapped in foil in a container.
You can use a sugar-free syrup for the batter and for serving. Instead of powdered sugar, you can dust the pancakes with powdered erythritol. Keep in mind this will change the flavor of the pancakes.
More Pancake Recipes
The first two pancake recipes use buttermilk just like these lemon pancakes. They're incredibly fluffy and delicious. The following three recipes are also amazing, especially the peach pancakes in the summer! Head to Pancakes and Waffles to see all the latest ones.
- Banana Foster Pancakes
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Matcha Pancakes
- Peach Pancakes
📖 Recipe
Lemon Pancakes
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Pancakes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Lemon Pancakes are light, fluffy, and packed with bright lemon flavor without being tart. They're freezer-friendly and great for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cups buttermilk (see notes on how to make dairy-free buttermilk)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest (2 lemons)
- Butter or oil for cooking as needed
- For serving: maple syrup, nut butter, berries, almond butter, whipped cream, extra lemon zest
Instructions
- Mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted butter, and sea salt.
- Whisk in buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add a knob of butter.
- Spoon the batter into the pan to make pancakes. Don’t overcrowd your pan. I like to make 3-4 pancakes in a large pan.
- Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes on one side till the sides set a bit and bubbles start to form.
- Flip and cook for another 2 minutes until golden.
- Serve with toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Notes
Vegan buttermilk : Measure 2 cups of almond milk, remove 2 tablespoon of the milk, and add 2 tablespoon of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar. Gently stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. It's ready when it curdles and thickens slightly.
Keep finished pancakes warm while you cook the rest of the batter: Preheat your oven to 200F (90C). Lay the pancakes out on a baking sheet in a single layer and keep in the oven.
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Store in foil and a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months.
Bernice Hill
Huge pancake fan over here and these pancakes were exceptional! They cooked up nice and fluffy and had that perfect crispy edge that I love. The lemon flavour really brightens them up too!
Gloria
This is my kind of pancake. I love everything lemon. What a great addition to the Easter brunch menu. I know they will be a hit with the family.
Marta
My son loves any and everything lemon. I can't wait to make these lemon pancakes for him this weekend for brunch.
Elaine
I can't believe how easy this recipe was and it came out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe. :)
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli
Can't wait to make these lemon pancakes! Lemon flavored anything is my ultimate favorite!!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
We have a huge lemon tree in our yard and I'm always looking for new ways to use up the harvest. These pancakes were perfect for brunch today! So light and fluffy!
LaKita
These lemon pancakes came out perfect, so fluffy and delicious! I had all of the ingredients on hand and it made a delicious weekend brunch!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
My older son loves lemon everything and I have to make it for him. He is traveling this week and I can't wait to make it over the weekend when he comes back. Love this recipe.
Jenny
It is a great idea to use lemon! Very original and yummy. I love these pancakes, they are a treat.
Ramona
These pancakes were absolutely delicious. I'm going to make them again and again as they came out so nice and fluffy- topped them with lemon and sugar.... it is my favorite combination. Simplicity at its best.