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There’s something magical about waking up on a Sunday morning to the aroma of pancakes sizzling on a hot griddle. Add the zesty aroma of lemon zest and the burst of juicy blueberries, and you have a breakfast that takes your taste buds to the next level.
This recipe is a delightful combination of flavors and textures that will make your weekend mornings truly special.
Table of Contents
Why They Taste Great
The Science Behind the Fluffiness
What’s the secret behind those fluffy pancakes that practically melt in your mouth? It all starts with the right balance of dry and wet ingredients. They work together to create the perfect texture and a delicate balance between fluffy and tender. But the real secret to the best possible pancake is to use buttermilk.
The Zesty Twist
One of the star ingredients in these blueberry lemon pancakes is the zest of the lemon. This zesty addition adds a burst of fresh lemon flavor that is tasted in every bite. The citrusy aroma complements the sweet blueberries beautifully, creating a symphony of flavors that’s perfect for a leisurely weekend morning.
Juicy Blueberries Provide A Burst of Color and Flavor
Fresh blueberries are like little bursts of joy in every bite. When they mingle with the pancake batter, they create pockets of sweetness that burst open with each forkful. The golden brown exterior of the pancakes provides the perfect canvas for the vibrant blueberries, making these pancakes as visually appealing as they are delicious.
Ingredients You Will Need to Make These Pancakes
A mixture of all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and a pinch of salt forms the base of this pancake recipe.
The liquid ingredients include eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk. The lemon zest is combined with the liquid ingredients.
And of course, the star of the recipe are the blueberries.
How to Make Buttermilk Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
This is a very simple pancake recipe that is stirred by hand.
Preheat griddle on medium low heat. Be sure the griddle is fully heated through before adding pancake batter.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, lemon zest, buttermilk, and melted butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir very gently by folding the liquid into the dry ingredients. You will want your batter to be slightly lumpy.
Grease the hot griddle with butter. Use as much as your heart desires.
Place large spoonful of batter onto the griddle.
Top each pancake with 8-12 blueberries, then dot the top of each blueberry with a bit of batter to prevent the pancake from sticking to the griddle after you flip it.
Do not flip until the pancake has lots of bubbles and the bottom is a golden brown. Flip each pancake only once and do not smash it down with your spatula.
Tips for Success
Creating the best pancakes requires a little know-how.
- The batter should be mixed until just combined – a few lumps are completely okay. This helps keep the pancakes tender and light.
- When cooking, use a medium-low heat to ensure even cooking without burning. Low and slow is best in my opinion. Low heat and a longer cooking time makes the best pancakes. This process allows the center of the pancake to cook through while the edges get golden brown without burning.
- A non-stick skillet or griddle is your best friend here, and a little butter or cooking spray prevents sticking. Butter is recommended over oil as it will make the edges nice and crispy.
- Blueberry placement is key! Strategically place your blueberries so that they are evenly spaced. That way you’ll get the same amount of blueberry in each bite!
FAQs
Yes, you can use a substitution. Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using as a buttermilk alternative.
Store cooked pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, separate pancakes with parchment paper, place in a resealable bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Yes, you can use plant-based milk (like almond or oat milk), melted coconut oil for the melted butter, and a vegan egg substitute (such as flax eggs) to make vegan lemon blueberry pancakes.
Yes, a 1:1 gluten free flour blend is recommended.
Certainly! Use whole wheat flour or a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Replace some or all of the butter with melted coconut oil.
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries, but I recommend allowing them to thaw first. Frozen berries can prevent the batter from cooking.
It’s best to make the batter fresh for optimal results. If you need to prepare ahead, mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine just before cooking.
The secret lies in not overmixing the batter. Leave a few lumps and avoid excessive stirring to maintain a light and fluffy texture.
You can increase the amount of lemon zest, or you can add a splash of fresh lemon juice to the batter for an extra burst of citrusy goodness.
Yes, but use lemon extract sparingly as it’s more potent. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with other mix-ins like white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
Use medium-low heat and allow the pancakes to cook until bubbles form on the surface before flipping.
They are sweet on their own, but you can add a drizzle of pure maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar to make them even more sweeter. A dollop of Greek yogurt on top of each pancake will add an extra layer of flavor and creaminess. It also adds protein which can help you feel full longer. If you’re feeling adventurous, a sprinkle of poppy seeds can add a delightful crunch. I also love the flavor and texture that hemp seeds add to my pancakes.
If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!
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Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest from one very large or two small lemons
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries frozen and thawed or fresh
- Additional butter for griddle
Instructions
- Preheat griddle on medium low heat. Be sure the griddle is fully heated through before adding pancake batter.
- In large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center.
- In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, zest, buttermilk, and melted butter. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir very gently by folding liquid into dry ingredients. You want your batter to be lumpy.
- Grease hot griddle with butter. Use as much as your heart desires. Place large spoonful of batter onto griddle. Top each pancake with 8-12 blueberries, then dot the top of each blueberry with a bit of batter to prevent the pancake from sticking to the griddle after you flip it. Do not flip until the pancake has lots of bubbles and the bottom is a golden brown. Flip only once and do not smash down with your spatula.
- Serve with pure maple syrup. YUM!
Notes
Cooking tips:
I have a few tips and tricks to making these pancakes awesome, in addition to the basic recipe.- First, be sure to use butter rather than oil on your grill. It makes the edges nice and crispy.
- Low and slow is best in my opinion. Low heat and a longer cooking time makes the best pancakes. This process allows the center of the pancake to cook through while the edges get golden brown without burning.
- Pour the batter on the hot griddle, then set the blueberries on top, then dot them with additional batter. This keeps the blueberries directly off the grill so that they stay inside your pancake. You don’t need all that blueberry goodness exploding all over your grill and burning, now do you?
- Strategically place your blueberries so that they are evenly spaced. That way you’ll get the same amount of blueberry in each bite!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in March 2015 and has been updated with more helpful information and cooking tips. Don’t worry – I didn’t change the recipe!
Ratio of flour to milk should be 1:1, this batter is too thin to hold blueberries, it’s like crepe batter b
I respectfully disagree. I’ve made these pancakes many times and they always turned out light and fluffy. Are you at a high altitude? Did you use buttermilk or regular milk (the buttermilk I use is thick so it makes the batter especially thick).
Best pancakes ever. Light and fluffy. Lemon added flavor but not overwhelming. Not overly sweet, very little sugar in recipes but used lots less syrup because the flavor was so good. I usually eat 3 to 4 pancakes but I ate 6 of these and didn’t feel heavy and stuffed. The last one I just ate plain, no syrup, nothing. Delicious!!!!
I attempted to halve the recipe VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
I make buttermilk pancakes regularly but these are extraordinary! Didn’t even need syrup it was so good. TRY THESE.
This is absolutely amazing! I love the combination of flavors!
Loved your tip about using butter on the griddle. My boys were eating these up quicker than I could get them off the griddle and on the table. A total win!
Such a great way to start my day! Looking forward to enjoying these for breakfast tomorrow; they look too good to pass up!
This is my favorite batter! I make these ahead of time and freeze them!
Can the dry ingredients be prepared in bulk? It would cut down a bit of time when making them for our toddler to just add wet ingredients. What would the ratio of the prepared ingredients be to the wet ingredients?
Hi! You can definitely prepare the dry ingredients in bulk ahead of time. As far as ratio, I have no idea because I would just make the recipe in it’s entirety. Hope that helps?