Lemon Breakfast Pancake (Printable)

Fluffy, zesty pancakes brightened with fresh lemon and buttermilk for an easy morning treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1 cup buttermilk
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
09 - Zest of 1 large lemon
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Cooking

12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or oil (for greasing the pan)

→ To Serve (optional)

13 - Maple syrup
14 - Fresh berries
15 - Extra lemon zest
16 - Powdered sugar

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well blended.
03 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; small lumps are acceptable. Avoid overmixing.
04 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil.
05 - Pour 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the hot skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface and edges appear set.
06 - Turn pancakes over and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.
07 - Serve warm, optionally topped with maple syrup, fresh berries, extra lemon zest, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • They taste summery even on gray mornings, like you've somehow captured sunshine in a pancake.
  • The lemon is subtle enough that even people who think they don't like citrus in breakfast will come back for seconds.
  • You can make the batter the night before and cook them fresh whenever you want.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the batter—I learned this the hard way with dense, disappointing pancakes before understanding that lumps actually mean better texture.
  • The lemon zest is non-negotiable; bottled zest loses most of its essential oils and won't give you that bright flavor that makes these special.
  • Medium heat is crucial; I burned three batches before realizing my skillet was too hot and I was rushing the cooking process.
03 -
  • Keep the finished pancakes warm in a 200-degree oven while you cook the remaining batches instead of stacking them on a plate where they steam and lose their texture.
  • If you don't have buttermilk, make a substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 1 cup of regular milk and letting it sit for five minutes—it creates the same acid and tang.

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