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Home » Recipes » Breakfast Recipes

Orange Ricotta Pancakes

Modified: Feb 23, 2024 · Published Jun 9, 2020 · by Jacqueline Piper · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links. Read our privacy policy.

881 shares
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stack of pancakes
stack of pancakes
stack of pancakes

Orange Ricotta Pancakes | Make the most of your Cara Cara oranges while they are in season in this fluffy, citrusy pancake recipe. These bright, orange-y pancakes will start your day off with a smile.

stack of pancakes
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Tools you need
  • Ingredient Substitutions
  • Instructions
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Recipes FAQs
  • Recipe

Let's celebrate this gorgeous weather (we gotta have something to celebrate right now) with a sunshiny little breakfast recipe that will fill your belly and your soul.

Oranges and breakfast just go together! If you're a big fan of the fresh flavor or oranges, try these orange breakfast muffins next.

Ingredients

  • oranges - Cara Cara oranges - I love these the best. They're sweet and delicious - get them while they're in season! (They're still in stores around here.)
  • ricotta cheese - I haven't tried this recipe with my homemade ricotta yet, but I'm sure it would also work.
  • baking powder and baking soda - For nice, fluffy pancakes.
  • an egg
  • flour - just a cup
  • salt - a pinch!
  • vanilla - I love vanilla and orange together
  • sugar - just a little for some sweetness
  • oil - I used sunflower oil. You could try melted butter instead.
stack of pancakes

Tools you need

  • A microplane to zest the orange (I've tried scraping it with a knife and chopping that but it didn't get fine enough.)

Ingredient Substitutions

  • If you don't have ricotta cheese or don't want to use it, try plain Greek yogurt, it works really well as a substitute in this recipe.
  • Try subbing out the Cara Cara orange for a different orange or try using lemons - you might need to adjust the sugar for substitutions. But I bet lemon ricotta pancakes would be just as good as orange ricotta pancakes (with blueberries!)
stack of pancakes

Instructions

Prep Tips

  • You'll cook the pancakes in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  • Zest and juice the oranges (you'll need the zest of one but the juice of at least two)
  1. To make the batter for these orange ricotta pancakes, whisk together the ricotta cheese (or yogurt) and the egg until smooth.
  2. Add the vanilla extract, orange juice, orange zest, and sugar. Whisk together again to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt and then gently whisk together, just until combined. Don't over-mix.
  4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. I add a little bit of oil also, just to make sure they cook nicely and don't stick. Pour a little bit of batter into the pan - about ¼ to ⅓ cup for each pancake.
  5. Now just let the pancake sit there for a few minutes. You'll see the baking powder and baking soda working by sending up little bubbles to the surface of the pancakes. The bubbles will pop and once the pancake cooks the popped bubbles will start to leave holes in the surface. They are ready to flip at this point.
  6. Cook for another minute or so on the other side. Remove them and keep them in a dish and cover them with a lid to keep them warm or just plate them and serve them at once.

My kids like these with butter and syrup. I like them with just butter, I don't think they need anything else.

stack of pancakes

Tips and Tricks

Keep the heat on medium - no higher. Pancakes can burn quickly. You want to brown the outside and wait until the bubbles rise and pop on the surface. A medium (or medium-low) heat will allow this.

Recipes FAQs

Do I have to use Cara Cara oranges?

No, try your favorite orange. The amount of sugar may need to be adjusted.

When are my pancakes ready to flip?

Your pancakes are ready to flip when bubbles rise to the top and pop, leaving little holes. This usually takes only a few minutes over medium heat.

Recipe

A stack of panckes with a pat of butter on top and syrup being poured on.
5 from 6 votes

Orange Ricotta Pancakes

Author : Jacqueline Piper
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Make the most of your Cara Cara oranges while they are in season in this fluffy, citrusy pancake recipe, or substitute any other orange. These bright, orange-y pancakes make for a great breakfast.
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Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice I use Cara Cara oranges
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • pinch of salt
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Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese and the egg until smooth.
  • Add the orange juice, zest, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
  • Sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add a pinch of salt and mix until just incorporated.
  • Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Scoop batter by the ½ cup onto the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles rise and break on the first side. Flip and cook another minute or so on the other side.
  • Serve immediately, while hot, with butter and warm syrup.

Equipment

  • Large Non-stick frying pan

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g

Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.

Have you tried this recipe?Tag @pipercooksblog on Instagram so we can see it!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

stack of orange ricotta pancakes
stack of orange ricotta pancakes
stack of orange ricotta pancakes

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5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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