Preheat your griddle and grab the maple syrup for this soon-to-be family favorite recipe for the lightest, fluffiest, most flavor-packed Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes!
Table of Contents
I am a pancake purist, both when it comes to mix-ins and toppings. You show me a stack of plain pancakes topped with butter and warm maple syrup, and I will show you my membership card to the National Clean Plate Club.
And that applies to both making them at home and ordering them at my favorite local pancake spot in Newport Beach, California. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a semi-creative spin on batter basics (read: buttermilk, sour cream or even Greek yogurt), but it takes a lot for me to stray from the ordinary.
That is, until this beautiful stack hit my fork, and then my lips! Behold, the best-ever Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes! They have just enough citrus tang to tickle your taste buds without overwhelming your palate. Top with a hearty pile of freshly sliced strawberries for the ultimate fruit-filled pairing.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Incredibly light and fluffy.
- Bursting with citrus flavor.
- Simple ingredients.
- Easy to make.
- All-purpose flour: Flour is the base of the batter and provides structure.
- Sugar: One tablespoon adds just the right amount of sweetness. You can use granulated sugar or substitute it with other sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
- Baking soda: Reacts with acid (in this recipe, buttermilk) to create carbon dioxide gas, which makes the pancakes rise.
- Baking powder: Helps the pancakes rise and become light and fluffy.
- Poppy seeds: Add a slight crunch to the pancakes and are a classic pairing with lemon.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness. You can adjust the amount of salt based on your preference.
- Buttermilk: You need the acidity in the buttermilk to react with the leaveners to create light and fluffy pancakes. No buttermilk? No problem! I created an entire post with various dairy and non-dairy alternatives to substitute for buttermilk.
- Lemon zest: Adds a bright, citrusy flavor to the pancakes. It is important to use fresh zest to get the best flavor.
- Egg: One egg provides structure and richness to the pancakes.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor. You can substitute it with vegetable oil or coconut oil if you prefer.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon zest, egg and melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Cook. Heat a nonstick sauté pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Add about ¼ cup of batter to form each pancake. Once bubbles form across the entire surface of each pancake, flip them once and continue cooking another 30 seconds or until cooked through.
- Serve and dig in!
Pro Tip #1: A lumpy batter is the best batter! It’s the key to ensuring that your homemade pancakes are just as light and fluffy as those from your favorite local diner or a boxed mix. When in doubt, stop mixing.
Pro Tip #2: My secret for perfectly round pancakes? A batter dispenser! I’ve had this batter dispenser for years and absolutely love it. It also works great for cupcake batter and eliminates any mess with filling the cups.
- Maple syrup. It doesn’t get more classic than a hearty drizzle of maple syrup.
- Fresh berries. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries all complement the citrusy flavor of the lemon and add a pop of color and sweetness to the pancakes.
- Whipped cream. A dollop of homemade whipped cream made with my secret ingredient is hard to beat.
- Honey. For a tasty twist, use honey instead of maple syrup. It’s especially tasty when paired with fresh berries.
- Yogurt. A dollop of plain or flavored yogurt adds a creamy and tangy flavor. Greek yogurt is a good choice as it has a thicker consistency and higher protein content.
- Blueberry sauce. It provides a sweet and tart contrast to the bright and citrusy flavor of the lemon and the nutty crunch of the poppyseeds. Best of all, you’re only four ingredients and 10 minutes away from this refreshing topping.
FAQs
The batter should be thick but pourable. It should be thick enough to hold its shape when poured onto the griddle, but not so thick that it’s difficult to spread or cook evenly. If the batter is too thin, the pancakes may spread too much and become thin and rubbery. On the other hand, if the batter is too thick, the pancakes may not cook through properly and may be dense and heavy.
I wouldn’t recommend making the batter in advance as the leavening agents won’t retain as much ability to cause the pancakes to puff (and hence, be fluffy instead of dense!).
This comes down to personal preference, and you’ll realize everyone has their own technique they swear by. I let my batter rest for 10 minutes prior to spooning it atop a hot griddle. I find the semi-quick rest time leads to added fluffiness.
Tiny bubbles should form across the entire surface of the pancake before it is flipped. Remember: Flip once, and once only!
Flat pancakes are often a result of stale baking soda or baking powder, or a batter that has been overmixed. The batter should be lumpy. Do not overmix it or your pancakes will be flat and dense rather than fluffy and light.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon zest, egg and melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. (The batter should be lumpy.)
- Heat a nonstick sauté pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Add about ¼ cup of batter to form each pancake. Once bubbles form across the entire surface of each pancake, flip them once and continue cooking another 30 seconds or until cooked through.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup or other toppings.
Kelly's Notes:
- A lumpy batter is the best batter! It’s the key to ensuring that your homemade pancakes are just as light and fluffy as those from your favorite local diner or a boxed mix. When in doubt, stop mixing.
- I let my batter rest for 10 minutes prior to spooning it atop a hot griddle. I find the semi-quick rest time leads to added fluffiness.
- Flat pancakes are often a result of stale baking soda or baking powder, or a batter that has been overmixed. The batter should be lumpy. Do not overmix it or your pancakes will be flat and dense rather than fluffy and light.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
woww!!!! It’s so good
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Maria!
Can they be made into waffles or crepes instead of pancakes? Any changes necessary?
Hi Ev! I haven’t tried cooking this batter as a waffle or crepe, but generally those batters are much thinner than traditional pancake batter so I’m not sure what the texture would be like.
Absolutely delish! Love anything with lemon and these are perfect!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Marcy!
Hi Kelly, thanks for posting so many pancake recipes! I’ve made it my mission to go through all of them. I started with this one and it was really good. However, I wanted to know what the batter consistency should be like as mine came out very very thick and I couldn’t even get it off the spoon into the pan. I live in the UK so it’s possible the buttermilk consistency here is different. Also, do you melt the butter and then measure 2 tablespoons? Thank you!
Thanks, Shrey! I have never cooked with UK buttermilk so I’m not sure of its consistency. Is it thicker than heavy cream?
I’ve made these twice now. Pancakes are sometimes disappointing for me but these have been consistently fab. I just use milk with lemon juice for a buttermilk substitute and the rind of a whole large lemon. Delicious family pleaser.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Joey!
Can this recipe be used for waffles?
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure!
My pancake button got flipped to the “on” position a couple of weeks ago. I want to eat them for every meal. Thanks for providing such a great offering to help fill my pancake needs. These are a great idea and a nice change of pace!
Haha! You are so welcome, Terri. Enjoy the pancakes!
Like the low carb and calories
Hi Patricia! If you’re interested, you can find all of our recipes with nutritional information here: https://www.justataste.com/category/recipes/nutrition-facts/