• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chisel & Fork logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You Are Here: Home → Breakfast

    Apple Ricotta Pancakes

    October 27, 2022 by Ryan 2 Comments

    157 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    apple ricotta pancakes stacked on top of each other on white plate
    close-up of apple ricotta pancakes stacked on top of each other

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

    These apple ricotta pancakes add an Italian twist with ricotta cheese, but taste like fall with sautéed apples on top.

    apple ricotta pancakes stacked on top of each other on white plate

    Who doesn't love pancakes - from mango pancakes to banana chocolate chip pancakes to blueberry pancakes. Contrary to popular belief, the options are endless as far as flavors. You don't need just boring old pancakes.

    And these apple pancakes are kicked up a notch with ricotta cheese which adds a slightly milky flavor. But lets be honest, it is the sautéed apples that make these.

    It's basically an apple pie filling on top of pancakes. I mean, what sounds better? Or if you're feeling like bread, you can never go wrong with cinnamon apple bread.

    Why This Recipe Works

    • Easy - you'll be surprised how easy these apple ricotta pancakes are to make. Simply mix together the ingredients then cook on the skillet.
    • Flavorful - it is like apple pie in pancake form. And who can forget the warm notes of cinnamon.
    • Utilizes extra apples - any time you might have more apples than needed on hand, these pancakes should come to top of mind.
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Ingredient Swaps
    • Step-by-Step Photos
    • FAQs
    • Equipment
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Breakfast Recipes
    • Apple Ricotta Pancakes
    overhead shot of ingredients for apple ricotta pancakes

    Ingredient Notes

    • All-purpose flour - creates a light and fluffy pancake.
    • Baking powder/soda - important in giving that rise you like to see with your pancakes. Doesn't need to react with acid to create a rise.
    • Cinnamon - adds warm spice notes to the pancakes and apple topping.
    • Ricotta - adds moistness, while giving the pancakes a milky flavor.
    • Apples - they're called apple ricotta pancakes for a reason. My go-to is Granny Smith apples.

    Ingredient Swaps

    Like any recipe you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:

    • While I like all-purpose flour as it is the most common, but cake flour works well too and creates even a lighter pancake. You can also go with oat flour if you want to be gluten-free.
    • I like to use light brown sugar with these pancakes, but granulated or dark brown sugar can be used.
    • I use whole milk, but you can use a dairy free milk like coconut milk or almond milk. You can also use buttermilk as well.
    • I'm personally a fan of Granny Smith apples, but Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious or Braeburn work too.

    Step-by-Step Photos

    Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.

    process shots of cooking apples and mixing dry ingredients in bowl

    Heat a skillet over medium heat with butter, before adding the apples, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook until the apples start to soften and set aside.

    In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

    process shots of mixing wet ingredients in bowl before adding to dry ingredients

    In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

    process shots of cooking pancakes in skillet

    Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter. Drop ¼ cup batter and cook for 1 minute or until bubbles surface. Flip and cook for another minute on the other side and repeat with remaining batter.

    FAQs

    Why Add Ricotta to Pancakes?

    The ricotta adds extra richness that doesn't weigh the pancakes down, while also keeping them moist.

    Why Aren't My Pancakes Fluffy?

    Over-mixing pancake batter develops the gluten which will make them tough and rubbery. You want to mix the batter until it just comes together. It's okay if there are some lumps of flour.

    Why Are My Pancakes Mushy?

    It will most likely be because the heat on your griddle or skillet is too high and it is cooking the outside much faster than the inside.

    Can I Freeze the Pancakes?

    Of course! Transfer the pancakes in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place them in the freezer for two hours before transferring to a bag. To heat, place frozen pancakes in an oven or toaster oven until warmed.

    Equipment

    The equipment you use is important to how the apple ricotta pancakes turn out. What is needed is the following:

    • Large bowl - need a bowl to be able to mix together the batter.
    • Non-stick skillet or electric skillet - I personally like using an electric skillet, but a non-stick works great too.
    • Spatula - need to be able to flip the pancakes.

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • Baking Powder Freshness - you may not realize this but baking powder and baking soda actually expires pretty quickly. Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the donuts. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use.
    • Whisk Dry Ingredients - to avoid lumps in this pancakes recipe, whisk the dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients.
    • Don't Overmix - to add to the above, you don't want to overmix the batter. You want to have some lumps to create fluffy pancakes.
    • Rest the Batter - if you have the time, rest the batter for 10 minutes so the flour absorbs the liquid. I do this as I'm warming up the pan.
    • Use an Electric Skillet - a large electric skillet allows you to make multiple pancakes at a time, but you can use a cast iron skillet as well.
    • Wipe Skillet - by using butter, it will eventually burn so wipe the skillet between pancake batches to keep from having burned pancakes.
    • Don't Flip Too Early - wait until bubbles pop and form holes that stay open on the surface of the batter before flipping the pancakes.
    close-up of apple ricotta pancakes stacked on top of each other

    Other Breakfast Recipes

    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes
    • Oat Flour Pancakes
    • Banana Oat Pancakes
    • Apple Dutch Baby

    If you’ve tried these apple ricotta pancakes or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    apple ricotta pancakes stacked on top of each other on white plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Apple Ricotta Pancakes

    These apple ricotta pancakes add an Italian twist with ricotta cheese, but taste like fall with sautéed apples on top.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time35 mins
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12 pancakes
    Calories: 179kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    Ricotta Pancakes

    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 3 tablespoon light brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 cup whole milk ricotta
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter plus more for greasing

    Apple Topping

    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced into ½ inch cubes
    • 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 200°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda until combined. Make a well in the center.
    • In large bowl, beat half of the ricotta and cream until whipped, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, egg yolks, buttermilk, remaining ricotta and honey. Set in fridge until ready to use.
    • In another large bowl, beat egg whites until they have stiff peaks, which should take about 5 minutes.
    • Slowly stir in the egg whites until just combined, which lightens the batter. If using apples for filling, stir in at this point.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with butter. Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden brown. Wipe skillet and repeat process. Keep the pancakes in the oven until all are ready to eat.
    • Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once butter is melted, add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minute or until the apples are starting to soften. Top pancakes with apples.

    Notes

    • Baking Powder Freshness - you may not realize this but baking powder and baking soda actually expires pretty quickly. Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the donuts. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use.
    • Whisk Dry Ingredients - to avoid lumps in this pancakes recipe, whisk the dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients.
    • Don't Overmix - to add to the above, you don't want to overmix the batter. You want to have some lumps to create fluffy pancakes.
    • Rest the Batter - if you have the time, rest the batter for 10 minutes so the flour absorbs the liquid. I do this as I'm warming up the pan.
    • Use an Electric Skillet - a large electric skillet allows you to make multiple pancakes at a time, but you can use a cast iron skillet as well.
    • Wipe Skillet - by using butter, it will eventually burn so wipe the skillet between pancake batches to keep from having burned pancakes.
    • Don't Flip Too Early - wait until bubbles pop and form holes that stay open on the surface of the batter before flipping the pancakes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
    « Purple Mashed Potatoes
    Pumpkin Jam »
    157 shares

    Receive Top 25 Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      October 20, 2019 at 7:07 pm

      5 stars
      Made these and they were amazing!

      Reply
    2. Chris says

      November 01, 2022 at 11:44 pm

      5 stars
      This Chris is a chisel connoisseur. I bet he is sexy too.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Chisel & Fork

    ryan standing in kitchen

    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

    Get Your Free Copy of My Top 25 Most Popular Recipes

    title page of ecookbook

    Healthy Recipes

    • Cinnamon Overnight Oats
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
      Cook Time1 Hours 10 Minutes
    • Peanut Butter Energy Balls
      Cook Time25 Minutes
    • Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
      Cook Time1 Hours

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Cheddar Mac and Cheese
      Cook Time40 Minutes
    • Cranberry Mimosa
      Cook Time5 Minutes
    • Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
      Cook Time1 Hours 40 Minutes
    • Chocolate Chip Scones
      Cook Time35 Minutes

    Featured In

    logos of places where Chisel & Fork has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Information

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Recipes
    • DIY

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Chisel & Fork

    157 shares