Breakfast Foods

Vanilla Orange Ricotta Pancakes

Light-and-fluffy pancake-lovers will appreciate the loft that ricotta gives these delicately scented flapjacks. Whipped orange butter just seals the deal.

Whipped Orange Butter

  • ½ cup Unsalted Challenge Dairy Butter, softened
  • 1 Tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest

Ricotta Pancakes

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • zest of 1 orange, finely grated
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Challenge Dairy Butter, melted, plus more for cooking
  • maple syrup, for serving

Whipped Orange Butter

  • 1
    Place butter in a medium bowl and cream with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • 2
    Beat in milk and orange zest; beat until combined.
  • 3
    Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Ricotta Pancakes

  • 1
    Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
  • 2
    Combine sugar, orange zest, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Add ricotta, buttermilk and melted butter and whisk until smooth. Stir in dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
  • 3
    Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Melt a teaspoon of butter in the pan, swirling to coat the whole surface. Ladle ¼ cup of batter onto the skillet and let the pancake cook for 3-5 minutes, or until bubbles form in the center and the bottom browns. Flip and cook another 3-5 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. Transfer to a plate and repeat buttering the pan and cooking pancakes until all of the batter has been used.
  • 4
    Serve with a generous scoop of whipped orange butter and maple syrup.