• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Emma Duckworth Bakes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • French Recipes
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • French Recipes
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    • Pecan tart cut into slices on white plate sat on pink napkin.
      Unbelievable Pecan Tart
    • Plateful of amaretti cookies.
      Italian Soft Amaretti Cookies
    • Clice cut from Apple Tart on white plate.
      Tarte Tatin Pommes (Apple Tart Tatin)
    • Piped thickened chocolate pastry cream in a small glass jar.
      Chocolate Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)
    • Numerous chocolate cream puffs on paper covered board.
      Chocolate Cream Puffs
    • Vanilla custard in a glass pot.
      How to Make Crème Pâtissière (Vanilla Pastry Cream)
    • Strawberry tart on decorative pate with slices removed.
      Tarte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Tart)
    • Toffee sauce poured from a white saucepan into a glass jar.
      Easy Toffee Sauce
    • Spoonful taken from creme brulee pot.
      Classic French Crème Brûlée
    • Cut up Millionaire Bars
      Espresso Millionaire Shortbread Bars
    • Sliced squares of peanut butter chocolate chip bars on parchment paper.
      Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
    • Brookies squares on wooden chopping board.
      Brookies (Brownie Cookie Bars)
    Home » Recipes » Delicious Breakfast Recipes

    Simple Banana Ricotta Pancakes

    Published: Mar 27, 2023 · Last Modified: Apr 3, 2023 by Emma · 9 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe

    These simple Banana Ricotta Pancakes are sure to become a part of your weekend breakfast routine. Fluffy pancakes topped with freshly sliced banana, drizzled in luxurious caramel sauce and sprinkled with desiccated coconut. Dreamy!

    Stack of fluffy ricotta pancakes drizzled in caramel sauce and served with sliced bananas.

    These Ricotta and Banana Pancakes will knock your socks off with taste and texture - especially when you know how quickly you can pull these together.

    If you love a special breakfast recipe that doesn’t involve toast or cereal (let’s be honest...so yawn-worthy!), then this pancake recipe will not disappoint. Roasted Strawberry Crêpes, Earl Grey Brioche French Toast, and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are happily devoured on the weekend in my household.

    Scalloped plate serving ricotta pancakes with sliced fresh bananas and caramel sauce.

    One of the most enjoyable aspects of living on the beaches of Sydney is the breakfast/brunch culture. People getting up early to enjoy the beach and surf in the mornings, before the hot midday sun sets in, is the norm. Being an early riser myself, I loved it!

    In London, the cafes open later on the weekend, and there isn’t the brunch buzz so early in the morning. So, to combat those pangs, we can tap into that brunch feeling Bill Granger put onto the map (his Ricotta Hotcakes are to die for!) and make these delightful banana ricotta pancakes at home.

    The addition of ricotta adds incredible moisture and flavour to these unbelievably light and fluffy pancakes. Fresh bananas, a decadent drizzle of caramel sauce and a smattering of desiccated coconut add the finishing touches reminiscent of a cafe experience.

    Jump to:
    • 🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • 🧾 Ingredients Needed
    • 📖 Variations
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make
    • 🥣 How To Serve
    • 💭 Recipe Pro Tips
    • 📋 Recipe FAQs
    • ❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions
    • 🍽️ More breakfast recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Uplevel your regular pancake. Adding ricotta to these pancakes is a game-changer. It creates a moist, tender crumb that won't dry out. No rubbery pancakes for you today.
    • Impress without the faff. These look good enough to serve in a beachside cafe - yet with only an extra step in whisking egg whites, they are pretty darn easy to make.
    • Uber is light and fluffy. That extra step of whisking egg whites mentioned above is your trick to getting light-as-air pancakes. Well worth it!
    • Make them your own. I've served these with fresh banana and caramel sauce, but you can add whatever fruit you like to the batter or on top and dollop with any type of sauce or jam.

    🧾 Ingredients Needed

    Most of the ingredients needed to make these Banana Ricotta Pancakes will already be in your pantry and fridge. The main ingredient that you may need to make a special purchase for is ricotta. But let me tell you...it is totally worth it!

    Individual ingredients to make pancakes on countertop.
    • Wet ingredients - Ricotta, milk (full fat), egg yolks, vanilla extract (for flavour and sweetening)
    • Dry ingredients - Plain flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
    • Egg whites - Keep these separate as they get whisked up, incorporating lots of beautiful air, and then folded into the batter.
    • Serve with - freshly sliced bananas, salted caramel sauce (or storebought) and desiccated coconut.

    📖 Variations

    It's great to have a simple recipe that you can turn into your own. This Banana Ricotta Pancake recipe does exactly that. It allows you to customise it. So cool! Below I’ve given you some ideas on how or what ingredients you can substitute.

    • Ricotta: If you don't have ricotta on hand, you can substitute it for cottage cheese.
    • Flavour add-ins: Add lemon or orange zest into the batter for an added flavour boost. Mix in raspberries or blueberries for a traditional-style pancake. (We all love a blueberry pancake, am I right?!) Or my kid's favourite is to throw a handful of chocolate chips into the batter!
    • Toppings: Swap out the banana for any type of fruit that you like. Instead of caramel sauce, dollop with conserve, drizzle with maple syrup or a fruit coulis or simply smother in melted butter! For extra love, sprinkle your fluffy ricotta pancakes with chopped nuts or dried fruit for some textural variation.

    👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make

    *Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

    As you’ll see in my process instructions below, there is an extra step over the regular adding dry to wet ingredients and mixing everything together. But that extra step is your ticket to fluffy pancakes. And let’s be honest- it only takes an extra minute or two!

    whisking eggs ricotta and milk to make batter in a bowl.

    STEP 1. Add wet ingredients and mix. Add in the ricotta, milk, yolks (keep the whites separate to use later on) and vanilla extract. Whisk them together. It doesn’t matter if there are small lumps of ricotta in the mixture (Images 1 & 2).

    flour added to better in a bowl.

    STEP 2. Sift in dry ingredients and mix. Don’t worry about sifting the dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Sift them straight into the mixing bowl (saves a bit of time and washing up!). Whisk in the flour, baking powder, soda and salt and mix until a few streaks of flour remain (Images 3 & 4).

    TIP: If you can still see some streaks of flour in the batter, this will prevent you from overmixing and keep your pancakes from going rubbery. Plus, lumps in the batter are a good thing - no need to whisk them all out.

    Whipped egg whites for fluffy pancakes

    STEP 3. Whisk egg whites. We want to incorporate lots of air into the egg whites. Do this by whisking until they are light and fluffy and holding firm peaks when you pull the whisk out. (Image 5) I use hand-held electric beaters, but you can whisk them by hand or with an electric stand mixer.

    white folded into batter.
    pancake batter in biwl.

    STEP 4. Add whites to the batter. We’re going to add the egg whites in two goes to incorporate them without knocking out all the air we’ve created by whisking them. Add ¼ of the whisked whites and fold through until mixed in (Images 6 & 7).

    Add the remaining whites and again fold through with a rubber spatula, keeping your movements light until mixed in (Images 8 & 9).

    scooping pancakes into pan.

    STEP 5. Time to cook. I use a crêpes pan, but a large non-stick frypan will work equally well. Heat the pan gently over medium-low heat, add a teaspoon or two of butter and melt until the surface is covered. Spoon pancake batter into the pan. (Image 10). (If using a large frypan, you can cook three or so pancakes simultaneously).

    TIP: I find a ⅓ cup to hold the perfect amount of batter for a good-sized pancake. Using it every time gives me uniformly sized-pancakes. But you can choose the size that works best for you.

    frying pancakes.

    Cook the pancake over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until you start to see little air bubbles pop through the surface (can you see them in Image 11?) Check the underside of the pancake is golden brown, and then flip it over. Cook again for 2-3 minutes until golden (Image 12).

    The ricotta pancake will puff up when you’ve flipped it - this is the heat causing those egg white to rise, and then as the batter on the pan sets in place and the internal cooks through, the pancakes stay nice and fluffy. (Image 13)

    Note: when you slide the pancake onto a plate, it will collapse a little, but this is normal. The lightness and fluffiness are still there!

    Serving platter with golden, fluffy ricotta pancakes.

    Continue to cook the batter until you have a platter filled with pancakes (Image 14)

    Serving platter of fluffy pancakes with sliced bananas and caramel sauce.

    🥣 How To Serve

    I love to serve these ricotta pancakes with freshly sliced bananas, decadent caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. Serve alongside Mary Berry's Banana Bread for a smorgasbord of goodness!

    A couple of things to note.

    • Banana: You can caramelize the banana if you like. Do this by melting butter in a small frying pan and adding the sliced banana. Fry until sizzling and golden, and flip and fry until golden again.
    • Caramel Sauce: I used homemade caramel sauce. You can make the caramel sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, heat gently in the microwave until it's runny again. Alternatively, use store-bought caramel sauce. I get that sometimes we don’t have the time to go that extra mile.
    • Desiccated coconut: You can use coconut flakes if you would prefer, or instead, you can add some chopped nuts like hazelnuts or pecans.

    💭 Recipe Pro Tips

    1. Whisk the egg whites correctly. Make sure that the bowl you whisk them in is clean and dry. Then whisk them until stiff peaks form. By doing this, you'll maximize your chances of fluffy pancakes!
    2. Fold in the egg whites in two parts. By adding a small amount of egg white into the batter first, you are loosening up the batter, which makes folding in the remaining egg whites gently that little bit easier.
    3. Use a measuring cup to pour the batter. This helps with an even pour every time to give you that picture-perfect stack.
    4. Be patient when cooking. The best temp to cook sits at medium-low. You want to ensure the temperature isn't too high as you'll risk burning the outside whilst the inside won't cook properly, and you'll have runny batter when you cut into it. Not ideal!
    Stack of fluffy pancakes, topped with freshly sliced bananas and drizzled in caramel sauce

    📋 Recipe FAQs

    Why are my pancakes flat instead of fluffy?

    There are two possible reasons for this. Your baking powder is out of date (it can happen, especially if you don’t use it a lot). Or you haven’t whisked the egg whites enough, and you’ve knocked out a bit too much air when folding them through.

    Why are my pancakes rubbery?

    This can occur if the batter is overmixed. When combining the dry ingredients with the wet, you want to whisk them in until just combined. I like to see a few flour streaks left in the mix. If we over-mix the batter, this can overdevelop the gluten in the flour and cause the mix to tighten and result in rubbery pancakes when cooked.

    Should pancake batter be thick or runny?

    It needs to be thick enough to drip slowly off the back of a spoon but not run off it. Too thin and the pancakes will be flat, too thick, and the pancakes will turn out tough.

    pancakes and sliced banana with fork.

    ❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions

    To store: Store Ricotta Banana Pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    To freeze: Cook all your pancakes and wait for them to cool fully. Place a square of baking paper in between each pancake and store it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place pancakes on a baking tray in a preheated oven for 7-10 minutes until warm through.

    🍽️ More breakfast recipes

    • Brioche cinnamon roll covered in cream cheese icing in baking tray.
      Soft Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
    • Plate of folded crepes with sugar sprinkled over them.
      French Lemon Crêpes
    • Strawberry cinnamon rolls in baking tray.
      Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
    • Plate with chocolate crepes folded on.
      Easy Chocolate Crêpes

    If you tried this Banana Ricotta Pancakes recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

    📖 Recipe

    Breakfast stack of ricotta pancakes drizzled decadently in salted caramel sauce.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Simple Banana Ricotta Pancakes Recipe

    Light, fluffy ricotta pancakes, topped with freshly sliced bananas, then drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce. This is one breakfast that you won’t forget in a hurry.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Category: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Americain
    Servings: 12 pancakes
    Calories: 200kcal
    Author: Emma Duckworth

    Equipment

    • Whisk
    • Mixing bowl 2L
    • Hand-held electric beaters
    • Rubber spatula
    • Large Frying Pan

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary

    Ricotta Pancakes

    • 250 g ricotta
    • 300 ml whole milk
    • 4 large eggs, separated
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 300 g plain flour (all-purpose)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon fine salt
    • 30 g unsalted butter

    Salted Caramel Sauce

    • Salted Caramel Sauce

    To serve

    • 2 bananas, sliced, just before serving
    • 35 g dessicated coconut (toasted in a dry frypan)

    Instructions

    Ricotta pancake

    • Add ricotta, milk, yolks and vanilla extract and mix. In a medium bowl, add the ricotta, milk, egg yolks and vanilla extract and mix with a whisk until combined. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.
    • Sift in dry ingredients and mix in. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk until just combined.
    • Whisk egg whites. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites using hand-held electric beaters, until stiff peaks form. (Do this by hand with a whisk if you would prefer).
    • Add eggs whites to the batter. Add ¼ of the eggs whites to the batter and fold in gently. This loosens up the batter. Then add the remaining egg whites and fold through until just combined.
    • Heat a skillet and fry pancakes. Heat a large frying pan (or a crêpes pan like I use) over medium heat. Melt, small knobs of butter in the pan, just enough to coat the surface. Use a ⅓ cup measure to pour the batter into the pan. Cook pancakes until bubbles start to pop through the batter and the underneath is golden brown (approx 3-4 mins). Now flip and cook the other side for 2-3 mins. Repeat with the remaining batter.

    Salted caramel sauce

    • Please refer to my delicious Salted Caramel Sauce
      Prior to serving, microwave caramel sauce for 15 seconds and then stir. Repeat this process until the sauce is warmed through and runny.

    To serve

    • Serve pancakes warm with a freshly sliced banana, drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. Enjoy!

    All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.

    Notes

    Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
    To store: Store Ricotta Banana Pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
    To freeze: Cook all your pancakes and wait for them to cool fully. Place a square of baking paper in between each pancake and store in a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To de-frost, place pancakes on a baking tray in a pre-heated oven for 7-10 minutes until warm through. 
    Tip 1: Whisk the egg whites correctly. Make sure that the bowl you whisk them in is clean and dry. Then whisk them until stiff peaks form. By doing this you'll maximise your chances for fluffy pancakes!
    Tip 2: Fold in the egg whites in two parts. By adding in a small amount of egg white into the batter first you are loosening up the batter which makes folding in the remaining eggs whites gently that little bit easier.
    Tip 3: Use a measuring cup to pour the batter. This helps with an even pour every time to give you that picture perfect stack.
    Tip 4: Be patient when cooking. The best temp to cook sits at medium-low. You want to ensure the temperature isn't too high as you'll risk burning the outside whilst the inside won't cook properly and you'll have runny batter when you cut into it. Not ideal!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 12g | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg
    Have you tried this recipe yet?Mention @emmaduckworthbakes or tag #emmaduckworthbakes! I’d love to see what you are getting up to in the kitchen!

    This post was originally published in August 2019 but has been updated with new photos, new content and a revised recipe.

    More Delicious Breakfast Recipes

    • Loaf cake decorated in white chocolate sliced on serving board.
      Raspberry and White Chocolate Loaf Cake
    • Fruit Scone cut open on a plate with jam covering one half.
      Easy Sultana Scones
    • Chocolate Chip Scone wedges on white serving plate.
      Easy Chocolate Chip Scones
    • Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins on a tray.
      Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

      Recipe Rating




    1. Simon

      September 01, 2020 at 1:47 am

      Great recipe for the pancakes - moist, light, fluffy, and most importantly, devoured by our 18 month-old... Will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • Emma

        September 02, 2020 at 7:58 pm

        Thats great to hear Simon - always a win when it’s kid approved!

        Reply
    2. Brad Martin

      January 18, 2021 at 9:06 am

      Amazing recipe. Was looking for a go to pancake recipe and this is it. Very light and fluffy pancakes with added depth of flavour due to the ricotta. The ricotta is going to make your batter look chunky but don’t fear. All turned out well in the end. My pan was a little hot so I would suggest a med low for a gas hob.

      Thanks Emma!

      Reply
      • Emma

        January 18, 2021 at 12:42 pm

        Thanks for the wonderful comment Brad - it makes me so happy to hear that you love them. They really are the fluffiest pancakes!Good tip for gas hob users too - thanks

        Reply
    3. Simone

      June 15, 2021 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe yesterday morning and damn those pancakes are fluffy. I'll definitely be making these again. Awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Emma

        June 24, 2021 at 10:12 am

        You are too kind Simone - thank you! So happy you loved them x

        Reply
    4. ADS

      June 15, 2021 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      These are the best ricotta pancakes I have ever made. Thanks to your tips it turned out perfectly.
      As always, gorgeous mouthwatering photos.
      Cheers!

      Reply
      • Emma

        June 24, 2021 at 10:13 am

        Thank you so much - that's brilliant that you loved them. The ricotta inside makes all the difference!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Smiling lady standing in front of bookshelves

    Welcome to Emma Duckworth Bakes, a destination for approachable, delicious seasonal homemade treats shaped by European influences that you can re-create at home.

    Learn more about me →

    Cookbook Cover
    Packed full of delicious bakes

    Brownies & Bars

    You must use the category name, not a URL, in the category field.
    Dear Coco: Artisanal Coffee by The River Thames, London

    Featured On

    Featured In Image

    My Personal Favourites

    • How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce
    • yogurt loaf cake sliced on board.
      Traditional French Yogurt Cake (Gâteau Au Yaourt)
    • Serving plate filled with brown butter madeleine that have been dipped in espresso glaze.
      Brown Butter Madeleines dipped in Espresso Glaze
    • chocolate cheesecake decorated in red fruit.
      Easy No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
    • Spooning hot fudge sauce from jar.
      Easy Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
    • The Best Cherry Scones

    Footer

    About

    About Me

    Food Photography

    Dear Coco Street Coffee

    ↑ back to top

    SUBSCRIBE

    Information

    Contact

    Work With Me

    Privacy Policy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2024 Emma Duckworth Bakes

    Stack of pancakes with caramel sauce being drizzled

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.