Fluffy, moist and sinfully delicious! These vegan and gluten-free lemon ricotta pancakes are made of whole foods, making them the perfect choice to start your day in a dessert for breakfast kind of way. You'll never guess there is no dairy, eggs or gluten!
Turn up the heat on your griddle, you want it nice and hot for cooking the pancakes. You know it’s ready when you spray some water on it and you hear it sizzle. Also if it is not non stick you should use a spray oil to avoid the pancakes sticking.
Put the oat flour, potato starch, baking powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt into a bowl and mix well.
Put almonds into a food processor and blend until they are finely ground.
Add 2 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, vanilla extract and the other ⅛ teaspoon salt. Blend until combined. This is the "ricotta."
Dig a small well in the flour mixture and add the "ricotta" mixture into the well. Next add the 6 tablespoons left of milk, the other 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, the other 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the lemon zest.
Slowly mix until well combined, do not overmix but make sure there are no clumps. Allow to settle a few minutes so the mixture can fully combine.
Drop spoonfuls (about ¼ cup each) onto the griddle. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side. They should be slightly brown when ready and come off the griddle easily.
While the pancakes are cooking, make the lemon glaze if using. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a bowl until smooth.
Allow the pancakes to cool a bit before eating, this lets the texture settle and fully develop. Drizzle with lemon glaze, maple syrup or anything else you prefer and devour!
Notes
Make sure to use blanched almonds, almonds without the skin. Using almonds with the skin will affect the texture.
Also, make sure you follow the instructions and blend them first, if you do not the liquid will spray everywhere.
Any type of lemon works, but Meyer lemons have a sweeter flavor and give the best taste.
If you want to keep these fully refined sugar free, then instead of using white powdered sugar, you can make your own powdered sugar from coconut sugar. Simply put it into a vitamix or other high powered blender and blend on high until you get a fine powder. The flavor will be somewhat different but it will still be tasty.