Brighten up your mornings with these light and fluffy Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes, filled with bright lemon flavor and crunchy poppy seeds. They’re delicious, topped with almost any of your favorite pancake toppings like whipped cream, maple syrup, fresh fruit, blueberry compote, and butter.
The combination of fresh lemon and earthy, nutty, and crunchy poppy seeds is just as good in pancakes as it is in muffins. I like to pair these pancakes with something sweet but subtle that won’t overpower the flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright Lemon Flavor: Real lemon juice and zest deliver a bright citrus taste.
- Soft & Fluffy: Buttermilk and gentle mixing make these pancakes extra tender.
- Easy to Make: They come together quickly for a crowd or a cozy breakfast at home.
- Versatile Topping Options: Serve with lemon syrup, berry syrup, homemade whipped cream or some macerated strawberries.
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
Bursting with zesty lemon flavor and speckled with crunchy poppy seeds, these lemon poppy seed pancakes are great for bright spring mornings. They are the most light and fluffy pancakes that are just as easy to make as our Buttermilk Pancakes but with a little extra pizazz.
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The little unsuspecting poppy seeds add crunch but also a nutty and earthy flavor that is difficult to replace. Chia seeds are a good substitute. Feel free to add even more poppy seeds if you want, and serve with your favorite fresh berries, blueberry compote, maple syrup, whipped cream, or just a little side of butter.
And if you love the combination of lemon and poppy seed as much as we do, you can try our Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, or this collection of the Best Lemon Desserts.
Key Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – we love using all-purpose flour for pancakes, but another acceptable type would be cake flour, if you have it.
- Sugar – you will need white granulated sugar for this recipe.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – these help the batter rise, and keep them nice and fluffy.
- Eggs – any kind of large egg will work great.
- Buttermilk – this adds a characteristic tangy flavor and helps the baking powder activate keeping the pancakes extra fluffy. If you are out of buttermilk, try using 1 part Greek yogurt to 2 parts whole milk instead.
- Butter – this should be melted and cooled before adding to the batter.
- Fresh Lemon – you need both the zest and the juice from a fresh lemon. It’s easiest if you zest the lemon first, then cut in half and squeeze out the juice.
- Poppy Seeds – poppy seeds add great crunch and flavor. Good substitutes for poppy seeds would be chia seeds or ground hemp seeds.
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk well.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large measuring cup, combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and vanilla extract and whisk to break up the eggs.
- Combine the pancake batter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold them together. Set the pancake batter aside. (Note: You don’t want to overmix – the mixture should still be a little lumpy.)
- Cook the pancakes. Heat a pan or nonstick griddle over medium heat, then add about 1 tablespoon of butter to grease the pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges are beginning to look cooked, or about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden and cooked through, or about 1 minute more. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve. Serve pancakes with butter, syrup, fresh fruit, or your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Zest First, Juice Second: Zest lemons before juicing for max flavor without mess.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Stir until just combined for tender, fluffy results.
- Let the Batter Rest: Rest the batter for 5-10 minutes while your skillet heats, the pancakes will rise better.
- Cook Over Medium Heat: Prevents burning and ensures pancakes cook through evenly.
- Test the First Pancake: Adjust heat or batter thickness if needed before cooking the whole batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Probably the best substitute for poppy seeds in this pancake recipe would be chia seeds. They have a similar look and crunch to them, although the flavor isn’t quite the same. You could also use hemp seeds or flax seeds.
Yup! You can make this pancake batter the night before and store it in the fridge. The next morning, all you need to do is preheat your griddle and cook the pancakes.
Recipe Variations
- Lemon Blueberry: Add fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter.
- With Ricotta: Add 1/2 cup ricotta cheese for extra moisture and tenderness.
- Lemon Glaze: If you aren’t up for making lemon syrup, whisk together some powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice to make a quick and easy lemon glaze.
- Mini Pancakes: Make silver dollar pancakes for a fun brunch platter.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: you can freeze completely cooled pancakes in freezer bags for up to 2 months. It’s a good idea to place a small square of parchment paper between each so that they don’t stick.
- To reheat: to reheat either refrigerated or frozen pancakes, just pop into the toaster or microwave until warm and enjoy!
More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled (plus more for frying pancakes)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk well.
- In a large measuring cup, combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and vanilla extract and whisk to break up the eggs.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold them together, just until combined. The batter should still be a little lumpy. Set aside.
- Heat a pan or nonstick griddle over medium heat, then add about 1 tablespoon of butter to grease the pan. For each pancake, pour about 1/3 cup batter onto the hot griddle and let it spread out into a 4" round pancake.
- Allow the pancakes to cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges are beginning to look cooked, or about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes, using a spatula, and continue to cook the other side until golden and cooked through, or about 1 minute more.
- Repeat this process with remaining batter. Serve pancakes with butter, syrup, or your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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These soft and fluffy Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes are the perfect way to start the day. The buttermilk pancake batter is full of fresh lemon flavor and poppy seeds.
