These Fluffy Lemon Blueberry Pancakes are crazy fluffy and light! AND they’re a make ahead batter so you can sleep in and still get an amazing breakfast on the table in no time flat! Fluffy pancakes are our family favourite and the lemon blueberry combo cannot be beat.
We’re SO in love with these fluffy pancakes! While recipe testing I asked my kids if they wanted these or chocolate chip pancakes and every time, these pancakes won out.
They’re an easy blueberry pancake recipe with the option of making the batter ahead of time so momma can get a few extra minutes of sleep.
As one of my friends likes to say “my future self will thank me if I do this ahead of time”.
Pancakes are a classic family weekend breakfast. Or special occasion breakfast as well.
For my twins last birthday I made these pancakes, stacked a few up, put a candle on top of each plate and we got to sing a fun happy birthday to them at breakfast time! They loved it.
We’ve tried this recipe with lemon and blueberry as well as other fruits such as lemon raspberry, but truthfully, lemon blueberry is by far the tastiest in our opinion.
The blueberries can be used from fresh or frozen making this a delicious year round breakfast!
There’s very little sugar in this recipe and 3 out of 5 of us don’t use syrup with them. The lemon blueberry combo shines through that we can enjoy these with any added sweetener.
What makes pancakes fluffy and rise?
As I mentioned above, these fluffy pancakes use a batter that is make ahead. The night before I plan on making these fluffy blueberry pancakes I mix the batter with the blueberries being the exception and are reserved until use immediately before baking.
The effect is that the baking powder has a bit of time to work even more air bubbles into the batter creating that diner pancake height everyone loves in this recipe.
Do you have to use this batter as a make ahead? Nope. BUT, as a mom I love those few minutes extra of sleep I get in the morning.
A few more easy make ahead breakfasts like these fluffy pancakes we love:
- Quinoa Frittata Muffins
- Tropical Chia Pudding
- Portobello Mushroom Baked Eggs (3 ways)
- Peaches and Cinnamon Granola Yogurt Panna Cotta
Why are my pancakes not fluffy?
The answer lies in either the batter was over-mixed OR there wasn’t any (or enough) of a rising agent, such as baking powder, used.
Fluffy pancake batter should have small lumps left in it. I know it feels like the batter should be mixed until smooth, however this will result in thinner pancakes (which if that’s what you’re going for then have at the mixing.
Rising agents are needed in pancakes and usually take the form of baking powder. Baking soda is also a rising agent and can be used, however it requires an acid ingredient to “activate”, buttermilk, lemon juice, etc.
What makes pancakes fluffy milk or water? Milk, but only slightly because it is a thicker liquid. See paragraphs above for full details on how to make your pancakes ultra fluffy!
Light and Fluffy Pancakes!! These Lemon Blueberry Pancakes are sure to become a breakfast staple loved by kids and adults alike!
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2-3 tsp lemon zest (packed), from approx. 1 large lemon
- 1 cup milk or milk alternative
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1-2 tbsp unsalted butter or oil alternative for cooking the batter
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In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl whisk together milk, eggs, butter, and fresh lemon juice (reserving blueberries until moments before cooking batter).
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Quickly and with only a few strokes of a wooden spoon or a spatula add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. (Batter can be quite thick and should be lumpy). Cover the batter and keep in fridge until ready to cook the pancakes (up to 24 hrs.)
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When you’re ready to make the pancakes, heat a large skillet over medium heat with about 1/2 tbsp of butter in it and mix the blueberries carefully and quickly into the batter.
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Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop batter into skillet and cook for 2-4 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Flip and cook the other side.
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Add more butter to the pan as need and repeat until remaining batter is used up.
Enjoy! xo