My Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes are a lightened up version of your favorite breakfast ~ they’re perfect for a special occasion, a cozy weekend morning, or just any time you want to treat yourself!
lemon poppy seed pancakes burst with citrus flavor
So many lemon recipes suffer from the wimp factor. They add a tablespoon of lemon juice or the zest of one lemon and then have the nerve to call themselves a lemon this or a lemon that. It’s such a shame. When it comes to lemon, I say go big or go home. This recipe uses the zest of two lemons and plenty of fresh lemon juice to insure you’ll get the lemon message loud and clear.
poppy seeds add a lovely crunch to these fluffy lemon pancakes
And it’s the same thing with poppy seeds. People seems to think that a teaspoon or two entitles them to emblazon the words poppy seeds all over their recipe title. I assure you that these lemon poppy seed pancakes have earned their name fair and square with lots of poppy seed crunch.
what you’ll need
- lemons ~ you’ll use the juice and zest for extra flavor.
- poppy seeds
- yogurt ~ you can also use sour cream.
- buttermilk ~ you can make an acceptable substitute by mixing lemon juice with regular whole milk.
- butter
- egg
- vanilla extract
- flour ~ I use a combination of all purpose white and whole wheat, but you can use all white flour if you like.
- granulated sugar
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
lemon poppy seed pancake making FAQs and tips
You can use regular milk, or make your own buttermilk substitute by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Be sure not to over beat your batter. Once you add flour to the bowl, gently fold it in until no dry streaks remain, then stop. Don’t worry about small lumps ~ they’re fine. And make sure your baking powder is fresh! It doesn’t last forever, so check your label and when in doubt, toss it and replace. You should be replacing it every 6 months.
Use a scoop or measuring cup (the size is up to you) to portion out your batter for equal sized pancakes. You can nudge the batter gently at the edges to ease it into a rounder shape.
You can add a drop of water to the pan ~ if it sizzles and ‘jumps’ around immediately, you’re good to go. I always do a test pancake to be sure.
I like to use oil because butter tends to burn at higher temps.
Some people like to soak poppy seeds in hot water before using on the idea that this makes them easier to digest. I don’t find that this is necessary.
Yes, all seeds have a relatively high oil content and can go rancid. If yours have been sitting around for more than 6 months, replace.
maple syrup + lemon? it’s fabulous!
In case you’re wondering, yes, maple syrup does go with the lemon, in fact the flavors complement each other beautifully. I’ve even gone on to make a Tangerine Poppy Seed Pancakes, which I love equally as much. Just be sure you buy real maple syrup, not the fake stuff.
let’s hear it for poppy seeds!
If you’re a fan of the delicate crunch that poppy seeds bring to a recipe, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve used them in lots of delicious ways:
- Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
- Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
- Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting
- Banana Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Buttercream
- Amaretto Poppy Seed ice Cream!
“I have made these for Mother’s Day the past couple years and they are always a huge hit! My mom LOVES them as do I. They are a very special treat for us every year, so thank you for sharing! We love them!!”
~ Natalie
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
wet ingredients
- 1/3 cup low fat buttermilk
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- zest of two lemons
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup poppy seeds
Instructions
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, blend the wet ingredients together and fold in the poppy seeds.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix just until combined, don’t over mix, you want your pancakes to be fluffy! Lumps are fine.
- Cook on a lightly greased griddle until lightly golden on both sides.
- Serve hot with maple syrup.
Nutrition
These are downright gorgeous. I never make pancakes, but why not? I’m going to bookmark these to try one weekend day this spring.
Happy sunday to you!
How delicious! I wish I was sitting at your breakfast table right now, it’s snowing – again, and it looks like you’ve made the perfect winter’s morning meal!
Did you have fun with your citrus week? I really enjoyed your theme!
I’m really glad you enjoyed the week, I had so much fun! I think I may try it with other themes; it’s useful to stock up on ingredients and so satisfying to be able to really delve into the subject.
Those look wonderful. It makes the plain pancakes I made this morning seem so sad 🙂
It’s gotten to the point that, even if I wanted to, I can’t imagine making a plain pancake anymore, there are too many varieties to explore!
Amazing! I love everything about these! I would eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Oh, I have a weakness for dinner pancakes!
Hello! I recently just started a youtube Korean food channel, EasyKoreanFood, where you can learn how to make fast & easy Korean food! It would mean the world to me if you could check it out because I’m just starting out! Thanks!
mmmmmmmmm….if they taste half as good as they look!
These pancakes have a bright lemony flavor—and the maple syrup really is good along with the lemon—who knew?
Wish I had these for my breakfast! Awesome pics!!
These are brilliant, Sue! You can make breakfast for me any day. Gorgeous photos as always too.
They look wonderfully fluffy!
Mary x
These would certainly feed that lemon addiction of mine.
I think I actually have a lemon addiction, I’ll have to google that one…
OK, I just googled it and it does exist…http://www.ifood.tv/blog/how-to-fight-lemon-addiction