Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

Everyone knows that the very best muffins are lemon poppy seed muffins. They might be our favorite type of scone, too. And now lemon poppy seed is going to be your favorite pancake flavor! These easy buttermilk pancakes zing with bright lemony flavor from real lemon zest and juice, and they’re chock full of poppy seeds for a subtle crunch.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
Prep: 10 Mins | Total: 25 Mins
Serves: about 10 pancakes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest (Zest of 1-2 Lemons)
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (Juice of 1-2 lemons)
2 Tablespoons Poppyseeds
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour (Can substitute with more AP flour or other flour)
1/2 Cup All-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for greasing the griddle -- can substitute butter, other oils, or cooking spray)
Directions
Heat a large pan or griddle over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 200°F/95°C.
In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppy seeds.
Place a large sifter or fine mesh sieve over the bowl and add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, and mix until they're just combined.
Spoon about ¼ cup of pancake batter onto your greased and heated griddle, and cook the pancakes until they're golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven on a baking sheet loosely covered with foil while you finish cooking the remaining batter.
Chef Tips
If after mixing the batter it's still a little too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of buttermilk, lemon juice, or a combination of the two.

These pancakes are so good, they don’t even need maple syrup — but boy, oh boy, when that tang combines with a drizzle of sweetness they’re really irresistible. Lemon poppy seed might sound gourmet, but this pancake recipe isn’t any more complicated than a classic buttermilk pancake recipe with some lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppy seeds thrown in.

We also added whole wheat flour to make these a bit heartier and more nutritious. Don’t have buttermilk or don’t want to buy a whole carton just to use one cup for pancakes? We’ve got two solutions for you: double the batch (your family won’t regret it) or make your own last-minute buttermilk with milk and vinegar or lemon juice (super handy since you’re already using it for this recipe).

Want these to taste just like the muffins? Whip up an easy icing with powdered sugar and milk — we bet it’ll be awesome.

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