Fluffy Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

These fluffy lemon blueberry pancakes without buttermilk are made from scratch in about 20 minutes from start to finish. This drool-worthy pancake recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or even weekend brunch.

Fluffy Pancakes

This lemon pancake batter is so fluffy! I really love how these pancakes fluff up as they cook. With the juicy fresh blueberries and maple syrup, these lemon blueberry pancakes are one of my favorite weekend brunch recipes.

Ingredient Notes

• Fresh blueberries: Do not use frozen blueberries.
• Lemon zest: Don't use lemon juice in the pancake batter. Just use the zest from the outside of the lemon.
• White vinegar: Use white vinegar, also known as distilled white vinegar. Red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or any other type of vinegar is not a substitute. The other vinegar flavors will alter the taste of the pancakes. White vinegar is added to the milk as a buttermilk alternative.

How To Make Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Sour the milk by adding vinegar to the milk. Mix with a spoon and set aside for 5 minutes. FYI, it will look gross. This is a substitute for buttermilk.

Once the milk is soured, add the melted butter and egg. Zest a whole lemon into the bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together using a whisk.

Measure out the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Mix with a whisk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a whisk.

Heat a greased nonstick frying pan on the stovetop to medium-high heat. Add ¼ cup of the lemon pancake batter. Once the pancake batter starts to bubble, add the fresh blueberries.

When there are several bubbles forming, flip the pancake with a spatula. Serve with maple syrup, honey, and fresh berries.

Tips and Tricks

• Measure out the ingredients accurately. I prefer to weigh flour using a kitchen scale rather than using a measuring cup because I have found that to be the most accurate. Baking soda and baking powder can be measured with measuring spoons. Pancake batter is a science, and getting the right ratios for the most fluffy pancakes is key.
• Sour the milk with vinegar. Basically, we are making a substitute for buttermilk with ingredients you likely have already at home.
• Use fresh blueberries, not frozen blueberries. The pancakes cook too quickly to use frozen blueberries.
• Pancake flipping is an art. Check the pancake by lifting up the side with a spatula to see if the pancake is cooking too slowly or too quickly prior to flipping the pancake.
• Wipe out the pan with a paper towel in between pancakes. Grease the pan prior to adding the new pancake batter.

Variations and Substitutions

• Make these pancakes plain. Substitute a teaspoon of vanilla extract for the lemon zest and blueberries.
• Eat these pancakes with all-natural maple syrup or honey instead of high-fructose pancake syrup.
• Use whole milk, reduced-fat milk, or fat-free cow's milk.
• Substitute coconut oil or avocado oil for the butter.

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📋 Recipe

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Author: Lily

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

5 from 5 votes

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Servings 4

These fluffy lemon blueberry pancakes without buttermilk are made from scratch in about 20 minutes or less.

Ingredients

 

US Customary - Metric

• 1 cup of blueberries
• zest from one lemon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups milk** see note 1
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar** see note 2
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter**see note 3
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Mix the wet ingredients: In a bowl, add the milk and vinegar together. Let the milk sour for about 5 minutes. Add the melted butter, egg, and lemon zest to the soured milk. Mix well with a whisk.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a second bowl, measure out the flour, preferably with a kitchen scale. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Mix together.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk everything together.
• Heat a nonstick skillet on the stovetop to medium-high heat. Grease the pan. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, pour the pancake batter into the hot pan.
• Once the bubbles start to form, sprinkle about 4 or 5 blueberries onto the pancakes. Check the pancake side that's cooking using a spatula. Flip the pancake when it's ready. Cook the other side until golden brown.
• Wipe out the pan and grease in between pancakes. Continue until all the batter is used. Serve with honey or maple syrup.

Notes

1. Use fat-free milk, whole milk, or reduced-fat cow's milk. I haven't tried this recipe with nut milk or oat milk.
2. Substitute sugar in the raw or cane sugar for white sugar.
3. Substitute coconut oil or avocado oil for butter if preferred.
4. Measure out the flour with a kitchen scale. Use measuring spoons for the baking powder and baking soda.
5. Storage: Store the cooked lemon blueberry pancakes in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 pancakes | Calories: 239 kcal | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 66 mg | Sodium: 45 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 15 g