Krolls Korner - 1 A top-down view of a pancake stack covered in blueberry compote, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. The plate is garnished with fresh blueberries and a lemon wedge. Blueberry sauce has pooled at the base of the pancakes. - 2

Things to love about Lemon Blueberry Pancakes : fluffy, light and full of flavor!

Simple enough for weekdays, yet these homemade pancakes feel indulgent enough for weekend brunch too!

Serve them on their own or with an egg dish like my Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole or Sheet Pan Eggs . Or go all out and have a pancake party… whip up my Apple Cinnamon Pancakes or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes alongside these Lemon Blueberry ones! Yummm!

A hand pouring a rich, dark blueberry sauce over a stack of pancakes already topped with blueberries and lemon zest. Powdered sugar is lightly dusted on the pancakes. A jar of sauce and lemon slices are in the background. - 3 blogger tawnie graham in a kitchen with an instant pot and several dishes of food - 4

Table Talk with Tawnie

Pancakes are always so comforting and remind me of home and weekend mornings. My mom is the master of buttermilk pancakes , and when we stumbled across this recipe we HAD to make a version of it! I think most people would agree with me about loving a fluffy pancake…and boy are these fluffy. There is something magical about adding buttermilk into pancakes that makes little pillows of heaven. Then adding in the slight flavor of lemon with a sweetness of blueberry makes for a perfect pancake. I could not resist munching on these blueberries when making these. So fresh and flavorful! Not to mention they are loaded with antioxidants and are heart healthy.

A hand cutting into a stack of pancakes, revealing the soft, fluffy interior. The pancakes are covered in blueberry compote, lemon zest, and powdered sugar. A jar of blueberry sauce and a second plate of pancakes are in the background. - 5

If you’re a big fan of lemon sweet treats like I am, make sure to check out my Lemon Brownies , Lemon Cheesecake Bars , and Lemon Pound Cake ! And if you need to make pancakes for a crowd, try my Sheet Pan Pancakes !

Ingredients you will need for these lemon blueberry pancakes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

For the pancakes:

  • All-Purpose Flour: I’ve made these with white-wheat flour too and they turned out delicious. If you need a gluten free option, I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 gluten free flour.
  • Sugar: A little sugar helps not only for flavor but helps to create a soft pancake and helps give you those crispy edges.
  • Eggs: I stand by seperating yolk and whites and beating the egg whites with a hand mixer until you get soft peaks. Beating the eggs whites and folding them in is a couple minutes of extra work, but it will help to make your pancakes fluffy & soufflé-like! Right before cooking, fold in the egg white peaks into the batter, it’s like folding in clouds! (see the video)
  • Buttermilk: I love adding buttermilk to pancakes. The acid in the buttermilk actually kickstarts the baking soda into action for extra height and helps to create a fine and tender crumb.
  • Whole Milk: I like to add a little milk in addition to the buttermilk for a soft, tender pancake.
  • Grated lemon zest and juice: add more zest for a more lemony flavor! I find that the zest of 1 lemon is usually enough.
  • Other ingredients needed: vanilla extract , baking soda, baking powder, salt and butter.
A flat-lay image of various baking ingredients labeled with text, arranged on a light-colored surface. Ingredients include fresh blueberries in a decorative bowl, whole lemons, lemon zest on a small plate, lemon juice in a bowl, granulated sugar in a wooden bowl, all-purpose flour in a ceramic bowl, butter in a stick, eggs, whole milk in a small pitcher, buttermilk in a measuring cup, maple syrup in a small container, cornstarch in a wooden dish, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on a plate. - 6

For the blueberry maple syrup:

  • Blueberries : I usually use fresh blueberries, but you can also use frozen.
  • Maple Syrup : I recommend using real maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
  • Butter : A subtle buttery flavor goes a long way in this syrup
  • Cornstarch + water: whisking cornstarch and water together creates a slurry used to thicken the syrup
  • Lemon Juice : the lemon juice balances out the flavors
A close-up of a bowl filled with glossy blueberry compote, with a spoon resting inside. Surrounding the bowl are lemon zest, fresh blueberries, and a sifter with powdered sugar. - 7

How to make Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

A side-by-side comparison of a saucepan filled with fresh blueberries on the left, and the same saucepan on the right showing the blueberries cooked down into a thick, glossy compote. A wooden spoon is stirring both mixtures. - 8

Make the blueberry syrup

In a saucepan over medium heat make the blueberry syrup. (Full directions are below in the recipe card .) Let the syrup sit while you prepare the pancakes – it will thicken further as it sits.

Lemon Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup - 9

Mix the dry ingredients & wet ingredients in separate bowls

In one bowl, mix the dry ingredients: mix flour, sugar, baking soda and power, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: egg yolks, buttermilk, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and melted butter. Set both bowls aside.

A close-up of a metal mixing bowl containing stiffly whipped egg whites, with a whisk attachment resting nearby. - 10

Beat the egg whites

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks.

A side-by-side image showing the process of making pancake batter. On the left, a hand is pouring a bowl of mixed wet ingredients into a bowl containing dry ingredients, with a wooden spoon resting in the flour mixture. On the right, a hand is gently folding whipped egg whites into the thick pancake batter using a wooden spatula. The background features a tiled surface with scattered blueberries and broken eggshells. - 11

Mix the wet and dry ingredients

Pour the buttermilk mixture into flour mixture; stir to blend. Add the egg whites and fold in gently.

A side-by-side comparison showing the cooking process. On the left, pancakes are beginning to bubble on the surface. On the right, the pancakes have been flipped to reveal golden-brown tops. - 12

Cook the pancakes!

In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. Pour batter into size of pancake you prefer (I use ~1/4 cup). Cook until golden brown on each side.

A side-by-side of the finished pancakes. On the left, blueberry sauce is being poured over a tall stack of pancakes topped with lemon zest. On the right, a fork is cutting into a fluffy pancake topped with blueberry compote. - 13

Top with blueberry syrup & enjoy!

Yum yum yum!!! 🥞

Tips and Variations

  • Careful not to over mix the batter: When mixing the liquid ingredients into the dry, mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Don’t over do it. Over mixing can result in a tough and chewy pancake instead of a light, tender one.
  • Some lumps are OK – they magically disappear when they cook on the griddle.
  • I love this pancake & waffle iron . It comes with pancake plates and waffle plates that you can switch out. It’s amazing! Here is a link: Belgian Maker with Pancake Plates & Waffle Iron
  • If using a regular pan: I love this Square Griddle (nonstick) . Keep your pan at the right temperature: I call it the Goldilocks method. The pan cannot be too hot and the heat also can’t be too low.
  • I let the pan heat on medium heat and let it get hot for about 1-2 minutes. Then test out the pan with a little bit of water or a small pad of butter to see if it’s hot enough.
  • Lightly grease the pan with butter or canola oil so it coats the pan and scoop the batter onto the pan right after so the butter or oil doesn’t burn. If using butter, can burn easily so I like to carefully wipe the pan clean between batches and add new butter.
Three plates of pancakes with different levels of toppings—one with a butter pat melting over the blueberry compote, another with powdered sugar, and one partially eaten. Lemon slices, a sieve of powdered sugar, and fresh blueberries are scattered across the table. - 14

Can I freeze these lemon blueberry pancakes?

Yes! Freeze the pancakes separate from the blueberry maple syrup. Place pancakes inside a heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze. Use the frozen pancakes within 1 to 2 months for best quality . You can reheat your pancakes in the toaster, microwave or oven when ready to enjoy!

How do I know when to flip pancakes?

They’re ready to flip when the bubbles on top pop and form holes that burst open. Flip away!

What pan should I use for making pancakes?

Any wide heavy bottomed pan or griddle works well. If the pan you cook them in is too thin, the pancakes have a tendency to burn.

A stack of fluffy pancakes topped with blueberry compote, lemon zest, and blueberry syrup. A light dusting of powdered sugar is falling from above, creating a snowy effect. The plate is surrounded by fresh blueberries and lemon slices. - 15

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Image of Griddle (nonstick) - 16

Griddle (nonstick)

Image of Hand Mixer - 17

Hand Mixer

Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Enjoy

The Best Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

French Toast Muffins with Blueberries

Berry French Toast Casserole

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Are you team pancakes or team waffles?

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

This recipe was originally posted in April 2020. It was updated with new photos in March 2025.

📸 Photography by Marie Dubé

A top-down view of a pancake stack covered in blueberry compote, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. The plate is garnished with fresh blueberries and a lemon wedge. Blueberry sauce has pooled at the base of the pancakes. - 18

Lemon Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup

Equipment

  • Spatula
  • Mixing bowls

Ingredients

For the pancake batter:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest (or more for more lemon-y flavor!)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup butter, divided

For the blueberry syrup:

  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. water
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
Lemon Pancakes with Blueberry Maple Syrup - 19

Instructions

  • Make the blueberry syrup: In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add the blueberries, maple syrup, and butter. Heat for about 5 minutes or until syrup begins to bubble and simmer. Careful not to let it bubble over the pot! Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small dish, and whisk into the syrup. (this will help thicken it). Add a squeeze of lemon, stir. Simmer until syrup thickens. Set aside while you prepare the pancakes, it will thicken further as it sits. 2 cups blueberries, 1 cup maple syrup, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. water, 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Whisk dry ingredients : Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Whisk wet ingredients in another bowl: Whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and 2 Tbsp. of the melted butter in a medium bowl. 2 large eggs, yolks and whites separated, 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1/4 cup whole milk, 2 tsp. lemon zest (or more for more lemon-y flavor!), 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/4 cup butter, divided
  • Beat egg whites: I know, another step! But this extra 2-3 minutes of beating the egg whites helps to create a lighter, fluffier, yummier pancake. In another medium-sized bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form, ~2-3 minutes. (Or you can use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment).
  • Bring the batter together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the egg whites and fold them in very gently. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes, during this time you can find the griddle, your favorite spatula, and a wire rack to place the pancakes on! (Tip: you can gently stir fresh blueberries into the pancake batter too, but I just love spooning the blueberry syrup on top).
  • Time to make them! Heat a wide heavy-bottomed pan or griddle over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter. Drop the batter evenly on the pan (I use ~1/4 cup).
  • Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the little bubbles appear, then flip. Continue cooking until both sides are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Wipe the skillet clean and add a dab more butter between batches.
  • Serve and enjoy: Serve the pancakes immediately with blueberry syrup on top and enjoy! YUM!

Video

Notes

  • Make buttermilk from scratch if needed: Pour 2 Tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup. Pour 2 cups whole milk in, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Use as directed in recipe.
  • Store pancakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze and enjoy within 2 months. (Store separate from the syrup).

Nutrition