Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes

Oh my! Deep, luscious bits of chocolate wrapped up in tender, delicate pancakes. Served piping hot with warm maple syrup drizzling over the top – a stack of these will get any the sleepyhead out of bed!

To be honest I’ve never been a big fan of chocolate chip pancakes. All that I’ve ever eaten were cloyingly sweet. But I do love bittersweet and dark chocolate, so it seemed this might be a better addition to this favorite breakfast cake. It turns out bittersweet chocolate delivers the perfect little bite of chocolate that pairs quite nicely with a buttermilk pancake. Not too sweet but big on chocolate!

Making pancakes from scratch is actually as easy as using a box mix. It’s a simple whisking of dry ingredients – flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda for that light, fluffiness with a bit of kosher salt to enhance the flavors. Then whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil along with a large dollop of ricotta cheese and blend into the dry mix. Finally, fold in a generous amount of bittersweet chocolate chips and get ready for something that’s utterly divine.

And a couple of tips. Don’t over mix the batter or you’ll end up with tough pancakes. A few lumps are fine. Then let the batter rest. At least 10 minutes, 15 minutes is even better. Then brush a little butter on a hot griddle, cook until your pancakes are golden. Brush with a bit of butter, pour on some warm maple syrup and get ready for creamy chocolate melting in every bite you take!

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2-½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

2 extra-large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

⅓ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 to 1-¼ cups bittersweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Warm maple syrup and extra butter for serving

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, ricotta cheese, vegetable oil, and the vanilla extract.

Add the eggs and buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk just until blended. There will be some lumps but not to worry, just don’t over mix or your pancakes will be tough. Fold in the chocolate chip and let the batter rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. Use all the chips if you like a lot of chocolate.

Heat an electric griddle to 350-degrees or if you’re using a skillet on the stovetop, use medium heat. When a drop of water “dances” on the griddle you’re ready to cook. (Thanks to my Mom for this tip!) Brush the griddle with a light coating of melted butter. Using a 3” ice cream scoop or small ladle drop the batter onto the griddle. Keep in mind the batter will puff up slightly and spread so make certain to leave room to flip!

Cook until the batter forms “bubbles” all over the top and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then flip and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until golden.

Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.

You can cut this batch in half if you’re cooking for one or two, or make a full batch and save the leftovers for the next morning or two! Just let the batter warm to room temperature before cooking. This makes about 16 small pancakes, about 4-½” to 5″.

Note: If you’re cooking in batches, you can keep the pancakes warm in a 200-degree oven while you finish cooking. Just spread them out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and pop them in the oven.