These Fluffy Lemon Pancakes are one of our family's favourite pancake recipes. The bananas make them incredibly soft and fluffy, while the fresh lemon juice and zest add a fresh, sunny flavour. And you'll love how well they freeze! I love making a big batch on the weekend and stashing the extras in the freezer because weekday mornings are usually far too rushed for homemade pancakes around here.
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I wanted to create a pancake recipe that’s kid-friendly, the whole family loves, and holds up well in the freezer, and these ones nailed it!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love These Toddler-Friendly Fluffy Lemon Pancakes
- Soft & Fluffy texture: These pancakes cook up fluffy with a slightly crispy exterior, making them a great texture for kids
- Bright lemon zest flavour: Made with both fresh lemon juice and zest, these pancakes have a great flavour for spring and summer breakfasts
- Great for meal prep: Make a batch ahead of time and store them in the fridge or freezer for an easy breakfast or snack throughout the week.
Ingredients for Fluffy Lemon Pancakes
Here is what you will need to make these delicious, fluffy lemon zesty pancakes.
- Bananas - Add natural sweetness and help keep the pancakes soft and moist.
- Eggs - Help bind the pancakes together and create a fluffy texture.
- Coconut milk - Adds moisture and richness.
- Maple syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness and complements the lemon flavour.
- Vanilla: Adds warmth and enhances the flavours of the banana and lemon.
- Lemon juice and zest - Essential in these pancakes! Gives the pancakes their bright, fresh lemon flavour.
- Chia seeds - Add fibre and omega-3 fats.
- Baking powder - Helps the pancakes rise and become fluffy.
- All-purpose flour - Creates the soft, fluffy texture that makes these pancakes so delicious.
- Salt - just a dash really helps enhance the flavour!
*Although I often love swapping in whole wheat flour for more fibre, I recommend sticking with regular all-purpose flour for these pancakes. It keeps them light and fluffy and allows the lemon zest flavour to really come through!
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Delicious Kid-Friendly Fluffy Lemon Pancakes
Here is an overview on how to make these pancakes, and for more detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
In a blender, add the bananas, coconut milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Blend on high speed for 15-20 seconds until smooth.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Heat a lightly greased frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Scoop out the pancake batter into the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
Substitutions
This recipe is best made as written. If you are looking for a gluten-free version or higher protein, then be sure to try out these protein Cottage Cheese Banana Pancakes or my gluten-free Almond Flour and Oatmeal Apple Pancakes!
Need more kid-friendly breakfast ideas? Check out my post here with over 21 Easy Breakfast Ideas for Toddlers!
Serving Ideas
I love serving these lemon pancakes for toddlers and kids with vanilla or lemon yogurt on top and a side of blueberries. For younger toddlers, use a plain yogurt and add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice. Raspberries and strawberries also pair really well with these pancakes. They also go great with a little chia jam on top, like my strawberry chia jam!
Equipment
- Blender
- Large frying pan or electric griddle
Storage
Store the lemon pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or they can be stored in the freezer for up to two months. When ready to eat, just pop them in the toaster or heat up in the microwave.
Toddler Tip
Serve the pancakes as strips, small cut up pieces, or as whole pancakes.
Instead of maple syrup, try topping these pancakes with thawed berries or a spoonful of yogurt for a naturally sweet option.
FAQ
Yes, they can! For babies under one year, you can omit the maple syrup and salt if you'd like. The banana adds plenty of natural sweetness.
The best way to freeze these pancakes is by first letting the pancakes cool completely, ideally on a wire rack. Then arrange the pancakes in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. And of course, label them with "Lemon Pancakes" and the date! They'll keep for up to two months.
Recipe
Fluffy Lemon Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 Blender or Food processor
- 1 Frying pan or griddle
Ingredients
- 1½ cups bananas (ripe) mashed, about 3 large bananas
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cups coconut milk about 1 small can, 160mL
- 2 tbsps maple syrup
- 2 tsps vanilla
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- zest of 1 lemon large
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the bananas, eggs, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice and lemon zest to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Heat up a frying pan or griddle on medium heat and grease with coconut oil or other oil of choice. Pour about ¼ cup of the batter for each pancake. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the bubbles form on top and edges look set. Flip over and cook another 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Serve warm with a little lemon yogurt and fruit if you like!
Nutrition
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I hope you and your family love these pancakes as much as mine does! Lemon zest is such a fun flavour to have year round. We find they really brighten up some of those dreary winter mornings. If you end up making these, I'd love to hear what you think! Just leave a comment below!
- Ali
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