Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes with Ricotta Filling

These Cannoli pancakes are Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes with Ricotta Filling are perfect for a weekend treat.

These pancakes are served at a famous brunch restaurant in Phoenix (Hash Kitchen) and they are a must-order everything I visit.

Ingredients:

For these seriously fluffy buttermilk pancakes you need a few specialty ingredients (buttermilk and ricotta) and some pantry staples.

Buttermilk pancakes

• Buttermilk: You can make your own by adding an ingredient such as lemon or vinegar to milk. Here is a resource on how to make your own but I used store-bought buttermilk.
• Dry ingredients: All purpose flour plus baking soda, baking powder and salt is all we need for the dry ingredients.
• Wet ingredients: Besides the buttermilk we will need eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract.

Ricotta filling

• Drained ricotta: The ricotta needs to strained to remove excess water. This process should be done for at least 12 hours or overnight.
• Confectioners' sugar: To add the sweet touch to the ricotta filling.
• Mini chocolate chips.
• Vanilla extract.
• Ground cinnamon.
• Lemon zest.

Step by step instructions

Make the creamy ricotta filling

The most important step is to drain your ricotta cheese to make the filling.

Drain the ricotta by placing it over a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight.

Add the drained ricotta cheese to a large bowl and add the rest of ingredients; powdered sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix well and add the mini chocolate chips.

Make the buttermilk pancakes

Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and let it cool slightly.

In another bowl mix the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla and whisk until fully combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Heat a large non-stick griddle or a skillet, pour ¼ cup of the batter until the pancakes start forming bubbles. Flip them carefully and cook on the other side.

Stack the pancakes alternating layers of the ricotta filling in between and serve warm with extra chocolate chips and maple syrup.

Storage instructions

The ricotta filling keeps well in an airtight container stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If you plan to store the filling rather than using it immediately, I recommend to leave the chocolate chips out and only adding them when ready to use, that way they stay crisp, otherwise the chocolate softens quite a bit.

The pancake batter keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days.

The cooked pancakes keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days and they freeze nicely.

Excerpted from The Brunch King: Eats, Beats, and Boozy Drinks by Joey Maggiore. Photography by Joanie Simon. Copyright © 2024 by The Maggiore Group. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.