Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes are light, fluffy, and bursting with lemon flavor. Top them with maple syrup or try them with our simple lemon poppy seed glaze for a sweet, tart, delicious start to your day!

These Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes are light, fluffy, and bursting with lemon flavor! Try them with lemon poppy seed glaze for a sweet, tart, delicious start to your day.

Let’s be honest. You can’t go wrong with lemon poppy seed! Whether it’s Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins or Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes or my favorite summer Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette… it’s one of those flavor combos that JUST WORKS.

So when I thought about making Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes, it was pretty much a no-brainer. I already knew it would work. What I didn’t know was just how delicious a combination it would be!

Between the fluffy egg white pancakes and the burst of fresh lemon, they really are the perfect way to brighten up any morning. And when you add the sweet lemon glaze, they turn into a breakfast treat no one can resist.

what you’ll need for this recipe

Flour – I used 2 cups all purpose flour. Substitute almond flour to make gluten free pancakes.
Sugar – I added 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar to sweeten the batter.
Baking powder – I used 1 Tablespoon baking powder for leavening. (Substitute 1 teaspoon baking soda.)
Salt – I used 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Milk – I used 1 1/2 cups milk. I used 2% but you can use any type you have on hand.
Oil – I added 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil. (For waffles, add 4 Tablespoons.)
Butter – I used 1 Tablespoon butter, melted.
Lemon – I used 2 Tablespoons lemon juice plus the zest of 1 lemon in the batter. I also added lemon juice to the glaze.
Poppy seeds – I added 1 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds to the batter and also added some to the glaze.
Egg whites – I used 3 egg whites. Substitute 2 whole eggs if you prefer.
Powdered sugar – I used 2 cups of powdered sugar for the glaze.

how to make lemon poppyseed pancakes

Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well.

Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, oil, melted butter, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and lemon zest. Mix well, then combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Gently stir until just combined.

Fold in the egg whites. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter. Let batter rest 5 minutes.

Make the pancakes. Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto prepared griddle. Wait until bubbles form on the surface and pop; then flip pancakes until golden brown on both sides.

Make the glaze. Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and poppy seeds and whisk until smooth. Pour over pancakes as desired.

how to keep pancakes warm

Making a big batch of pancakes? Keep them warm along the way by transferring them to a 9×13 inch baking pan and warming them them in a 200 degree oven until you’re ready to eat!

Recipe Variations

Add lemon extract, almond extract or vanilla extract for an extra pop of flavor
Add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and reduce the milk to 1 cup
Substitute 2 whole eggs for the egg whites
Use 4 Tablespoons of oil (instead of 2) to make them into waffles
Top with lemon curd & whipped cream
Top with fresh strawberries and blueberries
Use almond flour to make them gluten-free
Substitute honey for the granulated sugar in the pancake batter

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