As a teenager, I participated in my church youth group’s summer service project, where we helped build and repair houses for people who couldn’t afford it themselves. My first year, our leaders picked a location around the southern border of Washington, so we split the 15-hour drive from where we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area into two days.
On our way up, we stopped in Oregon for the first night, and we stayed in a church in Bend that graciously opened its doors for us to keep our travel and hotel costs as low as possible. Everyone had packed sleeping bags, so we unrolled them in the church’s dining hall to get as much rest as we could.
After our full week of construction, we packed up our three vans to head back home, but we stopped in Northern California for that night, a few hours south of Bend, to minimize the driving on our last day of the trip. We spent the night on a different church’s floor, and our leaders surprised us the next morning by taking us to IHOP for breakfast to celebrate all of the work we had done and lives we had changed.
As my first time in the restaurant, my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw the menu. Up until that point, I thought there were only two flavors of pancakes, plain and blueberry, because that’s all Mom ever cooked for us at home.
Yet the restaurant’s menu boasted nearly a dozen different options. In addition to the two I knew, they offered chocolate chip, strawberry banana, cheesecake, birthday cake, pure chocolate, nut and grain… And five different syrup flavors too, not just the regular maple syrup we bought at home!
Although I ordered plain pancakes that day, I started to become a little more adventurous afterward, especially once I began college, moved into my first apartment, and started cooking for myself for nearly every meal. Over the years, I created many more pancake recipes compared to what I saw at IHOP that day, ones like carrot cake and peach pie and fudgy brownie-like pancakes…
And now, I can also add these Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes to my list! They’re light and fluffy with lots of bright sunshiny flavor and a smattering of those cute little poppy seeds in every bite. Yet unlike the restaurant’s pancakes, these contain no refined flour or sugar and just 129 in each stack!
That’s definitely my idea of a delicious—yet still wholesome—pancake breakfast!
So let’s go over how to make these healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes!
You’ll start with white whole wheat flour, poppy seeds, and a generous amount of lemon zest. The zest actually provides the majority of the citrus flavor (not the lemon juice!), so don’t skip it! I think those little golden flecks look so cute in these pancakes too.
Tip: Pick lemons that have pure yellow skin without any green spots for the best flavor!
If you’ve browsed through my recipes before, then you’ve probably heard me say this… But it’s worth repeating. White whole wheat flour actually exists, and it’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Instead, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture (much less wheat-y and closer to the flavor of all-purpose flour!). This makes white whole wheat flour perfect for these pancakes because it lets the fluffy texture and bright lemon flavor really shine!
Unlike traditional pancake recipes that call for a few tablespoons (if not more!) of oil or melted butter, you just need 1 teaspoon to make these. That really helps keep these healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes low calorie and low fat!
Then the rest of their tender texture comes from one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking… Greek yogurt! Greek yogurt adds the same moisture to your pancake batter as extra butter or oil, and it also gives your healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes a protein boost. I call that a win-win!
To sweeten your pancakes, you’ll add in just a hint of pure maple syrup. You want the kind that comes directly from maple trees, not “pancake” syrup! The only ingredient on the bottle should be “pure maple syrup,” and it’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
Tip: I only used a teensy tiny amount of maple syrup because I know how much my family drizzles on their pancake stacks… So adding more to the batter seemed like overkill. If you’d like sweeter healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes, then see the Notes section of the recipe!
Nerd Alert!
Like I alluded to earlier, you’ll also use freshly squeezed lemon juice in your pancake batter. When you start to stir all of the ingredients together, you’ll get the see a fun little science reaction…
The lemon juice (an acid) reacts with the baking soda (a base), which creates lots of air bubbles. As a result, this pancake batter is the bubbliest and fluffiest I’ve ever seen! All of those air bubbles help create a more light and tender texture in your healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes.
Science can be really yummy, don’t you think??
After stirring in a bit of milk and water, then it’s time to cook your healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes! I’ve already gone over the best tips and tricks for cooking perfect pancakes here (definitely worth going through, especially for the photos!), but I’ll quickly cover a few things.
The batter consistency determines the pancake thickness. Thick batter = thicker pancakes. Thin batter = thinner pancakes. As written, this batter is on the thinner side. Not so thin that you’ll end up with crêpes! It’s thicker than that, and it will spread some on its own. If you want thicker pancakes, then simply reduce the amount of water and/or milk. (See the Notes section for more info!)
Use a scant 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. I have this handy 2-tablespoon measuring spoon. I fill it up not quite all the way, and I use this mini spatula (isn’t is cute?) to transfer the batter into my pan and spread it around a little so my pancakes look circular.
Cook your pancakes over very low heat. This allows them to cook through without their outsides burning or turning overly brown. You end up with a better light and fluffy texture, and some of that pretty yellow lemon color still comes through! I tend to use a combination of the ear and eye test. If the batter sizzles as soon as I put it in the pan and the edges almost immediately develop a bit of a skin, then the heat is up too high. (A gentle sizzle is okay!)
For more information on the best pans and how to avoid the pancake “skirt,” see my blog post here!
If you’ve stuck with me this far… Then you now you have a stack of happy, fluffy, oh so delicious pancakes ready and waiting to be devoured! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ????) I’d love to see your healthy lemon poppy seed pancakes!
| Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes | | Print |
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (135g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 ¼ tsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (8g) freshly grated lemon zest (about 2 medium)
- 1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (120mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 medium)
- ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk
- 2 tbsp (30mL) water
- optional: drizzle, for serving (see Notes—highly recommended!)
- Whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, vanilla, and maple syrup. Stir in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the lemon juice. Stir in the milk. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the water, beginning and ending with the flour, stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Lightly coat a large nonstick pan or griddle with nonstick cooking spray, and briefly preheat over low heat.
- Using a scant 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, dollop the batter onto the hot pan, and spread into a circular shape using a spatula or back of a spoon (if desired). Let the pancakes cook for 2-3 minutes, or until a slight skin starts to form around the edges. Slide a spatula underneath, and flip. Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until cooked through. Re-coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray, and repeat with the remaining batter.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the white whole wheat flour.
Remember to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much will dry out your pancake batter.
For the best lemon flavor, use lemons that are pure yellow with no green spots. Use the full amount of zest! The zest actually provides the majority of the citrus flavor, so don’t skip or reduce it.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
These pancakes aren’t overly sweet—and that’s intentional! Because my family usually covers their pancakes in lots of maple syrup, I found that adding more to the batter was completely unnecessary. However, if you prefer sweeter pancakes, increase the maple syrup by 2-4 tablespoons, and omit the water. (If using more than 2 additional tablespoons of maple syrup, then reduce the milk by the same amount as well. For example, if using an extra 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, omit the water and use just 2 tablespoons of milk.)
Remember… Thick batter = thick pancakes. Thin batter = thin pancakes. However, when you add thick batter to your pan, it doesn’t spread, so you’ll need to spread it a bit yourself using a spatula, the back of a spoon, or the bottom of a measuring cup to get that nice, circular pancake shape.
For thicker pancakes, decrease the water by 2 tablespoons, or omit it altogether.
For thinner pancake batter, add more water or milk until you achieve your desired pancake batter consistency.
This recipe is easily doubled to make more. If you have any leftovers, they freeze really well too!
Optional Drizzle: Stir together 2 tablespoons (18g) confectioners’ style erythritol and 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice or milk (any kind!) in a small bowl. Transfer to a zip-topped bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle over the pancakes.
For more cooking tips, see the blog post above, as well as the text and pictures in this blog post of mine.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low sugar}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
♡ Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
♡ Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
♡ Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Cookies
♡ Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Energy Bites
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pancake recipes!
Would buckwheat flour do the trick as well?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Isabelle! I don’t have much experience with buckwheat flour, so I’m not entirely sure. However, if you’ve been able to use it in other similar pancake recipes, then it should probably work here too! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these pancakes!
These sound delicious!! Never thought about lemon poppyseed pancakes but just thinking about that flavor makes my mouth water.. Plan on making them soon.
Thanks so much Char! I’m really excited to hear what you think of these pancakes! 🙂