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Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes are the perfect breakfast for a spring morning. And if there's no sunshine, bring your own brightness with these tart and vibrant flavors. It's gonna be awesome.

Lemons are the perfect year 'round food to help change your energy. No matter what's happening outside your kitchen window, when you pull out a fresh lemon, just the bright and cheery color instantly shifts your mood. Then you cut into it and smell that joyful, cleansing scent, and you can't help but feel good.

Nature gave us citrus season in the winter for a reason. But I'm definitely not limiting my citrus consumption to those dark and dreary months, especially in Scotland where we mostly have dark and dreary months. I call on the power of lemon year 'round, and spring is no exception.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes on blue striped linen

What Makes Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes so awesome?

These Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes take your favorite muffin in a quick and delicious direction. They're tender and fluffy and bursting with flavor. I also love the little bit of crunch from the poppy seeds for added texture. I want to eat a big ol' stack.

I eat these pretty traditionally with butter and maple syrup. I think a drizzle of honey would also be awesome. You could use orange blossom honey for an extra hint of citrus. If you really want to up the pucker factor, spread a layer of lemon curd on your pancakes. Blueberries and lemon are also a match made in heaven.

Magical Properties of Poppies

Poppies have been used magically and medicinally for centuries. Yes, these is where opium comes from. In ancient times, the poppy's bulging seedpod was associated with fertility. You could wear a dried seedpod strung on a red cord or hang it over your bed as a personal fertility enhancer.

It was also once believed that wine that had poppy seeds soaking in it for 15 days could make you invisible.

And of course, fertility and prosperity spells are never far apart. Hang a dry poppy head in your window to draw money toward you. (Source: The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells by Judika Illes)

For the magical properties of lemons and other ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes stacked on a white plate

Tips for Making Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

We're going to give these pancakes their burst of lemon flavor by rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar before we mix our dry ingredients. Just add your sugar to the mixing bowl, then zest your lemon right over that bowl so all the essential oils fall onto the sugar along with the zest. Then use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar, realeasing even more of the lemon oil.

Then we proceed as usual with pancakes, mixing wet and dry ingredients separately then bringing them together. Mix your batter most of the way, then add the poppy seeds for the last few folds.

Make sure your pan is preheated before you start cooking your pancakes to make sure that every one is fluffy and gorgeous.

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes with golden syrup

I really don't see how you could eat Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes and not have a huge smile on your face. They're joy on a plate. I hope you give them a try.

Looking for more awesome pancake recipes? Try some Greek Yogurt Pancakes or make your own Homemade Vanilla Pancake Mix.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

Print Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes are the perfect breakfast for a spring morning. And if there's no sunshine, bring your own brightness with these tart and vibrant flavors.

Author: Renee Rendall
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 5
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 pancakes 1x
Category: Breakfast
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
A drizzle of oil for frying
Butter and maple syrup, to serve

Instructions

In a small bowl, add the sugar and grate the lemon zest on top of it. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest and sugar together.
In a large bowl, gently whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the lemon sugar.
In a separate container, whisk together buttermilk, egg, vanilla, lemon juice, and melted butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold quickly but gently to combine. Fold in the poppy seeds. Allow your batter to rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a skillet or griddle to medium heat and drizzle in a bit of oil. Use a paper towel to wipe the oil around the pan so the whole thing is covered with a thin film. Scoop in about a third of a cup of batter at a time to make your pancakes. Cook about two to three minutes per side.
Stack your pancakes on a plate and cover them with a clean dish towel while you cook off all your pancakes.
Serve warm with butter and syrup.