A recipe for Lemon Pikelets! These little pancakes from Australia and New Zealand come together easily with a light and fluffy texture.
Pikelets are a type of small pancake popular in Australia and New Zealand. They are only about 2-3 inches wide and come together in less than 30 minutes! The outside is lightly crisp and golden from frying in the butter, while the inside is almost spongy with a fluffy texture.
I first came across the idea for these Lemon Pikelets over on Cook Republic and they are a wonderful addition to breakfast or afternoon tea. The lemon zest adds such a light and refreshing flavor!
A Few Tips
Usually, Pikelets are made with self-rising flour for even less prep. Self-rising flour is not readily available here, so I made the batter with a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. If you do have self-rising flour, simply use 2 cups (250 grams), omit the baking powder, and only add a small pinch of salt if needed.
Take care with the temperature of the skillet while frying the pikelets. They darken easily, but you also want to give the interior a chance to cook. Adjust the heat as needed between medium to medium low.
I used a small cookie scoop to easily transfer 1 tablespoon of the batter to the pan as evenly as possible.
Do not overcrowd the skillet. My 8 inch (20 centimeter) cast iron pan holds about 3 Pikelets at a time. They will spread a little as they cook.
While cooking and flipping the Pikelets, do not press down. This will cause the pancakes to lose their pillowy texture.
I served the Lemon Pikelets warm from the skillet with a dollop of whipped cream, strawberry jam, and a couple of lemon wedges.
Looking for more pancake recipes?
Try my:
- Silver Dollar Pancakes
- Matcha Souffle Pancakes
- Chocolate Beghrir (Algerian Chocolate Honeycomb Pancakes)
Lemon Pikelets Recipe
Adapted from Cook Republic
Lemon Pikelets
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) superfine sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups (300 milliliters) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Butter for greasing the pan
For serving:
- Whipped cream
- Strawberry jam
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest until combined.
- Whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract to create a smooth batter. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, reduce heat to medium low and grease with a thin layer of butter.
- Add 1 tablespoon circles of batter to the hot pan, taking care not to overcrowd.
- Once the bottom of the Pikelet is golden and bubbles start forming on top, about 40 seconds-1 minute, flip to cook other side. Cook until golden, for about another minute. Remove to plate and repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter as needed. Adjust heat between medium and low as needed.
- Serve the Pikelets immediately with whipped cream, strawberry jam, and lemon slices.
Lisa
These look a lot like the “Pufferchen” my german grandmother always used to make! Difference is that she always added thin apple slices to the batter and mixed some pudding powder (the starch/vanilla flavour kind) in with the flour – but that was to substitute real vanilla… war generation…
I think it’s so interesting how some preparations seam to exist around the world, in slightly different variations.
Tara
I remember Pufferchen! They are definitely similar in shape 🙂 Thanks for reminding me. My son would love those! I also love noticing the similarities in types of food preparations around the world.
Sarah
As a born and bred Kiwi who grew up on piklets, I’d say you have totally succeeded in creating the most perfect piklets Tara! Eating them with jam and cream is also delicious 🙂
Tara
Thank you Sarah!
Brandy
Can you make a batch and freeze?
Tara
Hi Brandy! You can, but they texture won’t be as great as fresh from the skillet. Freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. Reheat in a 350ËšF oven until heated through.