Baghrir Moroccan

Spongy semolina pancakes cooked on one side only, their surface riddled with hundreds of tiny holes that drink up a warm honey-butter glaze. A beloved Moroccan breakfast and Ramadan iftar staple served with sweet mint tea.

Baghrir is the 'thousand-hole' pancake of the Maghreb — a spongy semolina round cooked on one side so its surface erupts in tiny pores that drink up honey and melted butter. Across Morocco it is a breakfast and Ramadan favourite.

Tender and faintly tangy from the yeast, the spongy crumb collapses softly as it floods with sweet, buttery honey caught in every hole. It eats light and warm, like a pancake that has been turned into a sponge for syrup.

Yeast and baking powder generate carbon dioxide that erupts through the thin batter as it cooks on one side, leaving the signature open holes. Cooking a single side keeps the top porous so it can absorb the honey glaze.

Variations

plain with butter and honey, with amlou, with jam, served alongside harcha, savory versions with khlea

On the Palate

Where Baghrir Moroccan sits in the Moroccan flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 cupsSemolina

1/2 cupAll-Purpose Flour

1 tspActive Dry Yeast

How it's made

8 steps · 15 min

1
8 min
Blend fine semolina, all-purpose flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, salt, and warm water into a smooth, pourable batter.
2
30 min
Let the batter rest in a warm spot for about 30 minutes until frothy and bubbly on top.
Watch out
Rest it until the top is frothy and pocked with bubbles — that live foam is what erupts into the holes; a flat, still batter means the yeast is dead and it'll cook up solid.
3
3 min
Heat a non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium heat without any oil.
4
2 min
Pour a ladle of batter into the pan and let it spread into a round; do not flip.
Watch out
Pour onto a pan that's hot but oil-free — a drop of batter should sizzle faintly, not spread greasy; too cool and no holes form, too hot and the bottom scorches before the top sets.
5
4 min
Cook only on the bottom side until the top sets dry and the whole surface is covered in tiny holes.
Watch out
It's done the moment the top loses its wet shine and is fully covered in tiny open holes — never flip it; the porous top is what drinks up the honey.
6
2 min
Remove and stack the pancakes flat so they do not stick together as they cool slightly.
7
3 min
Warm honey with butter until melted and smooth to make the classic glaze.
8
3 min
Brush or pour the honey-butter over the warm baghrir and serve immediately with mint tea.