Baghrir (Moroccan Thousand-Hole Semolina Pancakes)
بغریر (مراکش کے ہزار سوراخوں والے سوجی کے پین کیک)
Baghrir are called "thousand-hole pancakes" for good reason: as the thin, yeasted semolina batter cooks on one side only, bubbles rise and burst, leaving the top covered in tiny craters. While still warm, they're brushed or soaked with melted butter and honey, which runs into every hole. The batter is made in a blender in two minutes, and if you know South Indian appam or uttapam, you'll recognise the spongy texture.
- ⏱ Total: 40 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Blend the semolina, flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, salt and lukewarm water for 1–2 minutes into a smooth, thin batter, like single cream.
Pour into a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 20–30 minutes until the surface is covered in small bubbles.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium-low (no oil). Stir the batter gently and pour in a small ladle; it should spread on its own into a 12 cm round.
Cook on one side only for 2–3 minutes, without flipping, until holes cover the whole surface and the top looks dry. Lift onto a cloth to cool in a single layer.
Melt the butter with the honey and brush or pour over the warm baghrir. Serve straight away.
Kitchen notes
If no holes form, the batter is too thick or hasn't rested long enough. Add a splash of water and wait 10 more minutes.
Don't stack hot baghrir, or they stick together. Cool them flat first.
Keep the heat moderate: too hot and the bottom burns before the top sets.
A Moroccan breakfast favourite
Baghrir are eaten across Morocco and Algeria for breakfast, at afternoon tea and especially during Ramadan, when they appear on iftar tables alongside harira. They’re light, slightly chewy and lacy, and the honey butter soaking into every hole makes them irresistible.
The holes
The batter contains both yeast and baking powder. Resting lets the yeast fill it with bubbles; the baking powder makes more as it heats. Cooked on one side only on moderate heat, the bubbles rise through the thin pancake and set as open holes. A thin batter is essential.
Easy in a blender
Unlike many Moroccan breads, baghrir need no kneading. Everything goes in a blender for a minute or two, then rests for half an hour. It’s a good weekend breakfast project and fun for children to watch the holes appear.
Serving
Serve warm with honey butter, or with jam, labneh or cheese. Mint tea is traditional; Arabic coffee or karak chai also go well. For another Moroccan bread, try msemen.
Questions people ask
Why are they only cooked on one side?
Cooking on one side lets the bubbles rise and set as open holes on top, which is the whole point: they soak up the honey butter.
Can I freeze baghrir?
Yes. Freeze them flat with paper between, then warm in a pan for a minute.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 360
- Protein
- 7 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
