How-to guide
How to Make Baghrir — Moroccan Thousand-Hole Semolina Pancakes
Baghrir are Morocco's 'thousand-hole' pancakes — spongy semolina rounds cooked on one side only, their surface covered in tiny bubbles that drink up a warm honey-and-butter syrup. Light and yeasted, they are a teatime and breakfast favourite. The secret is a thin, well-blended batter and the patience to let the yeast work, so the bubbles rise and burst across the top as they cook. This guide gets the holes right every time. Find more Moroccan breakfast ideas on our recipes index.
About 45 minutes
Step by step
- 1
Blend a smooth batter
Blend fine semolina and a little plain flour with warm water, yeast, a pinch of salt, sugar and a little baking powder until completely smooth and pourable, about the consistency of thin cream. Using a blender helps avoid lumps. The batter should pour in a steady, thin stream.
- 2
Let it ferment
Cover the bowl and leave the batter somewhere warm for around twenty to thirty minutes, until the surface is frothy and covered in small bubbles. This fermentation is what produces the holes. Do not stir it down again once it has risen and bubbled.
- 3
Heat a dry pan
Warm a non-stick or well-seasoned pan over medium heat, with no oil. The pan needs to be hot enough that the batter sets quickly and bubbles rise, but not so hot that the base scorches before the top has cooked through. Test with one pancake first.
- 4
Pour and do not touch
Pour a ladle of batter into the pan to form a round and leave it completely alone. Within moments the surface will erupt with tiny holes as bubbles rise and burst. Cook only on this one side — baghrir is never flipped.
- 5
Cook until the top is dry
The pancake is done when the whole top has turned from wet and glossy to matte and dry, with all the holes set open, and the underside is pale gold. Lift it off and lay it flat, not stacked while steaming, so it keeps its spongy holes.
- 6
Serve with honey butter
Gently warm together honey and butter until melted into a loose syrup. Serve the baghrir warm, holes-side up, with the honey butter spooned over so it sinks into the sponge. They are best eaten fresh and warm from the pan.
Common mistakes to avoid
- A batter that is too thick, so the bubbles cannot rise and few holes form.
- Flipping the pancake — baghrir cooks on one side only.
- A pan that is too hot, browning the base before the holes set.
- Not letting the batter ferment, so it stays flat and hole-less.
- Stacking the hot pancakes, which steams them soggy and flattens the holes.
Tips from the kitchen
- Blend the batter rather than whisk it for a lump-free, even pour.
- The batter should be thin and pourable, like single cream — add water if it is too thick.
- Cook the first pancake as a tester to fine-tune the heat.
- Lay finished baghrir out flat on a cloth in a single layer to cool without steaming.
- A splash of orange blossom water in the honey syrup adds a lovely fragrance.
Questions
Why doesn't my baghrir have holes?
The usual causes are a batter that is too thick or one that has not fermented enough. Blend it smooth and thin, like single cream, then let it rest somewhere warm until frothy and bubbly before cooking. Also make sure the pan is hot enough for the bubbles to rise and set open.
Do you flip baghrir?
No. Baghrir is cooked on one side only. The bubbly, holey top is left uncovered so the holes set open, and the smooth underside browns lightly against the pan. Flipping would collapse the holes that give the pancake its name and its ability to soak up honey butter.
What flour is used for baghrir?
Mostly fine semolina, usually with a little plain flour to bind, plus yeast and a touch of baking powder for the rise. The semolina gives baghrir its characteristic slightly grainy, spongy texture. Blending the batter smooth and letting it ferment are more important than the exact flour ratio.
How do you serve baghrir?
Warm, holes-side up, with a syrup of melted honey and butter poured over so it soaks into the sponge. They are a classic breakfast and teatime treat, often alongside mint tea. Some people add a little orange blossom water to the syrup, or serve them simply with jam.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.