Moroccan Beghrir (Semolina Honeycomb Pancakes) Recipe

If regular pancakes and crêpes had a Moroccan cousin who loved butter, honey, and drama,
you’d get beghrirsoft, spongy semolina pancakes covered in hundreds of tiny holes.
Those holes aren’t just for show; they’re little flavor pockets that soak up a buttery honey syrup
like it’s their full-time job.

Known as “baghrir”, “beghrir”, or even “thousand-hole pancakes,” these
Moroccan semolina honeycomb pancakes are a breakfast and tea-time staple
across Morocco and North Africa. They’re typically served warm, drenched in melted butter
and honey, and shared with family over mint tea. The best part? They look fancy,
but they’re surprisingly easy once you understand a few tricks about batter consistency,
yeast, and cooking technique.

What Are Beghrir?

Beghrir are thin, yeast-leavened pancakes made primarily with fine semolina and a bit of flour.
Unlike American pancakes, they’re cooked on just one side. As the batter heats, yeast and baking powder
release steam and gas, creating a bubbly surface. Those bubbles burst and set into tiny craters,
giving beghrir its signature honeycomb look and ultra-spongy texture.

You’ll find them:

• Served for breakfast with butter and honey syrup
• On the table for afternoon tea or snack time
• At special occasions, holidays, and family gatherings

In some regions, similar pancakes are flipped briefly or cooked a bit differently and may even go by another name.
But the basic idea remains the same: semolina-based, light, airy, and dripping with something sweet.

Key Ingredients for Authentic Beghrir

A great Moroccan beghrir recipe doesn’t require exotic ingredients, but you do need the right type
of ingredients and the right ratios. Here’s what goes into a classic batch.

Dry Ingredients

• Fine semolina – The star of the show. Fine semolina gives beghrir its unique texture
  and gentle chew. Coarser semolina won’t hydrate as quickly and can lead to gritty pancakes.
• All-purpose flour – Helps lighten the batter and keeps the pancakes tender.
  Many traditional recipes use a blend of semolina and flour for the perfect balance.
• Instant or active dry yeast – Provides lift and helps create the famous “thousand holes.”
  Yeast is essential for that spongy, airy texture.
• Baking powder – Teams up with yeast to boost bubbles and keep the batter active
  while you cook batch after batch.
• Sugar – A small amount feeds the yeast and gives a mild sweetness.
  The real sweetness comes later from honey, so don’t overdo it here.
• Salt – Just enough to balance the sweetness and enhance flavor.

Wet Ingredients

• Warm water – Most classic recipes use water as the main liquid. It should be warm
  (not hot) to wake up the yeast without killing it.
• Optional milk – Some modern versions swap in a little milk for extra richness,
  but it’s not required for authenticity.

For the Honey-Butter Syrup

• Unsalted butter – Melted until liquid and fragrant.
• Honey – Traditionally Moroccan honey, but any good-quality honey works.
• Optional flavorings – A splash of orange blossom water, vanilla, or a pinch
  of cinnamon if you want a twist.

Moroccan Beghrir (Semolina Honeycomb Pancakes) Recipe

Ingredients

Makes about 18–20 small pancakes

For the Beghrir Batter

• 1 1/2 cups fine semolina
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 cups warm water (about 100–110°F)
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast, bloomed)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1–2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Honey-Butter Syrup

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• Optional: 1–2 teaspoons orange blossom water
• Pinch of salt (optional, to balance the sweetness)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Blend the Batter

1. In a blender, add the warm water, semolina, flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt.
2. Blend on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until the batter is completely smooth.
   It should be thinner than American pancake batter but thicker than crêpe batterthink pourable and silky.
3. If you don’t have a blender, whisk vigorously by hand, or use an immersion blender
   to remove any gritty bits of semolina.

2. Let the Batter Rest

1. Pour the batter into a large bowl with room for expansion.
2. Cover loosely with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at warm room temperature
   for about 30–45 minutes.
3. When ready, the batter will look foamy and bubbly on top. Give it a gentle stirdo not overmix,
   or you’ll knock out too much air.

3. Preheat the Pan

1. Heat a nonstick skillet or crêpe pan over medium to medium-low heat.
   Beghrir cook gentlytoo hot and they burn before the bubbles can form.
2. If your pan isn’t truly nonstick, lightly grease it once with neutral oil or a bit of butter,
   then wipe away excess with a paper towel.

4. Cook the Honeycomb Pancakes

1. Stir the batter briefly. If it seems very thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of warm water.
   It should pour but not run like water.
2. Using a ladle, pour a small circle of batter into the center of the panabout 1/4 cup for a small beghrir.
3. Do not spread the batter with a spoon; let it spread naturally into a circle.
4. Watch as tiny bubbles start to form, then multiply, then pop and leave holes all over the surface.
   This is your honeycomb magic happening in real time.
5. Cook the beghrir on one side only until the top is dry and no wet spots remain.
   The bottom should stay pale or very lightly golden, not deeply browned.
6. Transfer each cooked pancake to a clean towel-lined tray or plate.
   Do not stack them while hot, or they can stick together.

5. Make the Honey-Butter Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
2. Stir in the honey and a small pinch of salt. Warm just until combined and fluid,
   then remove from the heat.
3. If using orange blossom water, stir it in at the end so the floral aroma doesn’t cook off.

6. Serve

To serve, you can:

• Dip each beghrir into the warm honey-butter syrup, honeycomb side down, then arrange on a platter.
• Or stack the pancakes and drizzle generously with syrup right before serving.
• Top with extra honey, chopped nuts, or a sprinkle of sesame seeds if you like a little crunch.

Tips for Perfect Honeycomb Holes

Those iconic holes are what separate Moroccan honeycomb pancakes from “just another pancake.”
If your beghrir looks shy on bubbles, here’s what to check:

1. Batter Consistency

If the batter is too thick, the bubbles can’t rise and burst properly.
You should be able to pour it easily. If it sits in heavy dollops, whisk in more warm water
a tablespoon at a time until it flows like a loose smoothie.

2. Active Yeast

No yeast power, no honeycomb. Make sure your yeast is within date and that the batter
becomes noticeably bubbly and airy during the resting time. If nothing happens after 45 minutes,
your yeast may be inactive.

3. Correct Heat

Too hot, and the bottom burns before the bubbles form; too cool, and you’ll get sad, dense pancakes.
Medium to medium-low heat is your friend. You may need to adjust as you go, especially
if your stove runs hot.

4. No Flipping

It’s tempting to treat them like regular pancakes, but don’t flip beghrir.
Cooking only on one side allows the top to dry gently and the holes to stay open and visible.
Flipping can crush the delicate honeycomb texture.

Serving Suggestions

The classic way to enjoy beghrir is with honey and melted butter,
but there are lots of delicious variations:

• Amlou style – Top with amlou, a traditional Moroccan spread made from almonds,
  argan oil, and honey.
• Jam & fruit – Serve with apricot jam, fig jam, or berry preserves, plus fresh fruit.
• Nutty crunch – Add toasted almonds, pistachios, or walnuts over the honey for
  texture and richness.
• Brunch board – Arrange beghrir with olives, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and
  Moroccan mint tea for a full North African–inspired brunch.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Beghrir are best fresh and warm, but you absolutely can make them ahead:

• Room temperature: Once cooled completely, keep them covered on the counter
  for up to a day.
• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
  Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
• Freezer: Stack with parchment or wax paper between each pancake,
  then freeze for up to 1–2 months.
• Reheating: Warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat or in the microwave
  for a few seconds. Add fresh honey-butter syrup to bring them back to life.

Why You’ll Love This Moroccan Beghrir Recipe

• Beginner-friendly: If you can blend and pour, you can make beghrir.
• Impressive appearance: Those perfect honeycomb holes look like you spent
  way more effort than you did.
• Customizable sweetness: Adjust honey, butter, and toppings to your taste.
• Great for sharing: Ideal for brunch, sleepovers, holiday breakfasts,
  and tea-time spreads.

Experience: Bringing Moroccan Beghrir into Your Kitchen

The first time many home cooks try Moroccan beghrir, they expect disaster.
The batter is thinner than classic American pancake batter, the method says
“don’t flip,” and the goal is to create as many holes as possiblesomething we normally
try to avoid in baking. But once you see that first pancake transform from a smooth circle
of batter into a golden, spongy honeycomb, it’s genuinely addictive.

One of the most fun parts of making beghrir is the sound.
As the batter heats up, you’ll hear a gentle sizzling and popping as the bubbles rise and burst.
It’s like a tiny culinary science experiment happening in your skillet. Those sounds are your signal
that the yeast is doing its job, the semolina is hydrated, and the temperature is just right.

If you’re cooking for friends or family, expect a curious crowd in the kitchen.
People tend to lean over the pan and say things like, “Are they supposed to look like that?”
followed shortly by, “Okay, I get it now,” once they taste them drenched in honey and butter.
Kids usually love watching the bubbles form and may adopt the very serious role
of “bubble counters” while you cook.

Beghrir also teaches you a lot about heat control and patience.
If you rush and crank the heat too high, they brown too fast and turn dense.
If the heat is too low, the bubbles appear sluggish and the texture becomes flat.
After two or three pancakes, most cooks find a rhythm: ladle, watch, wait for the top to dry,
slide the pancake off, start again. It’s almost meditative.

Serving beghrir is an experience in itself. A warm stack of
Moroccan semolina honeycomb pancakes on the table instantly feels special,
even if it’s just a random Sunday morning. Pouring over the honey-butter syrup is one of those
satisfying kitchen moments that never gets oldthe syrup disappears into the holes,
and you can see the pancakes drink it up. If you like to style food for social media,
beghrir might become your new favorite subject; they photograph beautifully with their lacy pattern.

You can also use beghrir to explore Moroccan flavors in a very approachable way.
Maybe you’re not ready to tackle a full tagine or homemade preserved lemons yet,
but pancakes? Pancakes you can do. Add a pot of mint tea, some olives,
a little cheese, or even a simple fruit platter, and suddenly your breakfast looks like
a North African café table.

Over time, many home cooks start to play with the recipe.
Some add a pinch of ground cardamom or cinnamon to the batter,
others like a touch of orange zest in the honey-butter syrup.
A few even experiment with whole-wheat flour or alternative sweetenersthough
the classic version, with fine semolina, good honey, and real butter,
is hard to improve upon.

What really sticks with people, though, is how generous beghrir feels.
This is a recipe built for sharing: a big bowl of batter, a stack of pancakes,
a communal dish of syrup in the middle of the table. You tear off a piece with your fingers,
dip it into the honey, and talk, laugh, and linger. Even if you’re eating alone,
a plate of warm beghrir and a mug of tea or coffee can feel like a small,
very welcome pause in a busy day.

Once you’ve made these Moroccan honeycomb pancakes a few times,
they become the kind of recipe you reach for when you want something comforting but a little different
nostalgic and new at the same time. Whether you’re honoring Moroccan culinary traditions
or just adding a bit of global flair to your brunch rotation, beghrir is an easy win.