These Sweet Stuffed Pancakes Are an Iconic Ramadan Dessert—My Version Even Impressed My Jordanian Mom

Across the world, the spirit of Ramadan is not only marked by fasting, but also comforting rituals involving food: shared, savored, and steeped in tradition. This can be observed in simple universal practices like breaking fast at sundown with a sweet date before tucking into the Iftar meal with loved ones. In Jordan, we enjoy sipping “amar el deen,” a thick apricot juice garnished with nuts and dried fruits. Fattoush salad is nearly obligatory in Jordan, gracing the table almost every evening. For me, though, one Ramadan dish stands above the rest: qatayef (pronounced atayef in my colloquial Arabic). 

These yeasted pancakes are cooked on a flattop griddle or in a skillet until golden on one side, with light air pockets throughout. They are most commonly served two ways. The first is qatayef asafiri, a non-fried version filled with a clotted cream called qishta. The second version, which this recipe is for, is referred to simply as qatayef. After being cooked on the griddle or skillet, they're filled with cheese or spiced walnuts and raisins, folded into a crescent shape, and fried until crispy and golden. The little crescents—a symbol of the lunar phase marking the start of Ramadan—are then immediately dipped in orange blossom syrup right before serving. 

This fried version is arguably more popular where I grew up in Jordan than elsewhere in Arabic countries, but like atayef asafiri, they’re beloved and consumed all across the Levant. The fried version of qatayef is rich with subtle floral notes. The first bite into the crunchy exterior releases a gush of syrup, exposing a luscious cheese or nut filling. 

During Ramadan, bakeries hum with activity, churning out qatayef nonstop for customers. Traditionally you purchase the griddled pancakes from the bakery, then fill and fry them yourself at home. The sweet, heady, and slightly woodsy aromas of those lightly fermented pancakes fill the streets surrounding the bakeries. Some bakeries, due to high demand and restricted by small kitchens, will drag a giant flattop to the storefront (where there’s more space) so that two or more bakers can dedicate entire shifts to cooking and packaging the little pancakes in tightly sealed containers.

The Qatayef 

Before diving into the testing process for this recipe, I did what I always do for Levantine dishes—I ran to Mom. I left her a voice note on WhatsApp, filled with excitement about finally getting to work on a recipe that I’ve wanted to develop for a long time. I was expecting her to match my excitement, but she instead replied, “Don’t bother—only professional bakers can perfect qatayef.” She went on about a recent tiff with my aunt, who dared to make qatayef from scratch, claiming hers were superior to the store-bought ones. My mom’s response to my aunt’s finished qatayef? A lackluster shrug.

After a brief pause to process the unexpected—though perhaps slightly expected—response, I quickly fired back, explaining that qatayef in bakeries are made with the same simple ingredients you’ll find in every household. Aside from a flattop griddle and a saucer to pour the batter—easily replicated with a nonstick skillet and any measuring cup—no special equipment is required. 

Unless these professional bakers have some higher powers, there’s no reason I couldn’t perfect making them at home. Suddenly, what started as an exciting assignment turned into an exercise in gaining my mother’s approval. Mom kept insisting: “Where are the tight pockets? Homemade qatayef don’t have those tiny pockets!” The pockets, as she called them, are the very small holes that bubble to the surface of qatayef. So, I had no choice but to get those damn pockets right. 

In my mother’s defense, chasing the revered pockets was indeed a challenge. Properly made qatayef are meant to be spongy and covered in many tiny holes on one side, and feature what is known as the "zunnar"—meaning "belt" in Arabic—a pale ring encircling the golden qatayef on the other side. When poured onto a sufficiently hot flattop griddle or skillet, the batter naturally spreads outward. The thinner edges lose moisture rapidly, drying out and lifting slightly from the pan, which keeps them from browning. Meanwhile, the center remains thicker and retains moisture longer, staying in contact with the heat and turning a golden color—this is the zunnar effect. 

Unlike American pancakes, qatayef don’t get flipped; they cook on one side, allowing the surface to set while the bottom gently turns golden. For this to happen, the batter needs to rest properly, allowing the flour and semolina to fully absorb the water and loosen into a smoother mixture that spreads evenly and is fluid enough to cook through quickly. Resting also gives the yeast time to produce gas, aerating the batter and creating those signature teeny-tiny "pockets" as the batter  cooks.

After determining the correct ratio of water to flour to achieve a batter that wasn’t too thin or too thick, I settled on the right balance of flour to semolina to achieve a slightly firm, chewy, and moist texture. Semolina, being coarser than all-purpose flour, excels at absorbing liquid due to its larger granules, helping to retain moisture and create a more substantial texture.

Now the quest for the little pockets could begin. Batch after batch yielded qatayef with too few and overly large perforations, making them feel more like regular pancakes and less spongy than they should be. After countless voice notes and photos sent to my mom in Jordan, I finally got a clue about what might be going wrong. Most recipes suggest letting the batter rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes until it becomes bubbly, as this is when the magic happens. However, after rounds of testing I realized that the yeast needs more time to fully rise and create the proper airy texture. Letting the batter rest for one to two hours (depending on your kitchen’s temperature) allows the yeast to ferment gradually and create a spongy texture with the right amount of air pockets and fine perforations. Nevertheless, my qatayef were still not exactly where I wanted them to be.

In an attempt to further enhance the texture, I blended the batter a second time briefly right before cooking to incorporate even more air into it, creating even more tiny holes. Baking soda, added after the lengthy rest and right before reblending the batter, ensures that more gas is released as soon as the qatayef start cooking, contributing to a perfect rise and a spongy texture.

After pouring the first portion into my hot skillet—making sure to pour all the batter at once to avoid uneven cooking—I watched, eyes locked, as little bubbles slowly emerged. They began forming at the edges and crept toward the center, little by little, until no wet batter remained. I lifted the pancake, staring, wondering if I was seeing things. I couldn’t believe it—but here they finally were, the coveted tight and tiny pockets.

The Fillings

The two most common qatayef fillings are cheese, and walnuts with raisins and cinnamon. Usually, both variations are served together on a platter, with people guessing which is which based on subtle color differences (walnut-filled qatayef take on a slightly darker hue). This recipe includes both filling options, with each filling recipe yielding enough for eight qatayef. If you’d like to make both, simply halve each filling recipe to prepare four of each. Alternately, you can double the batter and syrup recipes and make a full batch with each filling. 

The walnut-raisin filling is a comforting, cinnamon-forward mixture with a small splash of orange blossom water added for a delicate aromatic note. The cheese filling is traditionally made with Nabulsi cheese, a slightly chewy and rubbery mild cheese, typically studded with nigella seeds. 

Since it's often sold in a salty brine, it must be is soaked in multiple changes of water to remove excess salt before being used. I prefer to remove the nigella seeds before chopping the cheese, but a few stragglers are fine. It is sometimes flavored with a touch of mastic gum, a tree resin with a piney, woodsy flavor commonly used in Arabic desserts. Nabulsi cheese is available at many Middle Eastern markets, but if it's unavailable, fresh mozzarella cheese (the kind that’s sold packed in water) works well as a substitute—and it doesn’t require the lengthy soak. 

The Syrup

Arabic desserts often include ingredients that seem to come from enchanted gardens—resin from mastic trees, orange blossom water, rose water, and flour made from orchid tubers, to name a few. Fantastical as they may sound, these ingredients are essential to many signature desserts.

The syrup for qatayef is thick and flavored with orange blossom water, which lends a floral aroma and subtle citrusy notes reminiscent of orange rinds. Some versions include rose water, but I find its perfume-y quality polarizing and prefer the delicate touch of orange blossom water instead. A very small splash of lemon juice adds a welcome brightness to the syrup.

Adding the lemon juice and orange blossom water too early can cause their delicate aromas to evaporate, but adding them after the syrup is finished cooking can cause crystallization by adding the cooler liquids to the hot syrup, creating a temperature shock and disturbing the sugar’s structure. The best approach is to stir them in near the end and let the syrup simmer for about 30 seconds. The syrup should be warm before the fried qatayef are dunked into it to ensure better absorption.

Finding Qatayef Success

After my final tests were complete, I proudly sent a new batch of photos of my qatayef to my mom, who responded with such delight and grand excitement. There was simply no denying it: She confessed they looked exactly like the ones she buys at the store, and the photos made her crave qatayef so badly that she rushed to a bakery to buy some. The classic mother-daughter food story often leans into the melodramatic trope of maternal wisdom—where the mother gently takes her daughter’s hand, guiding her through multi-generational recipes, etc, etc... But sometimes, it’s not all that romantic. While we certainly shared sweet moments over food, sometimes it was simply a quest for approval—one pocket at a time.

For the Cheese Filling: If using Nabulsi cheese, rinse and drain cheese: In a large bowl, submerge Nabulsi cheese with 1 inch boiling water. Let soak for 1 1/2 hours, changing with fresh boiling water once halfway through soaking. Alternatively, place cheese in large bowl, cover with room temperature water by 1 inch, and let soak for at least 8 hours or up to 14 hours, changing water once every two hours for the first 8 hours. Using fine-mesh strainer, drain cheese well, squeezing out excess water, and finely chop it. If using fresh mozzarella cheese, omit soaking and draining and just finely chop cheese. In a bowl, combine cheese with mastic gum, if using.

For the Walnut-Raisin Filling: In a small bowl, combine walnuts, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, orange blossom water, and salt.

For the Qatayef Batter: In a large bowl, whisk flour, semolina, sugar, yeast, salt, and water. Cover with plastic wrap and allow batter to sit at room temperature until mixture is bubbly and foamy with a watery ring appearing around edges, 1 1/2 to 2 hours (depending on kitchen’s temperature).

For the Syrup: While qatayef batter sits, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer and stirring occasionally, until syrup reduces to about 3/4 cup and thickens until it coats back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Stir in orange blossom water and lemon juice and continue tosimmer for 30 more seconds; set aside.

For Cooking the Qatayef: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. When ready to cook, in a blender or using an immersion blender, add baking soda to rested batter and blend until combined. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a splash of water beads and sizzles on contact, about 3 minutes. Wipe off any remaining water, then reduce heat to medium-low. Using a 2 tablespoon (1/8 cup) measuring cup filled to the top or a 1/4 cup measuring cup filled halfway, pour three 2 tablespoon portions of batter into skillet, letting each portion spread into a circle approximately 4 inches in diameter, leaving space between each pancake to prevent them from sticking. Cook until batter is dry on top and undersides are golden (small holes will start forming around the edges almost immediately and will gradually spread across the qatayef), 1 to 2 minutes. Do not flip qatayef during cooking. Transfer qatayef to prepared baking sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel to prevent qatayef from drying. Repeat with remaining batter, lowering heat if qatayef start to get too dark. You should have 8 qatayef total. If not using right away, let cool, then cover qatayef tightly with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

To Fill Qatayef: Place about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of either cheese or walnut-raisin filling in center of the bubbly side of each qatayef. Fold qatayef over itself and pinch the top middle edges together to seal, then continue pinching along the edges to close completely to form a half-moon shape. Use fingers to keep the filling from spilling out. Ensure edges are thoroughly sealed. Return to prepared baking sheet when filled.

For Frying the Qatayef: Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and line rack with a double layer of paper towels. In a large Dutch oven, fill with oil to measure 1 1/2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (177°C). Meanwhile, gently reheat syrup over medium-low heat until warm to the touch; place in medium bowl and set aside.

Once oil reaches temperature, carefully add qatayef to hot oil, and fry, using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to flip qatayef halfway through, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes total. Transfer qatayef to prepared wire rack and use a slotted spoon to immediately dunk them into the syrup until they're soaked through, about 30 seconds, flipping qatayef midway through. Transfer dipped qatayef to serving platter and top with pistachios, if using. Serve.

Special Equipment

Kitchen scale, fine-mesh strainer, rimmed baking sheet, small saucepan, large nonstick skillet, wire rack, Dutch oven, Spider skimmer or slotted spoon 

Notes

This recipe can easily be doubled.

The two most common qatayef fillings are cheese, and walnuts with raisins and cinnamon. Usually, both variations are served together on a platter. This recipe includes both filling options, with each filling recipe written to make enough for 8 qatayef. If you’d like to make both, halve each filling recipe to prepare 4 of each, or double the number of qatayef and the amount of syrup.

For the cheese filling, make sure to taste the Nabulsi cheese after soaking, as its salt content can vary. A hint of remaining salt in the cheese is desirable, but if it’s still too salty after soaking, change the water again and soak it longer. I prefer to remove the nigella seeds before chopping the cheese, but a few stragglers are fine.

Orange blossom water can be purchased from Middle Eastern grocery stores or ordered online. It  also can be found at some American grocery stores. 

Mastic gum is often sold as crystals and can be purchased from Middle Eastern grocery stores or ordered online. The small crystals can be chopped into a powder with a chef's knife. I recommend adding a pinch of sugar while chopping the crystals to prevent sticking. You can also grind the crystals in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, but be sure to add a pinch of sugar to keep it from turning into a gummy paste. 

Make-Ahead and Storage

Qatayef can be filled and shaped, then frozen for up to 2 months. Spread on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag or airtight container. To cook, thaw in the refrigerator for at least 2 and up to 4 hours, then fry according to the recipe’ instructions. They can also be fried directly from frozen, but you’ll need to increase frying time by about 1 minute.