Qatayef Recipe with Walnuts — Stuffed Ramadan Pancakes

Last updated: November 12, 2026.

Qatayef are the classic stuffed pancakes of Ramadan: small, soft griddle cakes cooked on one side only, filled with spiced walnuts, pinched shut, then fried or baked until golden and dipped in fragrant syrup. This qatayef recipe with walnuts keeps the traditional method simple — a quick yeast batter, a 30-minute rest, and a griddle — and it works just as well for an Eid table as for an iftar dessert.

They are soft and pillowy on the inside, crisp at the edges, and sweet without being heavy: the cinnamon walnut filling stays crunchy against the tender pancake, and the orange blossom syrup soaks in just enough to make each bite glisten. Make a double batch — they disappear faster than you expect.

Qatayef belong in our Middle Eastern desserts collection, and they are the centerpiece dessert of Ramadan and Eid. If you are still choosing what to make, our dessert recipes hub has the full list of ideas.

Why You’ll Love These Qatayef

• The Ramadan classic, made at home. Soft griddle cakes, spiced walnut filling, fragrant syrup — the iftar dessert everyone waits for.
• Cooked on one side only. The uncooked side stays sticky, which is exactly what seals the filling in — no toothpicks, no fuss.
• Fry or bake — your call. Shallow-fry for crisp edges, or brush with butter and bake for a lighter version. Both work.
• Make-ahead friendly. The syrup keeps for days and the batter can rest in the fridge, so the busy part is just the griddle.
• Feeds a crowd. One batch makes 16 qatayef — enough for the whole table, with a few left over for the next day’s coffee.

Ingredients

Batter

• 200 g (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 50 g (1/4 cup) fine semolina
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) whole milk

Walnut Filling

• 150 g (1 1/2 cups) walnuts, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water

Syrup

• 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 240 ml (1 cup) water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• About 500 ml neutral oil, for frying (if frying) — heated to 175°C / 350°F, about 2 cm deep

Equipment

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• Large non-stick griddle or skillet
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Small ladle or 1/4-cup measure
• Pastry brush (for the baked version)
• Clean kitchen towel
• Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Qatayef

Step 1 — Make the Syrup

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice and orange blossom water. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely — the syrup must be cool when the hot qatayef go in, or they turn soggy.

Step 2 — Mix the Batter

Whisk the flour, semolina, sugar, yeast, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add the warm water and milk and whisk until you have a smooth, thin batter with no lumps — it should pour like thin pancake batter, not sit like dough.

Step 3 — Rest the Batter

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the batter rest for 30 minutes, until bubbly on top. The yeast is doing its work — small bubbles across the surface mean it is ready. If your kitchen is cold, give it 10 minutes more.

Step 4 — Cook One Side Only

Heat a dry griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat — no oil. Ladle small rounds of batter, about 8 cm (3 inches) across, and cook until bubbles form all over the top and the surface looks dry and matte. Do NOT flip — the top stays pale and slightly sticky, and that is exactly right.

Step 5 — Fill and Pinch

Working while the pancakes are still warm and pliable, spoon about a tablespoon of walnut filling onto the cooked side of each one. Fold it in half and pinch the edges firmly shut, pressing from the middle outward so no filling escapes. Keep the finished qatayef covered with a towel so they do not dry out.

Step 6 — Fry or Bake

For frying: shallow-fry in oil heated to 175°C / 350°F for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. For baking: brush both sides with melted butter and bake at 190°C (375°F) for about 10 minutes, flipping once, until golden.

Step 7 — Soak in Syrup

Dip the warm qatayef into the cool syrup for a few seconds on each side — a brief dip, not a soak. Lift them out and let the excess drip off. The syrup should coat them, not drown them.

Step 8 — Serve

Serve warm, with extra syrup drizzled over the top and a scatter of crushed walnuts. They are best within an hour of frying, while the edges are still crisp.

Tips for Qatayef That Don’t Tear

• Do not flip the pancakes. The uncooked side is the glue — it is what seals the edges shut. Flipped qatayef will not pinch closed.
• Cook until the tops are fully dry. Wet, shiny tops tear when you fold them. Wait until the surface is matte and no wet batter shows.
• Do not overfill. One tablespoon of filling per pancake is enough. Overfilled qatayef burst open in the oil.
• Fill while warm. Cold pancakes stiffen and crack at the fold. Work through the batch as it comes off the griddle, keeping the rest under a towel.
• Pinch firmly, middle outward. Press from the centre toward the edges so the filling spreads evenly and the seal holds.
• Cool syrup, hot qatayef. Warm syrup on hot qatayef makes them soggy in minutes. The syrup must be completely cool before the dip.

Storage, Make-Ahead and Freezing

• Leftovers: keep syrup-soaked qatayef in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 5–7 minutes to crisp the edges again — the microwave makes them soft.
• Make ahead: the syrup keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week, and the walnut filling keeps for 3 days. The batter can be made the night before (see the FAQ) — the griddle work is best done the day you serve them.
• Freezing: freeze filled, unfried qatayef in a single layer on a tray, then bag them for up to 1 month. Fry or bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes. Do not freeze syrup-soaked qatayef — they turn to mush.

Variations

• Cheese qatayef. Swap the walnut filling for 200 g of akkawi or unsalted mozzarella mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar — the classic savoury-sweet alternative.
• Ashta cream qatayef. Fill with clotted cream (ashta) instead of walnuts, skip the frying, and serve cold with syrup and crushed pistachios.
• Pistachio filling. Replace half the walnuts with finely chopped pistachios for a greener, richer filling — the festive version.
• Chocolate qatayef. Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 50 g of chopped dark chocolate to the walnut filling for a modern twist kids love.
• Mini qatayef. Make the pancakes half-size (about 5 cm / 2 inches) and serve them bite-size at parties — they fry in under a minute per side. Luqaimat are the other bite-size Ramadan sweet – see the Luqaimat Recipe — Crispy Arabic Sweet Dumplings with Date Syrup.

Nutrition

One serving (2 of 16 qatayef) has about 370 calories, 56 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 30 g sugar, 2 g fiber and 100 mg sodium. Nutrition information is an estimate only.

Dietary notes: Contains wheat, walnuts and milk. Nut-free option: fill with ashta cream instead – see Variations.

Substitutions

If you are missing an ingredient, these swaps keep the recipe working.

• Walnuts. Replace half the walnuts with finely chopped pistachios, or fill with 200 g of akkawi or unsalted mozzarella mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar instead.
• Orange blossom water. Rose water works the same way in the syrup, for a floral version.
• Whole milk. Use water instead – the pancakes will be a little less tender, but they still cook and seal well.
• Fine semolina. Replace it with the same weight of all-purpose flour – the pancakes will be softer and less golden.

Common Mistakes

These are the mistakes that cause the most problems with this recipe.

• Flipping the pancakes. The uncooked side is the glue – flipped qatayef will not pinch closed.
• Wet tops. Wet, shiny tops tear when you fold them – wait until the surface is matte and no wet batter shows.
• Overfilling. One tablespoon of filling per pancake is enough – overfilled qatayef burst open in the oil.
• Filling cold pancakes. Cold pancakes stiffen and crack at the fold – fill them while warm, keeping the rest under a towel.
• Warm syrup. Warm syrup on hot qatayef makes them soggy in minutes – the syrup must be completely cool before the dip.

FAQ

Can I make qatayef batter the night before?

Yes. Mix the batter, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it overnight — up to 12 hours. In the morning, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then stir it gently; it will still be bubbly and ready to cook. Do not keep it longer than 12 hours, or the yeast over-ferments and the batter turns sour and slack.

Do qatayef need to be cooked on both sides?

No — qatayef are cooked on one side only, and that is the whole trick. The bottom cooks on the griddle while the top stays pale, soft and slightly sticky. That sticky side is what seals the pancake shut around the filling. If you flip them, the seal will not hold and the filling leaks out when you fry them.

How do I stop qatayef from tearing when filling?

Three things matter: cook the pancakes until the tops are completely dry and matte (wet tops tear), fill them while they are still warm and pliable (cold ones crack at the fold), and do not overfill — one tablespoon of filling per pancake is enough. Pinch the edges firmly from the middle outward, and keep the finished qatayef covered with a towel so they stay soft until frying.

Can I freeze qatayef?

Yes. Freeze filled, unfried qatayef in a single layer on a tray, then bag them for up to 1 month. Fry or bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes. Do not freeze syrup-soaked qatayef; they turn to mush.

Times, servings and nutrition values are standard guidance and may vary.

Desert Dishes Team

Qatayef Recipe with Walnuts

Soft griddle pancakes cooked on one side only, stuffed with spiced walnuts, fried or baked golden, and dipped in fragrant orange blossom syrup — the classic Ramadan dessert.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Calories: 370

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Batter

• 200 g all-purpose flour 1 2/3 cups
• 50 g fine semolina 1/4 cup
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 360 ml warm water 1 1/2 cups
• 60 ml whole milk 1/4 cup

Walnut filling

• 150 g walnuts finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water

Syrup

• 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
• 240 ml water 1 cup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• neutral oil or butter for frying, if frying

Equipment

• Large non-stick griddle or skillet
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Small ladle or 1/4-cup measure
• Pastry brush
• Clean kitchen towel
• Measuring cups and spoons

Method

 

1. Make the syrup. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice and orange blossom water. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely — the syrup must be cool when the hot qatayef go in, or they turn soggy.
2. Mix the batter. Whisk the flour, semolina, sugar, yeast, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add the warm water and milk and whisk until you have a smooth, thin batter with no lumps — it should pour like thin pancake batter, not sit like dough.
   
3. Rest the batter. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the batter rest for 30 minutes, until bubbly on top. The yeast is doing its work — small bubbles across the surface mean it is ready. If your kitchen is cold, give it 10 minutes more.
4. Cook one side only. Heat a dry griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat — no oil. Ladle small rounds of batter, about 8 cm (3 inches) across, and cook until bubbles form all over the top and the surface looks dry and matte. Do NOT flip — the top stays pale and slightly sticky, and that is exactly right.
   
5. Fill and pinch. Working while the pancakes are still warm and pliable, spoon about a tablespoon of walnut filling onto the cooked side of each one. Fold it in half and pinch the edges firmly shut, pressing from the middle outward so no filling escapes. Keep the finished qatayef covered with a towel so they do not dry out.
   
6. Fry or bake. For frying: shallow-fry in hot oil for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. For baking: brush both sides with melted butter and bake at 190°C (375°F) for about 10 minutes, flipping once, until golden.
7. Soak in syrup. Dip the warm qatayef into the cool syrup for a few seconds on each side — a brief dip, not a soak. Lift them out and let the excess drip off. The syrup should coat them, not drown them.
8. Serve. Serve warm, with extra syrup drizzled over the top and a scatter of crushed walnuts. They are best within an hour of frying, while the edges are still crisp.
   

Notes

Cook the pancakes on one side only — the sticky top is what seals the filling in. Dip warm qatayef in cool syrup, briefly, so they stay crisp.

More Recipes to Try

More from Desert Dishes — try these next:

• Easy Kunafa Recipe with Cheese — crispy shredded pastry with gooey cheese and syrup.
• Luqaimat Recipe — Crispy Arabic Sweet Dumplings with Date Syrup — crispy golden dumplings drizzled with date syrup.
• Basbousa Recipe with Coconut — Soft Middle Eastern Semolina Cake — soft, syrup-soaked Middle Eastern semolina cake.
• Umm Ali Recipe — Creamy Egyptian Bread Pudding — creamy Egyptian bread pudding with puff pastry, nuts, and hot milk.
• Middle Eastern Desserts — the full collection of Arabian sweets, from kunafa to baklava.

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