Qatayef is one of the main desserts in the month of Ramadan. It is an Arabic pancake. It is filled with many types of filling, whether sweet or savory.
The most popular sweet fillings for Qatayef are nuts and cream
And if you will serve it for Iftar in Ramadan, it is stuffed with minced meat or cheese
What are the types of Qatayef?
Qatayef is of two types, either a large type or a small type, and it is called the small type Asafiri.
The difference between the two types is that the first type is cooked by frying or the oven, while the Asafiri type is not fried and is eaten as it is without cooking.
Why do Arabs love Qatayef in Ramadan?
As a general rule, Qatayef is sweets that contain high calories, which explains why Arabs turn to them in Ramadan by replacing calories during the fasting period, in addition to their wonderful appeal that melts in the mouth when eaten.
Before we start preparing the Qatayef, there is information that I must share with you if you are not an Arab
The most important stage in preparing the original Egyptian Qatayef is preparing the dough. After that, you can fill it with any type of filling according to your desire.
For this, I will share with you how to make Qatayef in the main recipe, and then we will prepare the filling and cooking after that.
We will make two types of Qatayef, ordinary and Asafiri
Now let’s get started.
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INGREDIENTS
- 375 grams of all-purpose flour
- 115 grams semolina
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 cup oil
- 1 Small spoonful baking powder
- Half teaspoon sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- 37 grams sugar
- 4 cups warm water
- 1 nuts
- 1 spoon sugar
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 spoon butter spoon
- 1 spoon coconut
- 1 cup Konafa syrup cup
INSTRUCTIONS
-
Add semolina to the grinder and grind for a minute to make it smooth
-
Then we will add all the ingredients to the semolina (multi-use flour – baking powder – yeast – baking soda – sugar – water)
-
Mix all ingredients using a food processor (for 1 minute at most).
-
Make sure that the mixture reaches the liquid level as shown in the picture
-
Cover the mixture and leave it for 10 minutes
-
In a non-stick pan (preheated), put a little of the Qatayef mixture on a medium heat, and when it begins to bubbles and the surface of the Qatayef takes on a golden color, the Qatayef is ready
-
Qatayef shape after cooking
-
To make the Qatayef Asaferi using a spoon, put a little of the Qatayef dough in the pan and continue in the same way as before
-
The final shape of the Asaferi Qatayef
-
Close half of the Asaferi Qatayef and put them on a plate because we will stuff them without any cooking
-
To prepare the Qatayef filling, add the nuts to the coconut, the sugar to the cinnamon and a spoonful of butter, and stir well
-
Put a little filling in the middle of the Qatayef and close it well from the sides
-
And now we will fry the Qatayef in the oil – bring a frying pan and put the oil in it and let it heat up and then add the Qatayef
-
When the Qatayef turns golden, take it out
-
Let the Qatayef dry from the oil, then add the syrup (I will leave the receipe for Kunafa Syerp at the end of this post )
-
Qatayef can be cooked using the oven grill – put the Qatayef in a lightly greased dish, then grease the Qatayef with a little oil and put it in the oven under the grill for 3 minutes on each side.
-
Result after leaving the oven
-
Put a little cream in the icing bag and put it inside the Asaferi Qatayef (I will leave you the recipe for the cream at the end of the post)
-
The final form is the regular Qatayef and the Asaferi Qatayef
NOTES

Step by step guide

Egyptian Qatayef Recipe – Ramadan Desserts
Equipment
- Non-stick frying pan
- big bowl
- silicone spoon
- Icing Bag
Ingredients
- 375 grams all-purpose flour
- 115 grams semolina
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 cup oil
- 1 Small spoonful baking powder
- Half teaspoon sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- 37 grams sugar
- 4 cups warm water
- 1 nuts
- 1 spoon sugar
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 spoon butter spoon
- 1 spoon coconut
- 1 cup Konafa syrup cup
Instructions
- Add semolina to the grinder and grind for a minute to make it smooth
- Then we will add all the ingredients to the semolina (multi-use flour – baking powder – yeast – baking soda – sugar – water)
- Mix all ingredients using a food processor (for 1 minute at most).
- Make sure that the mixture reaches the liquid level as shown in the picture
- Cover the mixture and leave it for 10 minutes
- In a non-stick pan (preheated), put a little of the Qatayef mixture on a medium heat, and when it begins to bubbles and the surface of the Qatayef takes on a golden color, the Qatayef is ready
- Qatayef shape after cooking
- To make the Qatayef Asaferi using a spoon, put a little of the Qatayef dough in the pan and continue in the same way as before
- The final shape of the Asaferi Qatayef
- Close half of the Asaferi Qatayef and put them on a plate because we will stuff them without any cooking
- To prepare the Qatayef filling, add the nuts to the coconut, the sugar to the cinnamon and a spoonful of butter, and stir well
- Put a little filling in the middle of the Qatayef and close it well from the sides
- And now we will fry the Qatayef in the oil – bring a frying pan and put the oil in it and let it heat up and then add the Qatayef
- When the Qatayef turns golden, take it out
- Let the Qatayef dry from the oil, then add the syrup (I will leave the receipe for Kunafa Syerp at the end of this post )
- Qatayef can be cooked using the oven grill – put the Qatayef in a lightly greased dish, then grease the Qatayef with a little oil and put it in the oven under the grill for 3 minutes on each side.
- Result after leaving the oven
- Put a little cream in the icing bag and put it inside the Asaferi Qatayef (I will leave you the recipe for the cream at the end of the post)
- The final form is the regular Qatayef and the Asaferi Qatayef
Notes

Creamy cream recipe for stuffing Asaferi Qatayf
- INGREDIENTS
- half liter milk
- 30 grams starch
- 30 grams flour
- 5 grams vanilla
- 20 grams butter
- 45 grams sugar
- INSTRUCTIONS
- In a pot on the fire, put half a liter of milk, sugar, flour, starch and vanilla, and stir them well without heating
- When the starch and flour are gone, heat the mixture, stirring constantly, and when it begins to thicken, turn off the heat
- Add a spoonful of butter, stir well, and then let it cool
- Final look when cool
Step By Step Guide

Arabic Creamy Cream Recipe.
Equipment
- cooking pot
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk (400 ml)
- 1 cup liquid whipping cream (200 ml)
- 40 grams starch
- 40 grams flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 30 grams sugar
Instructions
- In a saucepan, put two cups of milk, sugar, vanilla, starch, flour and whipping creamStir them well before heating
- When the flour has melted, heat the mixture, stirring constantly, and when it begins to thicken, turn off the heat
- Put it on a plate and store it in the fridge
- the final form
Arabic Syrup recipe for Kunafa and Qatayef
- INGREDIENTS
- 200 grams kunafa
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon melted butter
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar
- 1 spoonful butter to grease the tray
- 230 grams Galaxy milk chocolate
- 2 cups liquid whipping cream
- 30 grams. butter
- pinch salt.
- INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut the kunafa into small pieces using your hands or scissors (the kunafa should not be frozen)
- Add the powdered sugar and mix it well with the kunafa
- Add half a cup of melted butter to the kunafa and mix it very well
- Grease the tart tray with butter (make sure the butter covers all the sides and the base well so that the kunafa does not stick to the tray)
- Put the kunafa in the tart tray
- Using a cup, equalize the kunafa inside the tray and make sure that the length of all sides is equal so that the shape is more beautiful in the end.
- The final shape of the kunafa before entering the oven
- Cover the tray with foil so that the butter does not leak because we are using a tart tray, but if you use a regular tray, there is no need for this step
- In a preheated oven at 200 degrees, put the kunafa on the bottom shelf ,and when the sides start to take a golden color, put it under the oven grill until it takes a golden color as well. (about 10 MIN)
- Put 4 tablespoons of kunafa syrup
- To prepare the chocolate cream, we will need 230 grams of chocolate, whipping cream, 30 grams of butter, 2 cups of liquid whipping cream, and a pinch of salt.
- Heat the whipping cream well, then add it to the chocolate and stir well
- The final result after stirring the cream with chocolate
- Add the butter and a pinch of salt and stir well until the butter melts
- Add chocolate into the kunafa tart
- Decorate the chocolate kunafa tart with a little hazelnut
NOTES
You can replace the tart pan with another tray with high sides
During the settlement, if they find the sides took the golden color 10 minutes before, you can take them out of the oven because the goal is to reach the wonderful golden color of the kunafa
Step by step guide

Arabic Desserts- Kunafa Syrup Recipe
Equipment
- wide bowl
- cooking pot
- silicone spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Add sugar and water to a pot on the stove without stirring
- When it starts to boil, reduce the temperature and add lemon juice
- Leave the mixture for 15 minutes
- Put the kunafa syrup in a jar until it cools
- The end result is a kunafa syrup
Notes
Resource : QATAYEF – MIDDLE EASTERN SEMOLINA PANCAKES (STEP BY STEP)
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