Traditional Turkish Simit: Crisp, Chewy Sesame Bread Rings

Turkish simit is a ring-shaped street bread with a chewy center, a crisp crust, and a generous sesame coating. Its distinctive flavor comes from dipping the shaped dough in grape pekmez, or grape molasses, diluted with water before baking; regional and family versions vary in size, texture, and sweetness.

Ingredients

4 cups (500 g) bread flour or all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for shaping
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) lukewarm water, about 100°F (38°C)
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons (9 g) fine salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) grape pekmez (grape molasses), for dipping
1/2 cup (120 ml) water, for thinning the pekmez
1 1/2 cups (200 g) sesame seeds, preferably untoasted

Instructions

Mix the dough. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water and mix until no dry flour remains and a rough dough forms, about 4 to 5 minutes. If using all-purpose flour, begin with the stated water and add only a teaspoon or two more if the dough will not come together; it should feel firm and slightly tacky, not wet.
Knead and let rise. Knead by hand on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic and spring back slowly when pressed. Put it in a clean bowl, cover, and leave at room temperature for 70 minutes. It should look noticeably puffed, though it may not quite double; a cool room can slow the rise.
Divide and briefly rest. Turn the dough onto the counter and divide it into 8 equal pieces, about 100 g each. Keep the pieces covered with a clean towel so their surfaces do not dry out. Let them rest for 10 minutes; this relaxes the gluten and makes the ropes easier to roll without snapping back.
Shape the rings. Roll each piece into a short rope, then divide that rope in half. Roll the two pieces into ropes about 24 inches (60 cm) long. Lay them side by side, pinch the ends together, and twist the ropes around each other. Bring the ends around to form a ring and pinch them firmly together. Set each ring on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between them. If the dough resists rolling, cover it and give it a few more minutes to relax rather than forcing it.
Dip and coat. Whisk the grape pekmez and water in a shallow bowl. Put the sesame seeds in a second wide bowl or plate. Dip each ring in the pekmez mixture, turning it so both sides are coated, let excess drip off, then press it into the sesame seeds. Turn and pat the seeds onto the sides as well. Arrange the coated rings on the sheets and leave them to puff for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and position racks in the upper and lower thirds.
Bake until deeply golden. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, switching the sheets between racks and rotating them front to back about halfway through if your oven browns unevenly. The rings are ready when the crust is a rich golden brown and the sesame is fragrant. Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes so the crust sets while the center stays pleasantly chewy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

Find the right pekmez. Grape pekmez is a thick, concentrated syrup sold in Turkish and Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. Diluting it helps the seeds adhere and gives the crust its characteristic lightly sweet, toasted flavor. If you cannot find it, use an equal amount of date syrup or mild molasses thinned with water; both work as coatings, but date syrup is fruitier and molasses tastes more assertive. Pomegranate molasses is usually too tart to be a close substitute on its own.
Use the flour texture as your guide. Flour absorbs water differently depending on brand and humidity. Add extra water sparingly if the dough is crumbly, or dust the counter lightly if it sticks. A very soft dough can spread and make flatter rings, while an overly dry dough is difficult to twist and may bake up dense.
Seal the joints well. Pinch the ends together and gently roll the seam under your palm. A weak join can open in the oven. If the ring tears while shaping, pinch it closed and let the dough rest briefly before continuing; a small seam will be hidden by sesame.
Watch the color, not just the clock. Pekmez and sesame brown quickly, and ovens vary. Begin checking at 16 minutes. Bake one sheet at a time if your oven heats unevenly, and keep unused shaped rings covered while the first batch bakes.

Serving Suggestions

For a Turkish-style breakfast or snack, serve simit warm with white cheese, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and tea. A plate of feta or another brined cheese and ripe tomatoes makes a simple accompaniment; add herbs, such as parsley or mint, if you like. Simit is also satisfying on its own as a walk-around snack, which is one reason its firm ring shape and sturdy sesame crust suit street-food eating.

To make a more filling meal, split a ring and add cheese, greens, or sliced vegetables. The bread can be served alongside soup, eggs, or a spread such as labneh. Keep the toppings modest if you want the sesame crust and chewy crumb to remain the focus. If serving several people, put the rings in a cloth-lined basket rather than sealing them while warm, which can soften the crust through trapped steam.

Variations

Make smaller rings: Divide the dough into 10 or 12 pieces instead of 8, keeping the same shaping method. Smaller simit bake faster, so start checking a few minutes early and look for an evenly browned crust. For larger bakery-style rings, divide the dough into 6 pieces and expect a slightly longer bake.

Try a mixed seed coating: Replace up to one-third of the sesame with nigella seeds for a savory, onion-like note, or use a little black sesame for contrast. Sesame is the defining coating, so changing all of it gives a different result. If your sesame seeds are already toasted, use them as they are; they will have a deeper flavor and may darken more quickly in the oven.

Adjust the dough flour: Bread flour makes a chewier ring, while all-purpose flour gives a somewhat softer bite. Either is practical for home baking. Whole-wheat flour can replace up to one-quarter of the white flour, but it absorbs more water and makes a denser, earthier simit; add water a teaspoon at a time only if the dough feels dry.

Make the coating less sweet: Keep the pekmez-to-water ratio as written for a familiar balance. You can add another tablespoon of water if you prefer a subtler glaze, but a very dilute mixture may not hold the sesame as well. Avoid adding extra sugar to the coating, since the grape syrup already supplies sweetness and can brown quickly.

Storage and Reheating

Let the baked simit cool completely, then store it in a paper bag or a loosely closed bread bag at room temperature for up to 1 day for the best crust. For longer storage, refrigerate within 2 hours of baking and keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days; refrigeration can make bread stale faster, so freezing is often a better choice if you will not eat it soon. Freeze cooled rings in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw at room temperature, still wrapped, to reduce drying.

To refresh a room-temperature ring, warm it in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot and crisp. For refrigerated leftovers, reheat until the center reaches 165°F (74°C), the USDA safe temperature for reheated leftovers; the time will vary with the ring’s size and starting temperature. A microwave softens the crust, so use it only if speed matters more than crispness. Do not store warm simit in a sealed container, as condensation makes the sesame coating damp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does simit taste like? It has a chewy, bread-like center and a toasted sesame crust with a gentle sweetness from grape pekmez. It is not a sweet pastry. The exact texture varies: some simit are thinner and crispier, while others have a softer, thicker crumb.

Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. After kneading, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough overnight, up to about 12 hours. A cold rise develops more slowly, so allow the dough to sit at room temperature until it is puffy and workable before dividing it. The timing will depend on how cold the dough and room are; do not rely on the 70-minute room-temperature rise for refrigerated dough.

Why did my sesame seeds fall off? The dough may not have been coated thoroughly, or excess pekmez mixture may have dripped away before the seeds were pressed on. Dip each ring on both sides, let only the loose excess run off, and press the sesame onto the sides as well as the top and bottom. Using dry, untoasted sesame seeds also helps them cling and toast evenly.

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? Yes. Use the same weight, 7 g (about 2 1/4 teaspoons), and stir it into the lukewarm water with the sugar. Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, then mix it with the flour and salt. That proofing time is an extra wait, and the dough should still be judged by its puffed appearance rather than by the clock alone.

Do I have to twist two ropes to shape simit? The two-rope twist creates the familiar ridged ring and helps the sesame coating settle around the bread. If you are short on time, you can roll each portion into one long rope and join the ends, but the result will look smoother and have a slightly different texture. Seal the ends firmly whichever method you choose.

Can I make simit without sesame? You can, but it will no longer have the classic sesame-coated character. If sesame is unsuitable, leave it off or press on another seed you can eat, such as nigella; the coating and flavor will differ. The pekmez wash can still be used to encourage an alternative topping to stick.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).