Simit is an iconic Turkish bread often enjoyed for breakfast with tea or as a street food. You can serve it with feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives for a classic Mediterranean breakfast. Simit is also eaten with the yogurt drink ayran or dipped in labneh, a strained salted yogurt; and it is turned into a sweet treat with honey or jam. The twisted shape and sesame seed coating give simit maximum crust texture and surface area. Simit is similar to a bagel in its shape, but it’s easier to make because the dough isn’t boiled before baking. Instead, simit dough is dipped in diluted grape molasses (üzüm pekmezi) before being coated in sesame seeds. This makes the crust just a bit sweet and so delicious.

[Jump to recipe]

Ingredient Options

Grape molasses can be found online or at Greek and Middle Eastern grocery stores. You can aso use date or fig molasses, unsulphered molasses, barley malt syrup, or honey instead — all diluted the same way that is described in the recipe below.

Khorasan on the left; hard white spring wheat on the right

Simit is usually made with bread flour or all purpose flour, but this recipe uses a 50:50 mix of fresh-milled whole grain khorasan flour and whole grain hard white spring wheat flour. As a result, the simits are a little less crispy and light, but they have more flavor and nutrients. Khorasan has a deep golden color and buttery flavor, and hard white wheat adds more stretchy-strength and a delicate wheat flavor. You can use any flour you prefer, keeping in mind that wheat flours with some gluten strength will make it easier to roll, twist, dip, and coat the simit. When you make a flour substitution, add the water slowly and aim for a slightly more hydrated feel than pizza dough.

Some recipes use milk instead of water, and you’re welcome to make this substitution. The crumb will be a bit more tender and the fermentation will take a little longer.

Yeast versus Sourdough

You can make this recipe with instant yeast or sourdough starter (or both) as a same-day process. In a warm summer kitchen, the first rise was under an hour for the instant yeast dough and about 4.5 hours for the sourdough starter dough. If you prefer a longer process, you can use less of each leavening or you can chill the dough. The final proof was also quite short for both types of simit, just until the simits puffed up a little — essentially the duration of the shaping and dipping process and the oven preheat.

Sourdough on left; instant yeast on right

Shaping

This short video shows the dough expansion during the first rise as well as how to shape, dip, and coat the simit. Try to use one hand for dipping and your other hand for spooning on the sesame seeds and transferring the simit to the baking sheet. This will keep the seeds in the bowl from getting too wet after a few simits have been coated.

Whole Grain Turkish Simit (Sourdough and Yeast Options)

This whole grain recipe for Turkish simit incorporates golden khorasan and hard white wheats for extra flavor and nutrition. The twisted sesame-coated crust is full of texture and has a slight sweetness from grape molasses. Enjoy simit with tea and a savory Mediterranean breakfast or drizzle the simit with honey for a sweet afternoon treat.   

Servings

8

Serving Size

1 simit

Prep Time

1 hour

Baking Time

25 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 25 minutes

Ingredients

Sourdough

• 235 grams khorasan whole grain flour (1 3/4 cups, heaping)
• 235 grams hard white whole grain flour (1 3/4 cups, heaping)
• 310 grams water (1 1/3 cups)
• 100 grams sourdough starter (1/3 cup)
• 50 grams oil (1/4 cup)
• 13 grams sugar (1 Tbsp)
• 8 grams salt (1 1/2 tsp)

Yeast

• 260 grams khorasan whole grain flour (2 cups)
• 260 grams hard white whole grain flour (2 cups)
• 360 grams water (1 1/2 cups)
• 50 grams oil (1/4 cup)
• 13 grams sugar (1 Tbsp)
• 6 grams instant yeast (2 tsp)
• 8 grams salt (1 1/2 tsp)

Coating

• 1/4 cup grape or other molasses (70 grams)
• 1/3 cup water (80 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups sesame seeds, toasted (210 grams)

Instructions

• Toast the sesame seeds in a pan on the stove until they are gold. Transfer to a bowl or plate that is wide enough to hold a simit. Whisk together the water and molasses in another wide bowl. Cover and set aside.
• For the instant yeast recipe, briefly bloom the yeast with a warmed-up portion of the water (100-110F) and the sugar. For the sourdough recipe -- if you want similar timing to what is described below -- use ripe sourdough starter that is approaching or just recently doubled. The video above shows the target dough expansion.
• Combine the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. (The mixing and kneading can be done by hand if you don't have a stand mixer.) With the dough hook attachment, mix for about 5 minutes -- low speed for a couple of minutes, followed by medium speed for the rest of the time.
• Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and transfer it to a straightwalled container or bowl. Cover the dough and let it rise until it has doubled. On a hot summer day, this took about 45 minutes for the yeast dough and 4.5 hours for the sourdough dough.
• Flour your work surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Gently de-gas the dough and divide it in 8 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a tube that is about 1/2" thick and 18" long. The final diameter of your simit is really up to you. Fold each tube in half, twist the two strands together, and join the ends into a loop, pressing the connection to seal it.
• When all 8 simit are shaped, prep a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Dip each simit in the molasses and then the toasted sesame seeds. Use a spoon to scoop seeds on the top of the simit and then transfer to the baking sheet.
• Preheat your oven to 425F and let the coated simits proof for 15-30 minutes. It's okay to leave them uncovered because they're damp from the molasses.
• Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet if needed for even browning.
• Let cool for a minimum of 15 minutes. Store in a covered container at room temperature and reheat in a toaster oven to bring back crispness of the crust.