Simit is the most famous street food in Turkey. It is crunchy and nutty on the outside and soft and a little chewy on the inside. Sesame seed coated simits make the best breakfast in this world when accompanied by cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and a cup of tea.
Simit is one of our favorite Turkish bread recipes. We’ve shared several other breads so far. If you love baking breads, check out our pide bread recipe, lavash recipe and country-style flatbread bazlama!
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What Is Simit?
Simit is a type of Turkish bread mostly eaten as a breakfast food. It is known as the meal of the busy people or poor people because it is the cheapest street food in Turkey. We pair it with a glass of Turkish tea for breakfast and with the yogurt drink named ayran for lunch.
As for the meaning; the Turkish word simit got an entry in Oxford dictionary in 2019 and is described as follows: A type of ring-shaped bread roll originating in Turkey, typically coated with molasses and encrusted with sesame seeds before baking.
Oh and if you don't have a single idea about how to make simit, look for a store called Simit Sarayı around you. It is a chain store selling various types of simit all around the world. If you can't find it, then you have to give this simit recipe a try at home!
Bread For Breakfast
Simit bread is the best grab-and-go breakfast for many working people and students during weekdays in Turkey. They mostly buy simit and cheese together either on the way to work/school or at their workplace/school. There is always a simit vendor you can find nearby. They sell fresh sesame simits and small packages of cream cheese together in their small carts. And you buy a simit and a cheese together for the quickest breakfast ever.
Simits are also a staple for a traditional Turkish breakfast. Make the world-famous breakfast dish menemen or Turkish eggs çilbir and serve with some crispy simits. You will feel in heaven!
More Turkish Savory Pastries
- Cheese Borek
- Pogacha Recipe
- Sigara Borek Recipe
- Kusbasili Pide Recipe Homemade
- Turkish Sesame Pepper Bread
Ingredients
You need a simple dough and a sweet nutty coating for a tasty simit recipe.
For the Dough:
- 500g (3 + ¼ cup) flour
- 2 tablespoon dry instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 300ml warm water
For The Coating:
- ½ cup molasses (grape or date)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 300g (about 1 and ½ cups) toasted sesame seeds
Pro Tip: The amount of protein in flour is important to have the right flavor in simit, it must be 13 or more. We searched for the right flour at the market, but it wasn’t very easy, so we had to visit a few markets and finally found one with 14. Check out its label before buying!
How To Make
The recipe has 4 folds.
First, make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast and salt. Gradually pour in the water and mix it with your hand.
Knead it for 5 minutes or until you get a smooth and non-sticky, elastic dough. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.
Cover it and let it rise for about 1 hour, until it doubles in size.
Second, prepare the simit coating. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the molasses, water and flour. Set it aside. Put the sesame seeds in another bowl. Put it aside. If the sesame seeds are raw, toast them in a pan beforehand.
Third, shape the simit dough. When the dough doubles in size after 1 hour, punch it down and transfer on a floured surface. Shape it into a log and cut it into 6 equal pieces. And then cut each piece into two. You will have 12 pieces in total.
Grab two pieces and roll them into a rope, 20 inches/50cm in length. Put these side by side and stick the ends by pinching.
Twist in opposite directions to make a braid. Combine the two ends by pinching them together and make a ring. Repeat this for the remaining dough balls.
Fourth, coat the simit dough and bake. Soak the simit ring into the molasses mixture first and then put it into the sesame seed bowl. Transfer onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven(425F/220C) for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
Note: You can use whole wheat flour in this simit recipe as we have done before. Please see the images below. They turn out a bit harder and crunchier but still tastes good.
Tips & Tricks
- Use toasted sesame seeds for a good simit taste. If you can’t find them toasted at the market, toast them yourself beforehand. To do this, heat a non-stick pan and toast the sesame seeds by stirring occasionally until light brown and you feel that nutty flavor.
- In the coating mixture, don’t leave the flour out. It gives a consistency and helps the mixture stick on the dough ring.
- For a crunchier result, just like we do when baking bread, spray some water into the oven right after you put the prepared dough rings in the oven.
How To Eat
You can eat simits in several ways:
- Eat them as they are, just pairing with a drink like tea or ayran.
- You can prepare a sandwich. Cut it into two lengthwise. Place cheese, tomatoes and lettuce leaves in between. Or you can even make a chocolate sandwich with it. Just spread some nutella between two halves and enjoy!
- You can use chopped simit as a topping on your soup. You can even make croutons. Just heat simit pieces in a pan over the stove or in a baking sheet in the oven until crunchy. Sprinkle some on your soup, you will love it.
- Just like crackers or tortilla chips, you can eat simit with your dips. Get a piece and dip it into spicy acuka sauce, hummus or cheese dips! YUM!
Frequently Asked Questions
It tastes nutty with a subtle sweetness, so it is considered as a savory food and mostly paired with other savory foods.
Yes they are. No eggs or dairy products are used in the recipe. Never.
No it isn’t. Although they look similar in shape, the taste is different because of two reasons. 1)Simits are not boiled like bagels, they are only baked in a very hot oven. 2)Unlike bagels, simits are coated with a generous amount of toasted sesame seeds. This is what makes them unique.
You can reheat them either in the oven or in a pan over medium low heat.
Yes, you can freeze simits for several months and reheat them whenever you want to eat.
More Bread Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Turkish Simit
Simit is a crunchy, ring shaped, braided street bread with an amazing nutty flavor of toasted sesame seeds.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 500g (3 + ¼ cup) flour
- 2 teaspoon dry instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 300ml warm water
For The Coating:
-
½ cup molasses (grape or date)
-
¼ cup water
-
1 tablespoon flour
-
300g (about 1 and ½ cups) toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast and salt.
- Gradually pour in the water and mix it with your hand. Knead it for 5 minutes or until you get a smooth and non-sticky, elastic dough.
- Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.
- Cover it and let it rise for about 1 hour, until it doubles in size.
Prepare the coating:
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the molasses, water and flour. Set it aside.
- Put the sesame seeds in another bowl. Put it aside. If the sesame seeds are raw, toast them in a pan beforehand.
Shape the simit dough:
- When the dough doubles in size after 1 hour, punch it down and transfer on a floured surface. Shape it into a log and cut it into 6 equal pieces. And then cut each piece into two. You will have 12 pieces in total.
- Grab two pieces and roll them into a rope, 20 inches/50cm in length.
- Put these side by side and stick the ends by pinching.
- Twist in opposite directions to make a braid.
- Combine the two ends by pinching them together and make a ring.
- Repeat this for the remaining dough balls.
Coat the simit dough and bake:
- Preheat the oven at 425C/220C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put it aside.
- Soak the simit ring into the molasses mixture first and then put it into the sesame seed bowl. Transfer onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
Notes
- The amount of protein in flour is important to have the right flavor in simit, it must be 13 or more. We searched for the right flour at the market, but it wasn’t very easy, so we had to visit a few markets and finally found one with 14. Check out its label before buying!
- Use toasted sesame seeds for a good simit taste. If you can’t find them toasted at the market, toast them yourself beforehand. To do this, heat a non-stick pan and toast the sesame seeds by stirring occasionally until light brown and you feel that nutty flavor.
- In the coating mixture, don’t leave the flour out. It gives a consistency and helps the mixture stick on the dough ring.For a crunchier result, just like we do when baking bread, spray some water into the oven right after you put the prepared dough rings in the oven.
Keywords: simit, simit recipe, turkish simit, how to make simit
Ruby says
Hello can we use pomegranate molasses? Thank you
Yusuf says
Hi Ruby,
The pomegranate molasses we use in Turkish cuisine is quite tangy unlike date molasses or grape molasses. So we never use it when making simit. It is a salad dressing for us. However, if the one you have is as sweet as date/grape molasses, you can use it. Hope this helps.
Erica says
These turned out amazing! Freezing some now and will bring them to the table for breakfast at the weekend.
★★★★★
maryannemrcc55@gmail.com says
Hi Yusuf and Zerrin, Tks for your lovely recipes. I'd like to try the simit. Had a hard time finding the grape molassrs. Do you dip the simits whole in the molasses mix or just the top? They look delicious. Tks.
Yusuf says
Hi there! We dip the simits whole. Make sure they are coated well. This will give them a nice golden color all over the simits. Let us know what you think when you try it!
Marann says
Hi Zerrin, do you dip the whole simit in the molasses mix or just the top. Tks for your wonderful recipes.
★★★★★
Yusuf says
Hi Marann! We dip the whole simit into the molasses mix.
Laurie says
At what oven temperature are these baked?
Yusuf says
Hi Laurie,
Thank you so much for asking this. Bake it in a preheated oven at 425F/220C. Just added it in the recipe card.
Marann says
Hi, I made your Menemen recipen and it was delicious. I also tried your Beef Pide yesterday and it also went down well with my husband who isn't a fan of new recipes. I got interested in Turkish food lately after watching a few Turkish TV series
. I'd like to try your simit now.. had a hard time finding grape molasses..I like your recipes as I think they are authentic and also easy to follow. Keep it up
Yusuf says
Hi Marann! Happy to hear that you loved our menemen and pide recipes! New recipes might be challenging, so you must have done a great job as your husband loved them too. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us here!
Marann says
Thank you
★★★★★
carly says
How much salt should be added to the dough?
Yusuf says
1 teaspoon salt is fine.
Steven says
Great recipe. Very frustrating that adverts appear over the top of the recipe instructions. Badly designed webpage.
★★★★
Henry says
Simit brings me back to my childhood in Egypt where we used to buy them from the street vendors....sometimes going to the cinema En Plein Air eating a simit with a slice of cheese or a hard boiled egg with salt and pepper. Loved eating them.
My question is making simit at home can I substitute molasses for vegetable oil.
Thank you,
Henry
Yusuf says
How lovely memories! Well, molasses is for a bit sweetness and color. So vegetable oil won't give the same effect.
Irene says
Hi guys! Thank you for the recipe and the pictures! I made these with all purpose flour and they turned out great! I heated the leftovers in a non-stick pan and they tasted as if I had just made them. Will definitely make it again!
★★★★★
Yusuf says
Hi Irene! So glad to hear that you loved this simit recipe! Heating it in a pan is what we do especially for our Sunday breakfast.
Marleen says
Such a wonderful recepie! By the way, the amount of salt is missing in the ingredients list! 😉
Liz says
Do you think I could make these the night before up until the molasses and sesame seeds and then bake in the morning?
Zerrin says
Never tried it that way Liz, but I think it's ok to make the dough overnight. I sometimes make such yeast dough pastries the night before and fill it with something and bake the following day.
Karin Anderson says
Interesting what you mention about the protein content of the flour. Here in the US flour has a much higher protein content than European flours, and I had a hard time figuring out why my German rolls didn't turn out right (with a fluffy, pull-out crumb, instead of a chewy, baguette like one).
When I was in Hamburg last time, I looked for permez, but couldn't find it. Here in the US there is (sadly) not much Turkish food, anyway.
Happy Baking!
Erkin says
I'm glad my usual breakfast has inspired you to cook it at home. I would ask you to cook and bring me some for a breakfast, but simit is delicious only if it is fresh, so I and Utku(he loves simit) will call on for a five o'clock tea on a Saturday.
Another important tip about simit: Simit+cheese+tea makes a breakfast, simit+ayran makes a lunch.
Enjoy it!
Zerrin says
Erkin, we can make it for you and sweet Utku any time you want. Just call us before coming and your simit will be ready right when you come.
Thanks for additional info about simit+ayran.
Stamatia says
Hi Zerrin,
The recipe is missing from the bottom of the page!
I've still never managed to find grape molasses here, only "regular" (sugarcane) molasses, and now I can get carob or pomegranate molasses...but no grape. 🙁
Zerrin says
Thank you Stamatia for warning! I fixed it and now the recipe must be displayed.
As carob molasses has the same color and similar sweetness, I guess it works fine for this recipe, so you can use it.
Hana says
Hi Zerrin..thanks for your reply! Over here in Malaysia we don't produce molasses so i believe what we import are sugarcane molasses from the US. I think i will mak e more research on this hehe. Thanks!
Hana says
Hello! These look so yummy! Could I substitute grape molasses with regular molasses?
Zerrin says
Hi Hana,
I don't know what regular molasses is, we have grape molasses here, which has a dark brown color and sweet flavor. We use it in this recipe especially for its color and quite little sweetness. If your regular molasses is the same, you can use it.
Devon says
Regular molasses are a by product of producing whit sugar. They mix some of it back in with the sugar to make brown sugar.