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A golden brown round baked good coated in sesame seeds.
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Turkish Simit Recipe

If you love fresh, homemade bread, this simit recipe is a must-try. It’s a simple yeast dough, shaped into rings, dipped in a molasses bath, and generously coated in sesame seeds before baking to golden perfection.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Turkish
Servings: 6
Calories: 442kcal
Author: Jacqueline Piper

Ingredients

Dough

Coating

  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup toasted sesame seeds
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Make the dough:

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, and yeast. Mix well. Add most of the water and mix well. Add more water as needed. The dough should not be sticky, it should be smooth and come away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-6 minutes to achieve this.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • Portion into twelve portions, about 60 grams each.
  • Working with two portions at a time, shape each portion into a long strip about 16 inches long.
  • Place two strips side by side and then twist them, so they wrap around each other in a spiral.
  • Connect the ends of the strips into a circle shape, pinching the dough together. This is the simit shape.
  • Set the simit on a lightly floured work counter to rest and repeat with the rest of the portions until you have 6 simits.

To coat the simit:

  • Mix the water, molasses and flour together in a wide deep bowl.
  • Place the sesame seeds on a plate.
  • Coat each simit first in the molasses mixture and then in the sesame seeds.
  • Place the simit on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until light and crunchy.

Video

Notes

For this recipe, grape molasses is typically used. Here in Canada, that's not easily available to me, so I use Fancy Molasses. It's a by-product of sugarcane from sugar processing. Don't use blackstrap molasses—it's more processed and quite bitter, and isn't right for this recipe.
The dough should be elastic and smooth, not sticky. If it’s too dry, add a little water; if too sticky, sprinkle in extra flour.
Simit is best enjoyed fresh. Store extra simit in an airtight container at room temperature for about two days.

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 7mg