How To Make Simit (Turkish Bagel) Recipe

I perfected a Simit Recipe with only six vegan ingredients, showing a straightforward way to make sesame-crusted Turkish rings ideal for breakfast, sandwiches, or a portable snack.

I love the crackle you get when a Simit Recipe meets a really thick sesame crust, and this one surprised me, honestly. I wanted something fast but not fake, a street food vibe that works on a breakfast board or stuffed for lunch.

Using simple bread flour and lots of sesame seeds gives that slightly nutty snap, and there’s a sticky trick that makes the crust cling like it should, you know? It’s chewy, but light, more like Chewy Bread than a dense roll, and once you try it you’ll keep thinking about how you can twist it next time.

Ingredients

How To Make Simit (Turkish Bagel)

• Bread flour: High protein flour gives chewy structured crumb and lots of gluten for that bagel bite.
• Lukewarm water: Hydrates dough and activates yeast, no flavor changes, just essential for texture tho.
• Instant dry yeast: Makes dough rise quick, adds subtle fermentation aroma and slight tang.
• Fine salt: Enhances flavor, strengthens gluten network and controls yeast activity for balanced rise.
• Grape molasses (pekmez): Its sweet dark syrup gives glaze color and a mild fruity sweetness.
• Sesame seeds, toasted: Crunchy nutty coating adds healthy fats, fiber and irresistible texture.

Ingredient Quantities

• 500 g bread flour (about 4 cups)
• 320 ml lukewarm water (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 7 g instant dry yeast (1 packet or ~2 tsp)
• 10 g fine salt (around 1 1/2 tsp)
• 3 tbsp grape molasses (pekmez)
• 200 g sesame seeds, toasted (about 1 1/3 cups)

How to Make this

1. In a big bowl mix 500 g bread flour, 7 g instant yeast and 10 g fine salt, then add 320 ml lukewarm water and stir until a shaggy dough forms; if it’s too sticky add a tablespoon of flour, too dry add a splash of water.

2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a stand mixer with dough hook for the same time.

3. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.

4. While dough rises lightly toast the sesame if not already toasted: dry fry 200 g sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat, stirring, until golden and nutty, then cool.

5. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) and line baking trays with parchment or use a preheated baking stone for a crisper crust.

6. Punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal pieces (about 90 g each for standard size); roll each piece into a long rope roughly 50 to 60 cm long on a lightly floured surface.

7. To shape each simit fold the rope in half, twist the two strands around each other a couple of times then join the ends and press firmly to seal and form a ring; don’t worry if they look imperfect they’re supposed to be a little rustic.

8. Mix 3 tbsp grape molasses with about 3 tbsp warm water until pourable, then brush or quickly dip each ring in the pekmez mix so it’s evenly coated.

9. Press the sticky rings into the toasted sesame so they are well covered, place on the prepared trays, let rest about 15 to 25 minutes for a short proof while the oven finishes heating.

10. Bake at 220°C for 15 to 20 minutes until deep golden and crisp, rotate trays halfway for even color, then cool on a rack a bit before eating — they’re best the same day and awesome with tea.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (big enough for 500 g flour)
2. Digital kitchen scale and measuring spoons (precision helps)
3. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring
4. Stand mixer with dough hook, or just your hands for kneading
5. Bench scraper or sharp knife to divide dough
6. Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap to cover the bowl
7. Heavy frying pan or skillet for toasting sesame seeds
8. Baking trays or a preheated baking stone plus parchment paper
9. Pastry brush or shallow bowl for the pekmez dip
10. Cooling rack for the finished simit

FAQ

How To Make Simit (Turkish Bagel) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bread flour: use all-purpose flour plus 1 tbsp vital wheat gluten per cup to keep the chew, or just all-purpose alone (it’ll be softer, less chewy).
• Instant dry yeast: swap with active dry yeast at 1.25x the weight and proof in warm water 5-10 min first, or use fresh yeast at about 3x the weight crumbled into the water.
• Grape molasses (pekmez): substitute with pomegranate molasses, or dark molasses diluted 1:1 with warm water, or honey plus a squeeze of lemon for a touch of tang.
• Toasted sesame seeds: try nigella seeds or poppy seeds for a different flavour, or mix sesame with toasted sunflower seeds for extra crunch.

Pro Tips

– Do an autolyse: mix the flour and water first and let it sit 20 to 30 minutes before adding salt and yeast. It will make the dough silkier so you wont need to knead so hard and the crumb will be nicer.

– For better flavor, try a slow cold ferment in the fridge overnight after the first little rise, then shape the next day. The longer, cooler proof gives a deeper taste, just remember to bring the dough back to room temp so it relaxes before shaping.

– Warm the grape molasses a bit so it flows easier, then press the rings into the sesame with a firm hand or a flat plate so seeds stick well and dont fall off while baking. If your hands get sticky, lightly oil them instead of using more flour.

– Use a hot baking stone or preheated tray and add a little steam at the start by tossing a few ice cubes onto a hot pan or spraying water quickly, this helps get a crisp shiny crust; reheat any leftovers in a hot oven for a few minutes to bring back the crunch.