Simit
simit
Sesame rings, chewy, sold on the street — dunked in pekmez before the sesame if you are doing it properly.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: simit.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price

About
Simit is a twisted ring of dough dipped in grape molasses (pekmez) and sesame, baked until the crust is mahogany. Honey-water is the grocery stand-in for pekmez. It should chew. A bagel is a cousin, not a translation.
Ingredients
- Wheat flour500 g
- Yeast7 g
- Water280 ml
- Olive oil15 ml
- Honey, or pekmez, thinned with water44 ml
- Sesame seeds150 g
- Salt7.4 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Knead dough, rise 1 hour. Divide, roll ropes, twist into rings. Rest 20 minutes.
80 minStep 2
Dip in honey-water, then sesame. Bake at 200°C 18–20 minutes until deep brown.
20 min
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Honey → Grape molasses
The usual street dip.
Tips
- Pekmez is the right dip. Honey is the honest stand-in.
- Eat the same day.
History & culture
Breakfast with tea, cheese, tomato. The street tray.
Ottoman street bread. The sesame coat is the one people photograph.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Miomir Magdevski via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simits%20on%20a%20street%20stand%20in%20Istanbul.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Simit take?
2 hr 20 min all in — 30 min prep, 20 min cook, 1 hr 30 min rest. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 8 rings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Sesame. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Oven, Baking tray.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1½ tsp.
How much honey?
3 tbsp (or pekmez, thinned with water) of Honey.
What can I use instead?
Honey → Grape molasses. The usual street dip.
Any tips from this recipe?
Pekmez is the right dip. Honey is the honest stand-in. Eat the same day.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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