Koulouri Thessalonikis – The Greek Sesame Bagel Recipe
Koulouri Thessalonikis is a beloved Greek street food, known as the Greek sesame bagel. This recipe features a soft, chewy dough coated generously in sesame seeds, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, these circular bread rings offer a delightful crunch on the outside and a tender inside with a subtle sweetness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 koulouria 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 16 g Dry active yeast (0.56 oz)
- 300 ml Water (10 fl.oz), lukewarm
- 150 g Strong flour (5.3 oz) (Bread flour)
- 350 g All-purpose flour (12.3 oz)
- 50 g Granulated sugar (1.8 oz)
- 10 g Salt (0.35 oz)
- Olive oil, to grease the bowl
Coating and boiling
- 500 ml Water (17 fl.oz)
- 2 Tbsp Granulated sugar
- 200 g Sesame seeds (7 oz)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a bowl, combine lukewarm water and dry active yeast. Let it rest for 5-6 minutes until the yeast mixture becomes foamy, indicating it’s active.
- Mix Dough: In the mixing bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the strong flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Add in the activated yeast mixture and mix on medium/high speed for 7-8 minutes until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Hand Knead (Optional): If no mixer is available, knead the dough by hand on a clean surface for about 15 minutes until soft, elastic, and pulling away.
- First Rise: Generously grease a bowl with olive oil, transfer the dough into it, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Prepare Dipping Solutions: In one bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar in 500 ml water. In a separate bowl, place the sesame seeds for coating.
- Divide Dough: On a clean work surface, cut the risen dough into approximately 10 equal pieces.
- Shape Dough Balls: Lightly brush your surface with olive oil if dough sticks. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and cover them with a towel to prevent drying.
- Form Rings: Roll each ball into a long roll using your hands, then join the ends to form a circle ensuring uniform size and shape for all.
- Dip Rings: Fully dip each ring into the sugar water mixture to coat.
- Coat with Sesame: Immediately after dipping, transfer each wet ring into the bowl of sesame seeds and gently coat evenly using a spoon.
- Bake: Place 4 coated koulouria on baking pans lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown, watching closely to avoid over-browning.
Notes
- Use lukewarm water (about 38°C/100°F) to activate the yeast properly.
- You can substitute bread flour with all-purpose flour, but bread flour yields a chewier texture.
- Do not add extra flour when shaping as it can toughen the dough; use olive oil on the hands and surface instead.
- The sugar water bath helps the sesame seeds stick and adds a slight sweetness and gloss to the crust.
- If you prefer a softer crust, brush the koulouri with olive oil immediately after baking.
- Store cooled koulouria in an airtight container; they are best fresh but keep 2-3 days well.
Keywords: Koulouri Thessalonikis, Greek sesame bagel, Greek bread, sesame seed bagel, traditional Greek recipe, homemade bread
