Acma

Acma is a soft and buttery Turkish bread ring, sold in bakeries and by street vendors all over Turkey. The dough is enriched with milk, oil, and butter, and scented with mahleb. It bakes up golden, pillowy, and lightly sweet.

This recipe makes 16 rings with about 20 minutes of hands-on work plus two rises. I eat them warm with cheese, olives, and a glass of Turkish Tea - Çay.

What Is Açma?

Açma sits somewhere between bread and pastry: a ring of yeast dough glazed with egg yolk and baked until deep gold.

It belongs to the same family of soft doughs as Paskalya Çöreği (Tsoureki) - Easter Bread, and some bakers add yogurt as well to keep the crumb light.

Açma is everyday breakfast food in Turkey, eaten on the way to work or school. It looks like a bagel, but the dough is never boiled, so the rings bake up light and fluffy instead of chewy.

Açma vs. Simit: What’s the Difference?

Many people mistake açma for Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagel) due to their similar ring-like shape, but the two breads are quite different:

Feature	Açma	Simit
Texture	Soft, fluffy, buttery	Crunchy, chewy, slightly dense
Preparation	Made with butter and milk for richness	Coated in molasses and sesame seeds for a nutty, crispy crust
Baking Process	Directly baked in the oven	Dipped in molasses and rolled in sesame seeds before baking
Common Fillings	Cheese, olives, chocolate	Usually plain, sometimes with cheese

If you cannot decide, make both: simit for crunch, açma for softness.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Flour - All-purpose flour (plain flour in the UK) works best for the light and fluffy texture we are after.

• Milk - I use lukewarm whole milk or 2% milk to add softness and flavor. Skim milk would not give the same results.

• Butter - Good quality unsalted butter gives acma its signature rich taste. It should be soft enough to be able to spread it on the dough but not melted.

• Egg - The egg white helps with the dough's texture, while the yolk is used as an egg wash to give a slight golden color. Use a medium-sized, fresh, free-range egg at room temperature.

• Yeast - You can use fast-action dry yeast, instant yeast, or fresh yeast to help the dough rise.

• Mahleb - The secret ingredient here, which gives it its aromatic bakery fragrance. It has a sweet and fruity smell, and when you bake with it, the entire house smells like a pastane. Middle Eastern shops and online retailers carry it, and the rings are still very good without it.

How to Make Acma?

Prepare the Dough

Start by activating the yeast. Mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy, which shows the yeast is alive and working.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture, vegetable oil, mahleb, and the egg white. 

Mix until a sticky dough forms. Alternatively, you can use your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.

Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, knead for about 6-7 minutes on medium speed with a dough hook.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Shape the Rings

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Once the dough has risen, pinch the dough down to release the air. Lightly drizzle your worktop with a little oil, then place the dough on it.

Press the dough gently with your hands to stretch and thin it out to approximately 15" x 20" (40 cm x 50 cm).

Once the dough is stretched enough, spread ¾ of the softened butter over it, then fold the edges toward the center. The layers of butter trapped between the folds are what give acma its pull-apart, stringy texture.

Spread the rest of the butter on top and fold the dough again. Next, press down gently on the dough to shape it into a rectangular shape to a size of 10" x 17" (27 cm x 44cm).

Cut the dough into 16 strips about one finger width wide. Twist and shape the dough strips into bread rolls until all the dough is used up. 

Place the shaped rings on a lined baking sheet, leaving space for them to expand.

Second Rise and Bake the Bread Rings

Cover the shaped dough with a cloth and let it rest for another 30 minutes. Brush the tops with the egg yolk mixed with a splash of milk for a shiny, golden crust.

Optionally, sprinkle sesame or nigella seeds for extra flavor.

Bake at 356°F (180°C) for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let the rings cool slightly before serving, and cover them with a clean damp cloth as they cool if you want them extra soft.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Weigh your ingredients on an electronic scale, as baking is far less forgiving of cup measurements than cooking.

• Knead until the dough is smooth and as soft as an earlobe, which is the traditional Turkish test for this dough.

• Use good quality unsalted butter, soft enough to spread but not melted; the butter between the folds is what gives the rings their pull-apart layers.

• Let both rises finish properly, as a well-risen dough is what makes the rings fluffy.

• Brush the tops with egg yolk mixed with a splash of milk for a shiny crust that stays soft.

• Cover the baked rings with a clean damp cloth as they cool to keep them soft.

Serving Suggestions

There are many ways to eat these rings:

With a full Turkish breakfast - my Turkish Breakfast Recipes post has ideas for the rest of the table.

Plain - freshly baked and warm, straight from the oven.

With jam or honey - my Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam is the one I reach for.

Stuffed with chocolate or cheese - fold a little into each strip before you twist them.

Storage and Make Ahead

These rings are best eaten fresh, but they keep well. Store the rings in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or up to a week in the fridge, and warm them slightly before eating.

They freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature and reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.

If you are baking them ahead for guests, cover the rings with a clean damp cloth while they cool, as it keeps them soft for longer.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious Turkish breakfast pastry recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these deliciously soft and fluffy Açma - Turkish Soft Bread Rings as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂