Sekerpare
Şekerpare (Sekerpare) is a classic Turkish dessert made with tender semolina cookies soaked in a sweet lemon syrup. The syrup sinks into the freshly baked cookies, giving them an incredibly soft, moist, and slightly crumbly texture.
Despite their beautiful appearance, Şekerpare are surprisingly easy to make at home. The dough comes together with simple ingredients, including semolina, flour, butter, and coconut, before being shaped, baked until golden, and soaked with warm syrup.
Serve these Turkish semolina cookies with Turkish coffee or tea, or enjoy them as a sweet treat after dinner. They are especially wonderful for Ramadan, Eid, celebrations, or whenever you’re craving a syrupy Turkish dessert.
What Is Şekerpare?
Şekerpare is a traditional Turkish dessert made from small semolina-based cookies that are baked until golden and then soaked in sweet syrup.
The name comes from the Turkish words şeker, meaning sugar, and pare, meaning piece—so Şekerpare can be translated as “a piece of sweetness.”
Unlike crisp cookies, Şekerpare are meant to absorb the syrup. This gives them their characteristic soft, moist, tender texture while the semolina adds a delicate crumb.
They are commonly finished with a nut or a little pistachio and served with Turkish tea or coffee.
Why You’ll Love This Şekerpare Recipe
- Great for celebrations: Şekerpare makes a lovely dessert for Ramadan, Eid, family gatherings, or when you want something a little special.
- Soft and syrupy: The freshly baked cookies soak up the lemon-sugar syrup while keeping their tender, slightly crumbly texture.
- Simple ingredients: You only need everyday baking ingredients plus fine semolina.
- Easy to shape: They look impressive, but shaping the cookies is surprisingly simple.
- Perfect with coffee or tea: Their sweet, buttery flavor pairs beautifully with Turkish coffee or a cup of tea.
Şekerpare Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this Turkish dessert.
- Fine semolina: Gives Şekerpare their characteristic tender, slightly grainy texture. If you only have coarse semolina, pulse it briefly in a grinder until finer.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure while still allowing the cookies to remain soft enough to absorb the syrup.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for a rich, buttery flavor.
- Shredded coconut: Adds extra flavor and texture to my version of Şekerpare.
- Egg: Helps bind the dough together. The yolk is also brushed over the cookies before baking for a beautiful golden finish.
- Sugar: Used in both the cookie dough and the syrup.
- Baking powder: Gives the cookies a lighter, tender texture.
- Lemon juice: Added to the sugar syrup for a subtle tang that balances its sweetness.
- Pistachios and coconut: An optional finishing touch that makes the Şekerpare especially pretty when served.
How to Make Şekerpare
1. Make the Syrup
Add the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 8 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the cookies.
2. Prepare the Dough
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Beat the egg with the vanilla for about a minute, then add the sugar and beat until slightly lighter. Mix in the fine semolina followed by the shredded coconut.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients
In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add this to the semolina mixture, then add the butter.
Use your hands to gently bring the dough together. Do not knead it, since overworking the dough can make the Şekerpare tough.
4. Shape the Şekerpare
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each one into a small log. Make a slight indentation along the center, then arrange them on a baking tray.
Brush with egg yolk and use a fork to create decorative lines on top.
5. Bake
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the Şekerpare are beautifully golden.
6. Add the Syrup
As soon as the Şekerpare come out of the oven, pour the warm syrup evenly over them. Allow them to absorb the syrup before transferring them to a serving plate.
Garnish with crushed pistachios or shredded coconut and serve.
Tips for the Best Şekerpare
- Use fine semolina. It gives the cookies a more delicate texture and helps them absorb the syrup evenly.
- Don’t knead the dough. Gently bring it together with your hands. Overworking it can make the Şekerpare tough.
- Make an indentation when shaping. This helps the cookies hold their shape and reduces cracking while they bake.
- Bake until golden. The cookies need enough color and structure to absorb the syrup without falling apart.
- Add the syrup while the Şekerpare are hot. Pour the warm syrup over them as soon as they come out of the oven so they absorb it well.
- Give them time to soak. Let the Şekerpare sit in the syrup before serving so the centers become beautifully moist and tender.
Şekerpare vs Romoosh El Set
Şekerpare is a Turkish dessert, while Romoosh El Set (Remosh El Set) is a similar syrup-soaked semolina sweet found in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East.
The two share many similarities, including a tender semolina dough, decorative shaping, and sweet syrup. However, recipes and traditional shapes can vary depending on the country and family making them.
This recipe is my version of Turkish Şekerpare, with shredded coconut in the dough and a warm lemon-sugar syrup poured over the cookies after baking.
Delicious Variations
- Add a nut on top: Press a hazelnut, almond, or walnut gently into each Şekerpare before baking for a more traditional-looking finish and extra crunch.
- Change the shape: You can make them round, oval, or use the decorative log shape shown in my video. Just keep them similar in size so they bake evenly.
- Try orange: Replace the lemon juice in the syrup with a little fresh orange juice for a different citrus flavor.
- Keep them simple: Skip the pistachio and coconut garnish if you prefer—the syrup-soaked Şekerpare are delicious on their own.
How to Store Şekerpare
- Room temperature: Store Şekerpare in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep some of the syrup with them so they stay moist and tender.
- Refrigerator: You can refrigerate them if you prefer, but let them come closer to room temperature before serving for a softer texture.
- Freezer: Freeze Şekerpare in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then bring them to room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Şekerpare taste like?
Şekerpare has a rich, buttery flavor with a light citrus note from the lemon syrup. The cookies are soft, moist, and tender rather than crisp.
Why is my Şekerpare hard?
The dough may have been overworked or the cookies baked too long. Bring the dough together gently without kneading and bake only until golden.
Why didn’t my Şekerpare absorb the syrup?
Pour the warm syrup over the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven, then give them enough time to soak before serving.
Can I make Şekerpare ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, making them ahead gives the cookies plenty of time to absorb the syrup. Store them covered until ready to serve.
What kind of semolina should I use for Şekerpare?
Fine semolina works best for this recipe. If yours is coarse, pulse it briefly in a grinder before using it.
More Turkish and Middle Eastern Desserts
Şekerpare Recipe (Turkish Semolina Cookies)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
TO BRUSH THE COOKIES
- 1 egg yolk
FOR THE SYRUP
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
TO MAKE THE SYRUP
- In a small pan, add the sugar, lemon juice, and water, mix well, and bring to a boil.
- Let it simmer for 8 minutes.
- The syrup should be warm when you are pouring it over the cookies.
TO MAKE THE COOKIES
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a mixing bowl, add the egg and vanilla, beat for one minute. Then add the sugar and beat until slightly light.
- Add the semolina and mix well then add the coconut and mix until combined.
- In a different bowl mix the flour with baking powder or you can sift them together over the previous mixture.
- Mix the flour with the wet ingredients then add the butter and mix well with your hands. The goal here is not to knead but to gather the dough to come together. If you knead the dough the cookies will turn out tough.
- The dough shouldn’t be sticky. Form twelve balls from the dough. Take a ball and roll it into a small log. Press your finger along the middle of the log to make it look somewhat like a small boat. Do the same with all the balls.
- Place them over a baking pan and brush them with the egg yolk. Run the fork over them to create lines.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are golden.
- Take the cookies out of the oven and pour the warm syrup all of them. Wait for two minutes then remove the cookies from the baking pan and transfer them to a serving plate.
- Garnish with crushed pistachios and shredded coconuts.
Notes
- You can make the cookies in any shape you prefer but make sure to press in the middle to prevent it from cracking breaking while baking.
- It is important not to knead the dough or the cookies will come out tough and the flavor of the butter will be lost.
- You have to pour the syrup immediately after the cookies are out of the oven.
- If you only have rough semolina then pulse them for a few times in the grinder to make then fine.
They sound and look excellent!
Thank you Angie, they were delicious and just melts in the mouth.
My Turkish friend sent me this recipe, and I thought I’d give it a try! I didn’t have some of the ingredients sadly, so I added orange to the syrup, used walnuts and cardamom in the dough, and used masa flour instead of semolina. The recipe turned out great (I think)! Thank you for sharing, My friend said she liked it!
You made my day 😊! Please thank your friend on my behalf. And thank you for trying my recipe and sharing your version with me and my readers. I’m sure they appreciate it, and so do I. Have a great day!
I was looking for something a little different for a cookie exchange and found this recipe – I will absolutely make these again! They were a big hit, and not difficult to make…thank you for introducing me to something new!
Hi Darcy, Thanks for making this recipe and leaving your feedback I highly appreciate it!