This bagel brings back so many memories from my childhood. On the sidewalks of Jerusalem, there are bagel carts with huge piles of oval- shaped, sesame-coated bagels wrapped in that day’s newspaper with a little bag of za’atar. Unlike New York bagels, Jerusalem bagels are not boiled, but rather dipped in a sweet syrup before they are coated with sesame seeds and then baked. They have a beautiful mix of sweet and savory notes in every bite. Enjoy these with a bit of olive oil and za’atar and you will be transported directly to the old city of Jerusalem.
Note: You need a kitchen scale for this recipe.
Excerpted from “Eat Small Plates: Vibrant, Shareable Dishes for Daily Joy” by Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov. Copyright © 2025 Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
Read more about Ben and Zikki Siman-Tov, their journey to social media fame and this cookbook here.
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Jerusalem Bagel Recipe
A taste of the old city of Jerusalem.
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 bagels
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 285 g lukewarm water (between 105°F (40°C) and 115°F (46°C))
- 30 g sugar
- 10 g active dry yeast
- 400 g bread flour
- 100 g whole wheat flour
- 40 g extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 g fine sea salt
- olive oil, for coating the bowl
For the topping:
- 400 g water
- 200 g sugar
- 1 cup sesame seeds
For dipping:
- 2 Tbsp za’atar
- extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, add the water, sugar, yeast, bread flour and whole wheat flour. Pour the olive oil on top and mix well until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the salt and continue to knead the dough using your hands for 8-10 minutes, until it is elastic and smooth.
- Round the dough into a tight ball. Using a paper towel, lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest until it has doubled in size, 1 hour-1 hour 30 minutes.
- Make the simple syrup for the topping: While the dough is rising, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water and the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- After the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and divide it into six 150 g pieces using a kitchen scale. Round each piece into a tight ball and set aside, covered with a kitchen towel, for 10-15 minutes.
- Roll each ball into a thin, long strand. Connect the top and bottom of the strand together and roll the ends together to seal it into a long oval bagel shape.
- Coat the bagels: Pour the simple syrup and sesame seeds into two separate baking trays. First, dip the bagel into the syrup, ensuring that all sides are coated with an even layer of syrup. Then, coat the entire bagel evenly with sesame seeds, flipping once (you may have leftover seeds). Repeat until all the bagels are coated.
- Place the bagels about 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes, or until the bagels have doubled in size. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Once your bagels have doubled in size, bake them for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the bagels from the oven and let cool on a rack.
- Serve the bagels fresh with a small dipping bowl filled with the za’atar and a small dipping bowl of your favorite olive oil.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, including rising time
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Israeli
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