The Ultimate Guide to Turkish Snacks

The United States would like to think it dominates the global snack game with its Dunkaroos, Oreos, and Doritos, but that’s simply due to an overinflated ego or, to put it more politely, a lack of experience with snacks from around the world.  We sang the praises of the snacks earlier this week . Now, I’m here to open your eyes to the vast and delicious world of Turkish snacks.

Think of Çokonat. A simple chocolate-covered wafer filled with hazelnut cream, this sweet and crispy Turkish snack brings back memories of all the summers I spent with my family in Ankara and Istanbul. Luckily, I don’t have to go all the way to Turkey to enjoy snacks made by brands like Ülker and Eti. When my mom visits Long Island, we stop by the local Turkish grocery store on our way home from the train station (it’s basically a tradition at this point). While my mom shops, I rush to the snacks because I’m almost 30 and still not working. Standing there, I’m greeted by the most amazing array of chocolates, cookies, cakes, and more. Here are 20 Turkish snacks that I think are worth trying.

Ulker Chocolate Wafer

These chocolate wafers are a childhood favorite. When my grandma would send me to the grocery store, she would give me extra money so I could buy a pack of 10. One is never enough.

Coconat

If Ülker’s chocolate wafer were to level up, it would become Çokonat. Filled with crispy wafers, hazelnut cream (and bonus: hazelnuts), and covered in semisweet chocolate, this candy bar is truly unique to Turkey. I have yet to find another one like it.

Allure and Dido

They are Turkey’s Twix and Kit Kat, respectively. And like most countries with their own versions of the American candy, they’re better.

Coconut Star

Do you find yourself eating an Almond Joy and thinking, "I wish there wasn't a whole almond in the middle of my Joy"? Enter: Coco Star.

Metro

Maybe that's an exaggeration, but for me, eating Milky Way is like chewing on skin. I find that's because of the chocolate shell and the caramel, both of which are very thick. That's why I prefer Subway. The caramel on top of the nougat isn't too thick — and the Cadbury isn't runny. No, Subway is just double perfection, wrapped in a thin, delicious chocolate shell.

Ulker Chocolate

Ülker's milk chocolates are classic. But if you want to try something even more Turkish, opt for milk chocolates with pistachios or hazelnuts. In my opinion, these two nuts pair better with chocolate than almonds.

Halley

Lotte Choco Pie is to South Korea what Halley is to Turkey, where Turkish delight is placed between two biscuits and covered with chocolate, creating a perfect harmony.

Bagel Sticks

This is a staple at Turkish gas stations. I bought three packs on my way from Akçakoca to Ankara. The perfect crunchy, salty snack for any road trip.

Tea Biscuits

Ülker's tea biscuits are a must-have pantry staple in every Turkish home. They go great with tea, of course, but I also like to eat a few with milk or soda, especially Uludağ Gazoz, a Turkish fruit-flavoured soft drink. They're not too sweet, have a slight vanilla flavour and go well with Uludağ.

Polypropylene

Imagine two tea biscuits with a layer of cocoa cream inside. Cocoprens is a sumptuous yet simple treat that is best paired with coffee or enjoyed on its own.

Haylayf and Draw

If you’re looking for a more varied tea biscuit, consider Haylayf or Çizi. Haylayf is a sweet cookie sprinkled with sugar and Çizi is a crispy cheese-flavoured cracker. Both are welcome at tea time.

Ladies

This is my favorite from Ülker's cookie line: chocolate hazelnut cookies. I pick up a pack before boarding my flight from Istanbul to New York.

Chinese Orange Jelly Biscuits

Eti's iconic shortbread is basically a distant cousin of the British jaffa cake. Instead of a soft sponge covered in orange jam and finished with chocolate, you get shortbread, orange jelly and chocolate sprinkles.

Puff Biscuits

If there's one thing Eti is good at, it's topping cookies with something and finishing them with sprinkles. In this case, it's a marshmallow ball. I'm more partial to a rainbow fudge Puff, but the chocolate fudge one is pretty popular.

Pop Cake

A sweet and moist fun-sized cake filled with chocolate cream (or my favorite: banana cream) and topped with another layer of chocolate. What more could you ask for?

Crack

These pretzel sticks come in a variety of flavors, from “extra cheese” to “extra herbs,” and I find they pair best with tea. In fact, when I board the ferry in Istanbul, I’ll grab a bag of extra-herb Crax and tea from the onboard café and treat myself to a little treat on the upper deck. If I’m feeling generous, I’ll toss a few to the seagulls circling nearby.

Sesame Sticks

Eti's roasted wheat bars are superior bars. Layered with roasted sesame seeds for an extra salty flavor, these crunchy pretzels remind me of bagels when you're on the go.

Tasting Sunflower Seeds

Turks love sunflower seeds and I can’t stress this enough. They eat them with tea, wash them down with Raki or, like my mom, snack on a bowlful while watching TV series. Let me put it this way: if you don’t have a bag of Tadım sunflower seeds, are you Turkish?