Cezerye is the Mersin sweet made from caramelized carrots, coconut, and nuts.
The mixture is prepared by cooking grated carrots with sugar until thick and caramel-like, then combining it with shredded coconut and roasted walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios. It is usually pressed into a firm, semi-gelatinous confection and cut into small rectangular pieces.
Cezerye is strongly associated with Mersin Province on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast and is commonly served at celebrations or offered to guests. Its name is linked to the Arabic word jazriyya, meaning “with carrot,” reflecting its defining ingredient.
It is sometimes confused with lokum because both are Turkish sweets sold in bite-sized pieces. Lokum is generally a starch- and sugar-based gel, while cezerye’s signature base is cooked carrot. Regional carrot sweets also exist elsewhere, but the Mersin confection is the canonical answer here.