Halawa is a sweet tahini Middle Eastern dessert, that can be stuffed into pita pockets or used as a fun topping for desserts. Hawala can be even enjoyed straight from the tub.
Halva/ Halwa is a general name for sweets in the Middle East. You can find tahini halva in many flavors and forms much as like the flour halwa that I showed you before. Tahini halva is pretty much common as a breakfast item, snack or for a quick sweet bite any time of the day.
I grew up to Halawa sandwiches for school lunches and breakfasts, but fell in love and appreciated it more when I was in college. It was my dad's favorite sandwich as well. My middle kid got that gene early on his life and he became obsessed since he was just 5 years old.
Why this recipe works
While many recipes online require you to make a syrup of some sort and use a candy thermometer, this recipe does not. Practical and to the point, very easy 3 ingredients Halva recipe that requires no cooking at all. Just a big ball to mix everything together and that's it. What I love about this recipe is that unlike store bought halva, you can pretty much control the sweetness of the final halva.
Ingredients
- Tahini: of course this is a tahini halva so the main flavor ingredient here is tahini paste.
- Confectioner's sugar: Use powdered sugar and not regular granulated sugar.
- Dry milk: for richness and to hold everything well together and form some sort of dough.
- Vanilla extract: this is optional for flavor. You can also use whatever flavor you prefer, rose water, almond extract, and orange blossom are among the most common used flavors for halva.
- Nuts: this is also optional. Use whatever you have, you can also use raisins.
Instructions
- In a big bowl, combine powdered sugar, dry milk and flavor of choice. Pour in tahini paste.
- Mix everything until very well combined, the texture will be bit sandy. You can test taste your halva at this point to make sure you like it. Mix in nuts if using.
- Brush an aluminum loaf pan, or you can use silicon pan, with oil and sprinkle some chopped nuts at the bottom if you are using.
- Scoop the mixture into the container and press with your hands to mold. Let it set in the fridge or on the counter for 24 hours until firm enough and molded.
Tips:
- Use a well stirred tahini paste and avoid lumps.
- It is a good idea to sift the powdered sugar before using.
- Halva mixture should be more like lightly wet sand, not too crumbly and not too doughy like bread dough. If your Halva is too crumbly, add little bit more tahini. To check, take some of the mixture and squeeze it in the balm of one hand, if it crumbled and did not hold a shape for even 2 seconds then it needs more tahini. Do not go overboard with tahini though as it will affect the taste. Most probably one cup will be enough.
- Homemade tahini halva is usually softer than the store bought ones. Manufactured tahini halva uses an ingredient that is not available in the market called "Erk Halawa".
- Halva needs to stay in the fridge for 24 hours before serving to firm up.
- If you do not want to use, or can't find, dry milk you'll have to use more powdered sugar to compensate for the dry ingredient. This approach made halva too sweet for our taste. Others use roasted plain flour instead but to be honest I haven't personally tried that, so you might want to experiment in a small amount first.
Variations
- Halva is mostly made with pistachios or left plain. I liked making it with walnuts and hazelnut too.
- To make chocolate Halva, add cocoa powder to the mix.
- For flavor, I like using vanilla extract or vanilla powder. Almond extract, orangle blossom and rose water are among the most commonly used flavors as well.
- Make Halva spread by mixing 1 cup tahini paste, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup oil (any light tasting oil or sesame oil), and ¼ cup dry milk. You can substitute some or all of the dry milk with cocoa powder for a chocolate halva spread. This spread should be stored in the fridge for no more than 3-4 days.
- For a low-carb version: YES, you can make a low carb halva and here is how:
- Combine ⅓ cup (33g) coconut flour
- ½ cup (66g) powdered Erythritol or to taste
- ½ cup (95g) tahini,
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. When I make this I leave it the freezer for a couple of hours as I feel it does not firm enough in the fridge.
FAQs
As mentioned before there are two kinds of Halva , flour halva and tahini one. Tahini Halva is basically made of tahini paste combined with sugar. Halva is dense and very rich confections.
Well Halva has sugar and it is considered candy. That's why making your own Halva is a nice thing to control the sweetness and also I've given you a low carb recipe for it above.
Halva tastes like a sweet tahini paste but not in a liquid form. Halva has a crumbly rich texture. If you've had the sesame bars before, it is somehow close to it but not the same texture of course.
You can find Halawa in the Middle East stores and I spotted one at Kroger stores as well. Unfortunately, almost all of the kinds sold here are flavored with orange blossom water which my kid does not approve. Back in the old days, Halawa was not that sweet and was only plain. Nowadays, Halawa comes in all sorts and flavors.
📣 Related Recipes
- Popular Middle Eastern street food, falafel sandwich, is a must have when you visit Egypt. But you can certainly make them at home with a variety of toppings and condiments.
- Try this Palestinian bread called Taboon bread, so close to the traditional Egyptian baladi breakfast bread.
- Unleavened bread is easy to make and does not require any special ingredients or equipment. All you need is flour, water, olive oil and salt.
More Egyptian Recipes:
- Ful Medames is a traditional Egyptian dish that is made with cooked fava beans and a variety of spices and toppings. It is a staple on Egyptian breakfast or lunch.
- Falafel is a breakfast/ lunch and sometimes dinner recipes in the Middle East. Here are some great authentic ideas for what to serve with falafel.
- A tasty take on the classic Middle Eastern dish, Potato Shakshuka is a delightful breakfast of potatoes and eggs. Melted cheese is atop crispy potatoes and poached eggs in a flavorful sauce.
If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.
Halva
Ingredients
- 1 cup tahini paste
- 1 cup instant dry milk
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or use ⅛ teaspoon vanilla powder
- ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped.
- Vegetable oil for brushing
Instructions
- In a deep bowl combine tahini, milk, and sugar until well mixed. Note4
- Add ¼ to ⅓ cup of walnuts and fold them in the mixture.
- Brush a container lightly with vegetable oil, divide the remaining walnuts into two halves. Sprinkle one half of the walnut at the bottom of the container, add the tahini mixture and press down until firmly packed into your container.
- Sprinkle the other half of chopped walnuts on top and press into the Halawa.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Scoop into sandwiches directly from the container or turn it into a parchment paper and slice to serve the whole amount.
Video
Notes
- Use a well stirred tahini paste and avoid lumps. You can use homemade tahini (sesame paste) or store bought.
- If you do not want to use, or can't find, dry milk you'll have to use more powdered sugar to compensate for the dry ingredients. This approach made halva too sweet for our taste. Others use toasted plain flour instead but to be honest I haven't tried that, so you might want to experiment in a small amount first.
- It is a good idea to sift the powdered sugar before using.
- Halva mixture should be more like lightly wet sand, not too crumbly and not too doughy like bread dough. If your Halva is too crumbly, add little bit more tahini. To check, take some of the mixture and squeeze it in the palm of one hand, if it crumbled and did not hold a shape for even 2 seconds then it needs more tahini. Do not go overboard with tahini though as it will affect the taste. Most probably one cup will be enough.
- Homemade tahini halva is usually softer than the store bought ones. Manufactured tahini halva uses an ingredient that is not available in the market called "Erk Halawa".
- Halva needs to stay in the fridge for 24 hours before serving to firm up.
- When I was growing up, many moons ago, traditional halva was usually plain so feel free to leave the nuts out if you like.
Nutrition
Sign up and learn more about Mediterranean flavors
Would you like to save this post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Elysia
Can I use corn syrup in lieu of Sugar?
Amira
I haven't tried that Elysia, please let me know if you did.
Mohammad
I found this recipe to be amazing, i tried the other way with boiling the sugar and it was no were near the quality and flavour i achieved with this recipe. The other way tasted like the store bought, your recipe tasted fresh and flavourful, i assume in part the powdered milk and the extra quality it provides. Much appreciated and look forward to using this recipe a lot.
Amira
Thanks Mohammad, glad you liked it.
Kara
Delicious! Thanks so much! I melted some chocolate and put it on top too 🙂
Mouna
HI Amira! I just made this yesterday and followed your instructions. Kept it in the fridge for 24 hours. But my halva is still in the same consistency as I made it- like a thick paste and not firm/ solid. It did not harden at all and I cannot cut it bec it is literally like a thick paste. When I mixed it, it did not stick to the bowl- that's how I knew it was time to put it in the fridge. I assumed it would harden and I would be able to make nice square blocks out of it. What did I do wrong? My tahini is from the best store here (I live in Dubai) so I'm sure it is not the quality of it.
Amira
Mouna, homemade halva tends to be softer than store-bought but you should be able to put it in a mold or a container. I did some research and some suggest putting the ingredients in a food processor instead of mixing them with a spatula or a spoon. I haven;t tried that though, if you do please let us know.
Steve
Although I have eaten Halawa before, not even knowing its name, I accidentally created something very similar recently. I had an older new jar which had settled and had to use a blender to make smooth again. Tasting it by itself it had a slight bitterness, so I decided to add honey and I love it. After stirring I was amazed at how the honey actually stiffened it up. Maybe I will try next adding powdered milk and vanilla?
Amira
Steve, honey acted much like water when added to tahini, it thickens it causing clumps to appear. If you keep adding liquid it will eventually loosen up and comes to a liquid again.
Jennifer
This is excellent. First time we made it, it was perfect. Second time also, and we substituted a zero-sugar monkfruit icing sugar. However, I bought a different tahini that is less thick (more runny) and now the halawa is softer. Recommendations for which brand of tahini is thicker or works best?
Amira
Thank you Jennifer, so glad you liked it. If you click here you will see the recommended products that I most often use, please note that this is my affiliate amazon store link. Thank you
Mahmoud
Alsalam Alykom,
Do I need to keep it refrigerated all the time?
Amira
Actually Halva can stay at room temperature unless your home is too hot.
Fariba
Hello Amira, For a low-carb version, are those 4 ingredients or do we add dry milk walnut etc like the first version?
Amira
Hi Fariba here is what you'll do to make the low carb version:
Combine: 1/3 cup (33g) coconut flour
1/2 cup (66g) powdered Erythritol or to taste
1/2 cup (95g) tahini,
1 tsp vanilla extract.
When I make this I leave it the freezer for a couple of hours as I feel it does not firm enough in the fridge then I move it to the fridge once it has set enough.
Colleen Connor
Hello Amira! This recipe is so easy and so very delicious! We love plain Halawa but have also added pistachios and other nuts, or chocolate, and each time it came out perfect! Instead of vegetable oil, I brushed the pan with some tahini for extra flavour. The Halawa tastes delicious on its own, or with fresh apple slices for a 'healthy' snack! It's our favourite treat!
Amira
Oh Colleen, thank you so much for your feedback I am so happy you liked the recipe. Would love to see a picture though :)... love how you made it with different add-ons.
Monica
Hello Amira, I love your recipes. I tried this one and found that mine came out softer than the one you buy. Can you tell me why?
Thank you
Amira
Monica, it is generally softer but if it is too soft for your liking you can add more powdered sugar or dry milk or a combination of both.
ummj9y
asalamu alaikum, I have been searching for a halawa recipe! do you think honey could be substituted for the powdered sugar?
Amira
Ummj9y, thank you for your interest in the recipe. Good news, actually you can :). I haven't tested it yet but here is a simple small recipe for you to test. Ingredients are 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 Tablespoon dry powdered milk and 1 Tablespoon tahini paste, mix them together in a bowl. The consistency will be like a spread, if you want to make it into a mold then add another Tablespoon of dry milk and mix well then press into your mold. I hope this helped. Please let me know how it did with you.
Asaf
Look amazing but to complicated for me.... y prefer to buy mine artisanal halawe at halva boutique
Amira
If it is your preference then go for it I totally understand but sometimes one wants to know how he/she can make things his own... just for the knowledge of it :). Thank you for your comment.
marie b
can't wait to make this..one of my favorite treats especially with pistachios
Nargis Hashmi
Thanks for sharing the recipe. The taste is incredible but I don’t know why my halwa was fragile. It was crumbling and falling apart ! Amira, can you tell me why !i followed the recipe.
Amira
Thanks Nargis for trying the recipe I appreciate it. My only guess is, you need to press harder on the halawa inside the mold. I am happy you liked it though :).
Stephanie in Philadelphia
I’ve made this recipe only once but it is absolutely delicious. And SO EASY! I plan on making it again with different flavors and textures. This is a great base and you can customize your halva and have fun making it pretty. Thank you, Amira!
Amira
Stephanie, thank you for trying this recipe out. The is awesome and I would like to see pictures of your next customization ❤️.
clic here
Foods high in sugar can displace other, more nutritious foods and increase your risk of obesity and diseases related to obesity. This does not mean you can not eat halva, just that you should only enjoy it occasionally and in moderation.
Amira
Totally agree.
Janna
I just mixed up a batch and have it in the refrigerator. Waiting 24 hours will be pure agony! Can't wait to sample the halawa!
Amira
Jenna, Thank you for trying this recipe out. If you like tahini, you'll like this Halwa, it is addicting.
hamza
thank you for this delicious recipe
Amira
You are very much welcomed. I can see you have many tahini products, do you sell then in stores or just online?
Evelyne CulturEatz
I ADORE Halawa! I discovered it maybe 10 years ago. Love the pistachio and chocolate swirls best 😀 Very cool to have a good recipe. I have seen loads that did not look like the real stuff. And I just boutght tahini. Thank you Amira xoxo
Juliana
Awesome dessert Amira...I have never had anything like this, and would love to try. Thanks for the recipe.
I hope you are having a nice week 🙂
kitchenriffs
I've had this, but never made it. This looks terrific! Tons of flavor, and pretty easy to make. Perfect! Thanks so much.
Amira
Do not worry John, I've had this for almost 40 years and this is my first time making it at home :). I hope you'll try it out.
H
Assalam alaykum. Can I use granulated sugar instead of powdered one?
Amira
Wa alaykom Assalam, I haben't tried it I think it will produce halva with grainy texture. You can pulse the granulated sugar to get powdered sugar too. Check out this link https://www.bonappetit.com/story/what-is-powdered-sugar-and-can-you-make-it