Chewy sesame seeds bars are pretty much common in many Mediterranean countries with variety of names. From Pasteli in Greece to Semsemeyah in Egypt, this sesame honey candy is a great gluten free snack that can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
These sesame bars along with Turkish delights are so common in Egypt during religious celebrations.
Why This Recipe Works
This is a foolproof recipe for sesame candy, no weird ingredients and no special equipment needed. So simple and requires only a handful of ingredients that are likely there in your pantry.
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Sesame seeds because this is a sesame candy, but let me expand here and say this recipe is made with almost any nut of your choice. I've seen this made with pistachios, almonds, cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts or a combination of nuts.
- Sugar and honey are the main sweeteners here and make the glue to hold all the seeds together.
- A little bit of water to help sugar dissolve in honey and the lime juice to help prevent crystallization.
- Vanilla extract is optional, I just love vanilla and I add a little bit not to overwhelm the sesame flavor.
Recipe Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat add sesame seeds.
- Toast until golden brown will take about 4-5 minutes.
- Pour the sesame seeds immediately in a well oiled bowl and set aside to cool down.
- In saucepan over medium heat mix in sugar, honey, water, lime juice and vanilla if using.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 5minutes.
- Pour the honey mixture over the sesame and mix well to combine.
- Pour the mixture over the parchment paper.
- Wet your hands with water and shape the sesame mixture into a square with the thickness you prefer. Let it cool completely then cut into bars
Expert Tips
- If you do not have sesame oil you can use vegetable oil.
- You can toast the sesame seeds in the oven but I prefer the skillet method to keep them from browning too much.
- You can actually use this recipe for a variety of nuts and seeds. Examples are pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds...etc.
Recipe FAQs
If you are asking because of health issues, read this. Although I have a kid who is allergic to sesame, sesame seeds are not considered tree nuts.
I actually never washed my sesame seeds before and I was so surprised that some people do. If you are afraid that you might burn the seeds though, you might want to wash them to reduce the likelihood of burning them.
Sesame Candy
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup sesame seeds (200g )
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g )
- ½ cup honey (180g)
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- Sesame oil for brushing
Instructions
- Generously brush a bowl with sesame oil.
- Brush an 11”X17” parchment paper with sesame oil as well.
- In a skillet or pan, over medium heat, add sesame seeds and toast until golden brown will take about 4-6 minutes. Stir with a spatula so the seeds will not burn.
- Pour the sesame seeds immediately in the oiled bowl and set aside to cool down.
- In saucepan over medium heat mix in sugar, honey, water, lime juice and vanilla if using.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 5minutes.
- Pour the honey mixture over the sesame and mix well to combine.
- Pour the mixture over the parchment paper. Wet your hands with water and shape the sesame mixture into a square with the thickness you prefer.
- Let it cool completely then cut into bars with a sharp knife.
- Store in an air tight container at room temperature and separated by well oiled parchment paper.
Notes
- If you do not have sesame oil you can use vegetable oil.
- You can toast the sesame seeds in the oven but I prefer the skillet method to keep them from browning too much.
- You can actually use this recipe for a variety of nuts and seeds. Examples are pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds...etc.
Nutrition
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First published Jan 5, 2014. Last updated October 23, 2020 with new recipe, images, step by step instructions and readability.
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scott
I wonder if this would work using agave instead of honey?
Asha
Hello Amira , I have a question, can we use ghee or melted butter instead of the oil thank you.
Amira
I haven't tried that before Asha.
Miska Knezevic
Top 10!
Mariehellen
Thank you Princess for this recipe. I have just made them and I mixed with roasted coarsely grated pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. They just came out amazingly tasty.
Nina
This did not work out. I followed directions exactly and the bars did not set. It would be useful to include the temperature needed to cook properly. Very disappointing.
Sheila Marie
Thank you for the recipe, Amira. I made this a few times for the office (years ago) but I lost the recipe along the way. At the moment I only have a small amount of sesame seeds left - but I also just bought some pine nuts. Maybe I'll mix, but probably not this time. I hope the pine nuts work!
Amira
Thank you so much Sheila, I am so glad you liked it.
Jane Badr
These sesame bars are to die for. Made them as a treat for my family and since then we cannot stop nibbling on them.
Amira
Thanks Jane, glad you liked it.
Marie
This recipe is one of my favorite, it is easy to make and is delicious. I like my bars thin to bite It reminds me of my childhood candy.
Amira
Thank you so much Marie for your feedback, happy you liked it.
Peggy
Can you make these into cookies?
Amira
Peggy, you can spread them thin using a rolling pin and cut them with round cookie cutter if you would like.
Mrs B
We made this yesterday to celebrate and it was so delicious. I made them thinner so I had like 20 pieces. My whole family enjoyed this. Thank you so much Amira.
Amira
Oh, this is awesome happy you liked them dear.
Angela Gagauf
I would love to make the sesame candy but I want to cut back on sugar. Do you know if this can be made without sugar and only honey? I know that honey is a sweetener but adding an additional 1/2 cup of sugar is too much for me. Thoughts?
Amira
Angela, I haven't tried that but here is what I have found after extensive search. Some say it does not work as it will not harden enough, others say you will need to boil the honey with a little lime juice until it reached the state of soft crack stage then add the sesame seeds. You might want to experiment with half or quarter the recipe first so you will not waste ingredients if you did not like it. I hope this helps.
Roro
was wondering where i can order halawat el moullid here in california or is their a store i can go?
thank you,
Roro
Amira
I guess in California there are so many Int'l markets there. I can find some here in the Iranian marker but not quite as the ones I used to have in Egypt. That's why I am making my own :).
Nadia Gardner
I am so looking forward to making these bars. Thank you for the recipe.
Amira
Thanks Nadia, let me know if you have any questions.
nora
I can't wait to try this recipe! I can't get corn syrup where I live. Is there a substitute I can use instead? Thanks!
Amira
Hi Nora,
I've been asked the same question in my Arabic blog - moghtareba.com- from a follower who lives in Ireland. So if you are there- or I think Europe in general- there is a good substitute called glucose or else golden syrup. Corn syrup can also be replaced by a sugar syrup. Combine one cup of pure cane sugar with 1/4 cup of water and heat over a low flame, then add 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice, stir until it is thickened enough to reach the soft ball stage. An easier and healthier alternative is honey, although it is sweeter and might give a slightly different flavor but I think it is the best. I hope this helps you.
Sylvia
I love sesame seeds and I would also do them bite size. Sometimes just a bite or two of something sweet after dinner is all I need. Keeps me from eating a huge dessert.
Amy
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this post! I recieved a box of these sweets from Egypt last year--they were so wonderful! I searched the internet for recipes but came up with nothing. Can't wait to try this!
Amira
I'm glad to help Amy. Thanks for your comment and come back for more :).
Coffee and Crumpets
Assalam alaikum Amira, thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. Its nice to meet a fellow CO blogger.
I adore the sesame candies but have never thought about making any, now I have recipe to try. Thank you!
Nazneen
Amira
I hope you'll try them one day and tell me. Take care.