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    Home » Desserts Recipes

    Halo-Halo Recipe

    Published: Aug 15, 2023 by Nora Reyes · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. · 2 Comments

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    Halo-Halo is a shaved ice dessert with layers of ube halaya, mixed fruits, beans, and jellies. It is then topped with crushed ice, milk, ice cream, pinipig, and leche flan. Customize with your favorites for a treat that's truly your own.

    Glasses of Halo-Halo (Iced Shaved Dessert) topped with ube ice cream
    Jump to:
    • What is Halo Halo?
    • Ingredient notes and substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Try these refreshing Filipino treats
    • Other dessert recipes you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What is Halo Halo?

    Halo-Halo is a refreshing, sweet treat that is both colorful and delicious. Its name translates to "mix-mix" in English, which aptly describes how it's consumed by mixing all the ingredients together.

    The dessert is composed of a variety of sweet ingredients with contrasting flavors and textures, then topped with crushed or shaved ice. A generous amount of evaporated milk or condensed milk is drizzled, then topped with Leche Flan, ice cream, and pinipig.

    Ingredient notes and substitutions

    • Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam): A sweet and creamy jam made from ube and coconut milk, adding an iconic purple color and distinct flavor.
    Ube halaya (purple yam jam) in a bowl.
    Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam)
    • Sweetened Fruits: These are saba bananas, jackfruit, or pineapple cooked in syrup.
    Sweetened saba bananas and jackfruit (langka) in separate bowls.
    Left: Sweetened Saba Bananas; Right: Sweetened Jackfruit (Langka)
    • Fresh Fruits: Ataulfo mangoes, melon, and buko (young coconut) add a refreshing touch.
    A cheek of Ataulfo mango sliced into cubes.
    Ataulfo Mango
    • Root Crops and Legumes: Sweetened red mung beans, white beans, or chickpeas (garbanzo beans) add texture and protein. To make it hearty, add boiled sweet potatoes, taro, or sweet corn.
    A bowl of sweetened red mung beans.
    Sweetened Red Mung Beans
    • Sago and Jellies: These are nata de coco in syrup, colorful jelly cubes made with gelatin or gulaman (agar-agar), and sago or tapioca pearls cooked to package instructions. If you want to learn more about how to cook sago, don't miss our step-by-step guide.
    Sago, nata de coco, green gulaman, and red gulaman in separate bowls.
    Top Left: Sago; Top Right: Nata de Coco; Bottom: Green and Red Gulaman (Agar-Agar)
    • Ice Cream or Sorbetes: Any flavor, with ube and mango being the most common choices for a creamy and luscious addition.
    Scooping ube ice cream.
    Store-bought Ube Ice Cream
    • Ice and Milk: Use shaved or crushed ice; evaporated milk or condensed milk for creaminess.
    • Toasted Pinipig: These are pounded young rice that are lightly toasted for a crunchy element.
    Toasting pinipig (pounded young rice) in a skillet.
    • Leche Flan: A special ingredient that adds an indulgent touch of creaminess and sweetness.
    Creamy leche flan on a plate.
    Leche Flan (Caramel Flan)
    • Grated Cheese: An uncommon, optional ingredient that adds a savory twist and richness.

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1: Prepare your ingredients, cutting them into small and uniform pieces. In a tall glass or wide bowl, start layering your ingredients.

    Added the Halo-Halo ingredients to the glasses.

    Step 2: Add a generous layer of shaved ice on top. If you're using a wide bowl, the shaved ice becomes the base of the Halo-Halo.

    Adding the crushed ice to the Halo Halo ingredients in the glass.

    Step 3: Next, add a scoop of ice cream, a portion of Leche Flan, and a sprinkle of toasted pinipig.

    Added ube ice cream, leche flan, and pinipig (pounded young rice) to the Halo Halo ingredients in the glass.

    Step 4: Drizzle some evaporated milk over the top. Sweeten with sugar as desired. Enjoy your wonderful creation, savoring the medley of flavors, textures, and colors!

    Drizzling milk to the Halo Halo in the glass.

    Recipe FAQs

    What does Halo-Halo taste like?

    Halo-Halo is a sweet treat that brings together a mix of flavors and textures in your mouth. It's like savoring ice cream and an array of fun ingredients all in one bite, with the added thrill of icy shaved ice. Imagine your favorite ice cream sundae, but even more exciting and full of tasty surprises!

    Do I need a special machine to make the shaved ice?

    While there are machines specifically designed for producing finely shaved ice, you don't necessarily need one. A good blender or food processor can achieve a similar effect, though the texture might be slightly different. If you're a Halo-Halo enthusiast or plan to make it regularly, investing in a shaved ice machine or an ice shaver or crusher might be worth it for that authentic, snow-like texture.

    Try these refreshing Filipino treats

    • Mango Shake: A creamy blend of ripe mangoes, milk, sugar, and ice.
    • Avocado Shake: A rich, creamy shake made from blended avocados, milk, sugar, and ice.
    • Sago at Gulaman: A drink made with sago, agar agar (gulaman), and grass jelly sweetened with arnibal or brown sugar syrup.
    • Avocado and Milk: A simple, creamy treat of ripe avocado chunks mixed with evaporated or condensed milk and ice.
    • Watermelon Slushie: A frosty drink made by blending watermelon chunks with ice.
    • Ube Ice Cream: Creamy ice cream made with purple yam or ube, a staple flavor in the Philippines.
    • Mango Ice Cream: Sweet ice cream infused with the flavors of ripe Philippine mangoes.
    • Avocado Ice Cream: A unique, creamy ice cream flavor made from the rich and buttery avocado fruit.

    Other dessert recipes you may like

    • Holding a piece of Tikoy Roll.
      Tikoy Rolls
    • A slice of biko on a banana leaf.
      Biko
    • Bibingkang Malagkit on a plate with banana leaf.
      Bibingkang Malagkit
    • Churros dipped in Tablea Chocolate sauce.
      Churros with Tablea Chocolate Recipe

    Did you make this recipe? I would love to know! Your feedback helps me make better recipes.  Please rate, review, or comment below. Questions about this recipe are welcome, too!

    Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!

    📖 Recipe

    Halo halo iced shaved dessert in a glass.

    Halo-Halo Recipe

    A refreshing shaved ice dessert with layers of ube halaya, mixed fruits, beans, and jellies. It is then topped with crushed ice, milk, ice cream, pinipig, and leche flan. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 224kcal
    Author: Nora Rey
    Cost: $8-$14

    Equipment

    • Tall glasses or wide bowls
    • Long spoons
    • Ice shaver or crusher

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup ube halaya (purple yam jam) see note
    • ¼ cup sweetened saba bananas see note
    • ¼ cup mango cubes see note
    • ¼ cup sweetened red mung beans see note
    • ¼ cup sago see note
    • ¼ cup nata de coco see note
    • ¼ cup green gulaman or gelatin see note
    • ¼ cup red gulaman or gelatin see note
    • 8 cups crushed ice see note
    • 1 cup evaporated milk see note
    • 4 scoops ice cream see note
    • ¼ cup leche flan see note
    • ¼ cup pinipig see note
    • Sugar (optional)

    Instructions

    • Prepare your ingredients, cutting them into small and uniform pieces. In a tall glass or wide bowl, start layering your ingredients.
    • Add a generous layer of shaved ice on top. If you're using a wide bowl, the shaved ice becomes the base of the Halo-Halo.
    • Next, add a scoop of ice cream, a portion of Leche Flan, and a sprinkle of toasted pinipig.
    • Drizzle some evaporated milk over the top. Sweeten with sugar as desired.

    Notes

    • Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam): A sweet and creamy jam made from ube, adding an iconic purple color and distinct flavor.
    • Sweetened Fruits: There are saba bananas, jackfruit (langka), or pineapple cooked in syrup.
    • Fresh Fruits: Ataulfo mangoes, melon, and buko (young coconut) provide a refreshing touch.
    • Root Crops and Legumes: Sweetened red mung beans, kidney beans, or garbanzo beans add texture and protein. Boiled sweet potatoes, taro, or sweet corn offer hearty elements.
    • Sago and Jellies: These are nata de coco (coconut jelly) in syrup, colorful jelly cubes made with gelatin or gulaman (agar-agar), and sago or tapioca pearls cooked to package instructions.
    • Ice Cream or Sorbetes: Any flavor, with ube and mango being the most common choices for a creamy and luscious addition.
    • Ice and Milk: Shaved or crushed ice; evaporated milk or condensed milk for creaminess.
    • Toasted Pinipig (Pounded Young Rice): Lightly toast pinipig or use cornflakes for a crunchy element.
    • Leche Flan (Caramel Flan): A special ingredient that adds an indulgent touch of creaminess and sweetness.
    • Grated Cheese: An uncommon, optional ingredient that adds a savory twist and richness.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 164mgPotassium: 479mgFiber: 3gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 7063IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 224mgIron: 1mg
    Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided here is solely for informational purposes. I am not a certified nutritionist, and this data hasn't been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or any other authority. It shouldn't be seen as health or nutrition advice. The figures are estimates calculated from various food composition databases and might vary based on product types, brands, natural variations in produce, and ingredient processing methods. Individual results may differ.
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @recipesbynora or tag #RecipesByNora!

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    About the author

    Hi, I'm Nora! 

    Whether you're new to Filipino food or have loved it for so long, I sure am happy you're here!  I hope you'll find useful recipes that you can enjoy and share with family and friends.

    Learn more about me →

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ryan

      August 17, 2023 at 11:00 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy Halo Halo!!! This is definitely what I miss most about the Philippines.

      Reply
      • Nora Rey

        August 18, 2023 at 7:27 am

        Halo-Halo is such a treat! I completely understand why you'd miss it — it's one of my favorites, too. Hope you get to enjoy it again soon!

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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