Halva Cookies Recipe
These easy Halva Cookies are buttery, soft, and filled with sweet, crumbly pieces of halva that melt into the dough as they bake. Flavored with warm spices and crunchy pistachios, they’re an easy Middle Eastern-inspired cookie that’s perfect with coffee, tea, or holiday cookie platters.
Unlike many halva cookie recipes, these are simple to make with everyday pantry ingredients. The butter creates a tender crumb while the halva adds rich toasted sesame flavor and little pockets of sweetness throughout every bite.
One of my favorite things about living in Israel is the incredible selection of fresh halva. Every visit to the local nut shop means choosing between classic vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, coffee, and so many other flavors. While it’s delicious sliced with coffee, I also love baking with it.
As the halva bakes, it softens into little pockets of sweet sesame goodness that make these cookies wonderfully rich without being overly sweet. Combined with buttery cookie dough, warm spices, crunchy pistachios, and chocolate chips, they’re one of those cookies that always disappear much faster than expected.
I originally shared this recipe years ago, but after making it again with a simpler recipe and updated photos, I knew it deserved a complete refresh.
What is halva?
Halva is a sweet Middle Eastern confection made primarily from tahini (ground sesame seeds) and sugar. It has a rich, nutty flavor and a crumbly texture that’s perfect for baking.
Why You’ll Love These Halva Cookies
- Soft buttery cookies with pockets of sweet sesame halva.
- Easy recipe made with simple pantry ingredients.
- Warm spices complement the rich halva without overpowering it.
- Perfect for coffee breaks, holiday cookie trays, or homemade gifts.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted butter – Softened butter creates a rich, tender cookie with crisp edges and soft centers. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt by about ¼ teaspoon.
- Light brown sugar – Adds moisture, chewiness, and a subtle caramel flavor that complements the halva.
- Granulated sugar – Balances the brown sugar and helps create lightly crisp edges.
- Egg + egg yolk – The whole egg provides structure while the extra yolk adds richness and keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the buttery flavor and complements both the chocolate and warm spices.
- Rose extract – Just a small amount adds a delicate floral note that pairs beautifully with sesame and pistachios. If you don’t have rose extract, simply omit it.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the cookies enough structure while keeping them tender. Weigh the flour for the most consistent results.
- Leavening & Salt – A combination of both baking soda and powder creates cookies with lightly crisp edges and soft, chewy centers without spreading too much. Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the halva, pistachios, and chocolate.
- Spices – Ground cardamom adds a subtle warm spice that naturally complements sesame and rose without overpowering the cookies. Ground nutmeg, just a pinch, adds warmth and depth. Cinnamon can be substituted if preferred.
- Halva – Use fresh, good-quality vanilla halva made from sesame (tahini). Cut it into small cubes rather than crumbling it so you get little pockets of sweet sesame throughout the cookies. Chocolate or pistachio halva can also be used for a delicious variation.
- Pistachios – I used pistachios because they would complement the pistachio halva I used. You can use other nuts for a different flavor profile too.
- Chocolate chips – Semisweet chocolate chips balance the sweetness of the halva, but dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate are excellent alternatives.
Step-by-Step: Halva Cookies
Wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color. Avoid over-creaming the butter.
Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and rose extract until smooth and well combined.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until no dry flour remains.
Fold in the add-ins
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the cubed halva, chopped pistachios, and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Be careful not to overmix so the halva pieces stay intact.
Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor and texture.
Shape the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop about 30–35 g (about 1½ tablespoons) of dough and roll into balls. Arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few extra pieces of halva, pistachios, or chocolate chips onto the tops for a bakery-style finish, if desired.
Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft.
Cool
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
The halva will remain slightly soft while warm and become wonderfully creamy as the cookies cool.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked cookies or unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months.
- The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours before baking or frozen as portioned dough balls for up to 3 months.
Halva Cookies
These Halva Cookies are soft, buttery cookies filled with sweet sesame halva, crunchy pistachios, and chocolate chips. Flavored with warm cardamom and a hint of rose, they’re an easy Middle Eastern-inspired treat that’s perfect with coffee, tea, or holiday cookie trays.
Ingredients
- 170 g (¾ cup) Unsalted butter softened
- 120 g (⅔ cup) Light brown sugar
- 80 g (⅓ cup) Granulated sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Rose extract
- 250 g (2 cups) All-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground cardamom
- Pinch Ground nutmeg
- 100 g (3½ oz) Halva cut into small cubes
- ½ cup (½ cup) Chopped pistachios
- ½ cup (½ cup) Semisweet chocolate chips
Method
- Wet Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and rose extract. Beat until well combined.170 g Unsalted butter, 120 g Light brown sugar, 80 g Granulated sugar, 1 large Egg, 1 large Egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp Rose extract
- Dry Ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until no dry flour remains.250 g All-purpose flour, ½ tsp Baking soda, ¼ tsp Baking powder, ½ tsp Salt, ¼ tsp Ground cardamom, Pinch Ground nutmeg
- Add the Mix-Ins – Fold in the halva cubes, chopped pistachios, and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.100 g Halva, ½ cup Chopped pistachios, ½ cup Semisweet chocolate chips
- Chill – Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape – Scoop about 35 g (2 tablespoons) of dough and roll into balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If desired, press a few extra pieces of halva, pistachios, or chocolate chips onto the tops.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Fresh, good-quality halva gives the best flavor and texture.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent excessive spreading.
- Don’t overbake the cookies—they’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for the Best Halva Cookies
- Use fresh halva. Fresh, good-quality halva has a softer texture and richer sesame flavor than older, dry halva.
- Cut the halva into small cubes. Small pieces create little pockets of sweet sesame throughout the cookies instead of disappearing into the dough.
- Chill the dough. Refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours helps control spreading and improves the texture.
- Don’t overbake. Bake until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Press a few extra pieces on top. A few pieces of halva, pistachios, or chocolate chips pressed onto the cookies before baking make them look even more inviting.
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Frequently asked questions
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before baking. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake the frozen dough balls directly from the freezer, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Yes. Scoop the dough into balls and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
Yes, you can experiment with different flavors of halva, such as pistachio, chocolate, or vanilla, to add variety and a unique taste to your cookies. Each type of halva will give the cookies a slightly different flavor profile.
No. Tahini is a sesame paste, while halva is a sweet sesame confection. They behave very differently in baking.
That’s normal. Some pieces stay visible while others soften into the dough, creating pockets of rich sesame flavor.
you may also like
- Pistachio Halva Cake
- Easy Tahini Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cups
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I didn’t know what halva was but I do now. The cookies look fantastic and I think they’d be great to make at Christmas time. We love tahini and I’m looking forward to making a batch. I’m always learning something new with your posts!!
Thanks, Marisa. If you like tahini you will love halva. It’s the sweeter version of tahini but in a block. So glad you like my posts.
This is a great idea for my breakfast! Its fantastic! YUM! This looks so delicious!
Thanks Mahy. Absolutely great anytime.
I’ve never worked with halva before, never heard of it actually, but I love the flavors you’ve described in using it and can see why it’s a favorite. I think these cookies look spectacular!
Thanks Jenni, if you love tahini you will love halva. Halva really is so delicious.
Darn I wish I saw this before I tossed my sesame paste. I bought it and had no idea what to do with it! I used it to make eggplant with baked. These sound perfect. The jar got very old and I didnt know how long to keep it. Next time at least I will have another recipe to try it out on thank you
Oh nooo. Halva is so delicious. You can even grate it over vanilla ice cream!! These are delicious. You must try these next time.
I absolutely love discovering beautiful recipes from different cultures! These Halva Cookies look so delicious. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe one day next week.
Thanks, Denay. I think you will love these.