How to make Halo Halo At Home

If there is one dessert that perfectly captures the joy of Filipino summers, it is halo-halo. Translating literally to “mix-mix,” this iconic treat layers chewy nata de coco, sweet jackfruit strips, creamy ube ice cream, and a mountain of shaved ice into one beautiful bowl. Every spoonful is a little different: crunchy, creamy, fruity, and refreshing all at once. The best part? You can swap in whatever toppings you love. Here’s how to make halohalo at home, no specialty shop required.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Customizable. No nata de coco? Swap in fruit jelly. Prefer mango ice cream over ube? Go for it.
• It comes together in minutes. There is no baking, no cooking, and no waiting. Just layer, pour, and dig in. It is the easiest impressive dessert you’ll ever make.
• Gorgeous: The colorful layers make it just as fun to look at as it is to eat. Set up a DIY halo-halo bar at your next gathering and watch everyone go wild building their own bowl.
• It’s refreshingly different. If you are tired of the same old desserts, halo-halo brings bold Filipino flavors and a fun mix of textures that you won’t find anywhere else.

Ingredients

• Sweet red beans
  • Soft beans that add an earthy flavor
• Jackfruit strips
  • Tropical flavor adds meatiness
• Nata de coco
  • Adds a soft and chewy texture
• Macapuno (coconut sport strings)
  • Adds a nice fleshy texture
• Ube halaya (purple yam jam)
  • Adds creaminess and an earthy, sweet flavor
• Ube ice cream
  • Adds creaminess and sweetness
• Shaved or crushed ice
  • Soft, fluffy texture that soaks up all the flavors from everything
• Evaporated milk or fresh milk
  • Adds richness to the dessert

Click on the images for the direct link to the ingredients/tools I used:

How to make Halo Halo At Home Instructions

Grab a tall glass or a wide bowl — the taller the better, so you have room for all those gorgeous layers.

Spoon in the sweet red beans, macapuno, and nata de coco at the bottom. These heavier, chewier toppings anchor everything above them.

Pack in a generous scoop of shaved or crushed ice over the toppings. This is what gives halo-halo its signature cold, refreshing base.

Tuck in the sweet jackfruit strips over the ice for a burst of tropical flavor.

Add another layer of ice, then spoon in your ube halaya. The purple yam jam adds a rich, earthy sweetness that ties everything together.

Place one generous scoop of ube ice cream right on top.

Drizzle evaporated milk all around the edges and over the top.

Grab a long spoon, mix everything until it’s combined, and eat immediately before the ice melts.

How to make Halo Halo At Home Tips

Use a tall glass or a wide bowl so you can build more layers or include more toppings.

Chill your glass for 5-10 minutes before adding the ingredients. This prevents it from melting fast.

Try to layer your heaviest toppings at the bottom.

If you are making it for a large group, have the toppings in separate bowls, and your group can make their own customizable halo halo.

Ingredient Substitutions

Nata de coco –> Coconut Jelly

Ube Ice Cream –> Vanilla ice cream, coconut ice cream

Evaporated milk –> Coconut milk, millk

Shaved ice –> Crushed ice from a blender

If you enjoyed this halo halo at home recipe, you might also like my dragon fruit sago recipe.

Dragon Fruit Sago Dessert

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