Halo Halo (Filipino Shaved Ice Dessert)

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If there’s one dessert that can bring instant joy on a sweltering afternoon, it’s Halo-Halo. This colorful Filipino treat is layered with all sorts of sweet goodies, topped with creamy leche flan or ube, and loaded with finely shaved ice drenched in milk. It’s chaotic, it’s sweet, and it’s exactly the kind of chaos I want on a hot da

A Taste of My Childhood Summers

Whenever I think of Halo-Halo, it takes me straight back to my childhood summers—the kind where your shirt clings to your back, your cousins are yelling from the backyard, and someone’s always selling snacks just across the street. We didn’t grow up with fancy appliances or dessert shops, but what we had was more than enough.

Our neighbor had a little makeshift stand shaded under a tree. A wooden table, a couple of benches, and jars filled with sweetened bananas, coconut, sago, and whatever else she managed to prep that morning. For five pesos, we’d get a tall glass of crushed ice, milk, and two or three ingredients if we were lucky—and that was the highlight of our afternoon.

I still remember how we’d line up, barefoot and sweaty, with coins in hand, giggling about who would get more jackfruit or whether there would be ube that day. Simple joys. And that’s what I think about whenever I make Halo-Halo at home today.

What Makes Halo-Halo So Fun

Halo-Halo literally means “mix-mix” in Tagalog—and that’s exactly what you do before taking a spoonful. It’s a total celebration in a glass. You get layers of different textures and flavors—soft sweet potato, chewy sago, fruity jackfruit, creamy leche flan—all mixed up with finely shaved ice and drizzled milk.

There’s no one right way to make it. Every region has its own version, every family their own favorites. And that’s the beauty of it—it’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of dessert.

What You’ll Need (But Feel Free to Improvise)

There’s really no rulebook here. Use what you have, mix and match, and don’t stress if you’re missing one or two ingredients. That said, here’s what I love to include when I make Halo-Halo at home:

• Crushed or shaved ice
• Evaporated or fresh milk
• Sugar (optional, if your mix-ins are already sweet)
• Sweetened saba bananas or plantains
• Sweetened sweet potatoes
• Jackfruit (fresh or sweetened)
• Sweetened garbanzos or red mung beans
• Coconut strips or sweetened macapuno
• Nata de coco (coconut gel)
• Sago or tapioca pearls
• Pinipig (toasted young rice)
• Leche flan (for topping)
• Ube jam or ube ice cream (for topping)

Sometimes I toss in cubes of jelly, sometimes I go heavy on the ube. It depends on what’s in the fridge—but I always try to get a mix of soft, chewy, and creamy textures.

How I Assemble My Halo-Halo at Home

Once you have your ingredients ready, the fun part begins. If you’re hosting a get-together, set it up like a DIY bar and let everyone layer their own—kids and adults love it.

Here’s how I do it:

• Grab a tall glass (a mason jar works too)
• Start layering a teaspoon of each prepared ingredient—go for color and contrast
• Add a bit of sugar if you want extra sweetness
• Fill the glass to the brim with shaved or crushed ice
• Pour over evaporated milk generously
• Top with leche flan and a scoop of ube halaya or ube ice cream
• Hand over a long spoon and tell them to mix-mix before they dig in

My Favorite Make-Ahead Tips

If you want to make Halo-Halo often (especially during summer), here’s what I do:

• Sweeten in Batches: Cook the bananas, sweet potatoes, and jackfruit ahead of time in simple syrup and store them in jars in the fridge.
• Use Jars for Storage: Any leftovers can be kept in clean jars in the fridge. Most mix-ins last for 5–7 days if stored properly.
• Ice Crusher Tip: If you don’t have a fancy shaver, a sturdy blender with an “ice crush” setting works fine. You can also use a rolling pin and zip-top bag in a pinch—just get that ice fluffy.

Quick Homemade Mix-Ins (If You’re Skipping Store-Bought)

Sweetened Sweet Potato

• 2 cups water
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups sweet potato, cut into ½-inch cubes
  Boil water and sugar, then simmer the sweet potato cubes until tender. Let them cool in the syrup.

Sweetened Saba Bananas

• 2 cups water
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups plantain or saba bananas, sliced
  Same method—boil, simmer, and cool. These turn soft, sweet, and perfect for Halo-Halo.

Sweetened Jackfruit

• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup ripe jackfruit, sliced
  Cook until tender, then let it soak. This version keeps well and is super fragrant.

Serving Tips from My Kitchen

Serve Halo-Halo immediately after assembling—it doesn’t like waiting around. I like using tall, clear glasses to show off the colors. For gatherings, I prep all the ingredients in little bowls on ice trays and let everyone build their own.

Pro tip: Add a sprinkle of toasted pinipig or even crushed cornflakes on top for crunch. It’s not traditional, but it’s really good.

Storage Advice

If you’ve got extra sweetened ingredients, pop them into clean containers with their syrup and refrigerate. They’ll be ready for your next craving. Just make sure you don’t freeze them—ice tends to mess up the texture of cooked root crops and fruits.

Leftover shaved ice doesn’t store well, so crush or shave only what you need per serving.

Frequently Asked Question

Can I use condensed milk instead of evaporated?
Yes, but keep in mind condensed milk is much sweeter. You might want to skip the added sugar.

Is it okay to skip some ingredients?
Absolutely. Use what you like and what you have. It’s meant to be flexible and fun.

Where can I find the ingredients if I’m not in the Philippines?
Asian supermarkets usually carry most jarred ingredients like nata de coco, macapuno, and ube jam. You can even order some online.

Can I make a vegan version?
Of course! Use coconut milk instead of dairy, skip the flan or replace it with coconut jelly, and check labels on jarred ingredients to ensure they don’t contain milk or eggs.

Try other Filipino recipes:

• Beef Pares
• Pork Belly Sisig
• Pancit Canton (Filipino Stir-Fried Noodles)