Header shot of halvah latte.

The Absolute Coziest Halva Latte

The pumpkin spice latte has become synonymous with fall. Unpopular opinion, though: it’s a little overrated. This year, I wanted to come up with a more interesting and unique latte that’d still give off the absolute coziest of vibes. Enter: the halva latte. For those of you who are unfamiliar, halva is a Middle Eastern treat that’s made of tahini and sugar. Of course, you can always incorporate other flavors as well, but you don’t have to. It’s dense and rich and absolutely delicious. And for a while now, I’ve had a hunch that it’d pair perfectly with espresso.

I enlisted my husband Ben, who is both a halva lover and coffee snob, to help me test this theory. Together we came up with the foundation for this frothy beverage. And while the ingredients are a bit niche, you don’t need many of them. It’s essentially just a couple shots of espresso mixed with a halva milk and topped with toasted sesame seeds and crumbled halva. To make the milk, we simply blitzed a 3:1 ratio of sesame milk and halva together in the blender. For the record, you could definitely try making this with other milks, but the sesame flavor might not be quite as prominent. And because this drink features literal candy, you don’t need to add any additional sweetener.

So where can you buy these specialty ingredients?

Well, to my delight, my go-to grocery (Sprouts) store actually carried sesame milk! As for the halva, I’m a big fan of Hebel & Co, which is a Los Angeles based artisan halva brand. I discovered their product years ago at a farmer’s market and have been hooked ever since. Lucky for me, their products are available at a lot of restaurants and snack shops locally. But if you don’t live in LA, you can buy it online! Halva is also available in Middle Eastern markets and some larger grocery stores. (I used to see it in the kosher food aisle at Publix back when I lived in Florida.)

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The Absolute Coziest Halva Latte

Course coffee, Drinks, Snack
Keyword cofee, drink, espresso, halva, halva latte, halvah, halvah latte, latte, sesame seeds, tahini
Servings 2 Lattes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Sesame milk (You can use other milks if you'd like, but the overall sesame flavor of the drink won't be as pronounced)
  • 1/3 cup Halva (Plus 2 extra tsp to garnish)
  • 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
  • 4 shots Espresso

Instructions

  • Make the halva milk! To do this, add the sesame milk and 1/3 cup of halva to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth.
  • Toast the sesame seeds in a small pan over medium heat. It should only take a couple minutes and you'll want to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. They're ready once they start to look golden brown and smell a bit nutty.
  • Brew the espresso using whatever technique you'd usually use to do so!
  • Divide the halva milk into two cups and microwave each one for about 30 seconds. Then froth them with either a milk frother or a small whisk.
  • Pour half the espresso into each of the milk cups, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and crumbled halva, then enjoy!

And that’s it! I hope you give this recipe a try despite all the specialty ingredients, because it really is something special. Like, I knew it had potential, but I didn’t realize it’d become my new favorite latte! If you do end up making it, let me know in the comments or on Instagram!

And if you’re looking for more cozy fall drinks, be sure to give this hot buttered rum with apple cider a try!

2 thoughts on “The Absolute Coziest Halva Latte”

  1. 5 stars
    I had never heard of halvah, but this recipe stuck with me after reading, so intriguing. By chance spotted it in my local suburban grocery by the butter. Maybe they weren’t sure what it was?
    I usually drink coffee black at home, probably mostly from laziness. But with four more hours to sit up at home to make sure my dogs don’t lose their minds from fireworks, I finally made this and it’s making for a perfect New Years Eve staying home treat to myself, it’s so delicious. No sesame milk at stater brothers, so I used oat milk. Only half way through the cup but had to rush back here to say thanks for the amazing recipe and happy new year!

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