Halwa Chocolate Cookie Bars

Name: Halwa Chocolate Cookie Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup brown butter; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1 tsp vanilla; 1/4 cup water; 2 cups flour; 1 tbsp corn flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 3/4 cup chocolate chips; 1 cup halwa; 1/2 cup chocolate chunks; 2 tbsp tahini; 2 tbsp melted chocolate

Crunchy, fudgy and gooey these cookie bars are easy to make but stuffed with chocolate and halwa chunks. They are an easy eggless dessert for ramadan or any time of year.

If there is one thing I love, it is a simple a dessert that looks so fancy but is so simple to make. This recipe post is sponsored by Diamond baking paper. However I must admit I have been using their baking paper since I moved to UAE. It is perfect for baking as its non stick properties help making any baked good release from the tin/tray with zero effort. I made a meat pie a couple of days ago you can have a look at the recipe here.

There are 2 parts to this recipe, one is the cookie dough and the other is the filling in the middle. Now you can use your favourite cookie dough recipe to make this or you can use the recipe I have shared. It honestly is the best one you will make. They also bake up as cookies really well. It is an eggless recipe but that doesn’t mean it is not chewy and fudgy, it is very delicious, crunchy and soft in every bite.

These recipes are perfect for ramadan baking to prepare and share with family and friends, if you have a lot of leftovers you can store them in zip lock bags and store them in the freezer. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving. They can be cut into smaller pieces but I love serving them in these rectangle bars. If you have never tried halwa let this be the recipe to convert you to do it.

What is halwa?

Halwa is also known as halva. It is not the same in Indian as it is found in middle eastern countries. This halwa is arabic halwa that I am using to make these chocolate cookie bars. It is found in tubs and you can buy it from supermarkets that sell middle eastern ingredients. Alternatively many people make it at home as well. It is usually tahini based and sweet, which can be crumbled and served with a variety of snacks and recipes. The Indian halwa is made with ghee, semolina, sugar and that could vary depending on the region it is from.

What is halwa chocolate cookie bars?

Halwa cookie bars are basically a fudge chocolate cookie dough that is layered into a square tin and layered with chocolate chunks and crumbled halwa. Topped with more cookie dough and baked until set. They are cooled and cut into bars before drizzling with chocolate and tahini.

What ingredients do you need to make these halwa chocolate cookie bars?

To make the cookie dough we need brown butter, olive oil, brown sugar, castor sugar, vanilla, flour, corn flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips. I have stuffed the cookie bars with crumbled plain halwa, chopped dates and chocolate chunks. It is topped with melted chocolate and tahini. Now the recipe can be made vegan by substituting the butter for olive oil all the way or any plant based butter. If you wan tot make this recipe gluten free use a gluten free flour mix like Bob’s red mill. I have used chips in the cookie dough and chunks in the filling but you can use chips all the way, I love the fugde texture you get from chunks.

What equipment do you need to make these halwa chocolate cookie bars?

To make these cookies we need a mixing bowl, rubber spatula, whisk and 8×8 square tin. You need baking paper to line the tin, this helps remove it from the tin once baked. I have baked it in an oven and used a sharp knife to cut them into bars. If you are drizzling over the melted chocolate and tahini you could use a piping bag or just a fork.

How to make these halwa chocolate cookie bars?

We start by preheating the oven to 180℃, line an 8×8 inch baking tray with baking paper. In a mixing bowl add the brown butter, olive oil, brown sugar, white sugar and his until smooth. Add the vanilla and water, whisk again until combined, this might take a minute or two. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, corn flour, salt and fold together with a rubber spatula. Add the chocolate chips into the dough and fold together. Layer half this dough into the lined tin, flatten it out with the back of a spoon or the rubber spatula. Add the crumbled halwa, chocolate chunks spread evenly. Add the remaining cookie dough on top and flatten it out. Bake this at for 18-22 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and just set.

Serving and storing these halwa chocolate cookie bars?

Remove from the oven and let it cool for a couple of hours before slicing. Drizzle over the melted chocolate and tahini, cut into bars and serve with coffee. You could also sprinkle over sesame seeds and sea salt flakes. Before slicing and serving. If you wan to serve these warm, you can reheat them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before serving. I also like dunking them in milk. Store the leftovers in zip lock bags or air tight containers at room temperature for 3 days. In the fridge for 7 days and in the freezer for 1 month. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and warm in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.

Looking for more ramadan dessert recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make these Halwa chocolate cookie bars, you can have a look at the video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.