Home / all / Halva

Halva

Recipes, Guides, Lifestyles by GRATSI

Halva
EAT

ALEXANDRA'S KITCHEN

Halva

In Greece we prepare it very often during Lent, but also anytime we want a quick, warm, comforting dessert.

By Alexandras Home

 |  

@home.alexandras

March 10, 2026

Halva

By Alexandras Home

Ingredients

  • 1

    cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2

    cups coarse semolina

  • 2

    cups brown sugar

  • 4

    cups water

  • 1

    cinnamon stick

  • 1/2

    cup almonds (about 100 g) (optional)

  • 1

    tbsp cinnamon powder (not full)

  • Ground cinnamon for serving

  • A strip of orange peel 

Instructions

SHOP GRATSI white wine

TOTAL TIME

2 hours

10-15 servings

SHOP GRATSI white wine

Semolina halva is one of the most beloved traditional Greek desserts. It is simple, naturally vegan, and wonderfully aromatic, made with ingredients that most households already have in the pantry. In Greece we prepare it very often during Lent, but also anytime we want a quick, warm, comforting dessert.

Pan Size
Cake mold about 13.8 inches (35 cm) diameter

The Classic Ratio
The traditional Greek halva ratio is 1-2-3-4
(1 oil – 2 semolina – 3 sugar – 4 water)

Because I personally prefer halva less sweet, my ratio is: 1-2-2-4. If you like your halva sweeter, simply follow the classic 1-2-3-4 ratio.

Measuring Logic (The Cup Method)
The recipe follows a very traditional Greek measuring method: 1 cup is used as the measuring base for everything.

STEP 1

Preparing the Almonds

Place the almonds in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them sit for 20–30 minutes. Then, using your hands, gently press each almond and remove the skin. The skins will slide off easily.

Once peeled, set the almonds aside until you add them to the halva.

A bowl of whole almonds sits on a wooden surface next to a glass of clear liquid and three mugs filled with different granular ingredients. A pile of peeled almonds spread out on a beige cloth with a gray and black plaid pattern.

STEP 2

Prepare the syrup
In a saucepan add: water, sugar, cinnamon stick & orange peel

Bring to a boil and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat close the lid and keep it warm.
Important:
We do not want a thick syrup, just for the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to infuse.

A woman with curly dark hair, wearing a black top and white pants, stands in a kitchen slicing an orange with a knife over a wooden cutting board. A glass and a cinnamon stick are on the board. A white pot on a stovetop contains a brown liquid with a cinnamon stick and an orange peel floating in it. A woman in a modern kitchen stirs a white pot filled with dark liquid and lemon slices using a spatula. She wears a black lace top, cream apron, and has curly hair. Shelves and jars are visible in the background.

STEP 3

Toast the semolina
In another pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the semolina and stir constantly until it becomes golden and fragrant.
This takes about 6–8 minutes.
Halfway through the toasting time add the almonds and the cinnamon powder so they toast as well.

A green Dutch oven sits on a stovetop, filled with a layer of yellow cooking oil. White cabinets and a dark countertop are visible in the background. A mound of semolina sits on top of melted butter in a large white pot, ready for mixing. A pot filled with a yellow, crumbly mixture, topped with blanched almonds and a pile of ground cinnamon, ready to be mixed.

STEP 4

Add the syrup
Very carefully and slowly pour the warm syrup into the semolina while stirring continuously. Be careful — the mixture will bubble and splash.

Let the halva thicken
Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pot.

A brown bowl filled with dark liquid and whole almonds, placed on a light wooden surface. A pot filled with brown sauce or gravy, simmering and dotted with several whole garlic cloves. The sauce appears thick and smooth, with visible steam rising from it. A close-up of a large white pot filled with a coarse, crumbly mixture of brown sugar and chunks of butter, likely being prepared for baking.

STEP 5

Shape the halva
Transfer the halva directly into the mold.No greasing is needed.

Using the back of a spoon, press the halva firmly into the mold so there are no air pockets. Let it rest for about 45 minutes so it can firm up.

A wooden spoon rests in a pot filled with a crumbly, brown, and grainy mixture, possibly a dessert or dough, inside a light-colored Dutch oven on a stovetop. A person with red nail polish smooths brown sugar in a Bundt cake pan using a gold spoon. The person is wearing a beige apron and a dark top.

STEP 6

Serve
Unmold the halva onto a serving plate and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

A woman with curly dark hair, wearing a black lace top and white apron, stands in a modern kitchen, holding a bundt cake garnished with orange slices on a glass plate. A round bundt cake dusted with cinnamon sits on a glass platter. It is decorated with cinnamon sticks and orange peel strips. In the background, there is a glass of liquid on a wooden surface. Two slices of cinnamon sugar cake on a white plate with a cinnamon stick, next to a glass of light-colored beverage on a wooden tray. A whole cake is visible in the background.

The market

Someone pours Gratsi Red Wine from a sleek black box into a clear glass, both showing the Gratsi logo, set against a white background.
Red Wine

$39

A person pours Gratsi White Wine, a zero sugar, low-sulfite boxed wine, from a large Gratsi box into a clear Gratsi-branded glass on a wooden block.
White Wine

$39

A hand holds a Gratsi Rosé Wine box with black text and a red spout against a white background, suggesting a refreshing, zero sugar experience.
Rosé Wine

$39