Food Recipes Desserts Cookies Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Halvah 5.0 (1) 1 Review Halvah is the secret to these craveable chocolate chip cookies. By Warda Bouguettaya Published on August 23, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Yield: 20 cookies Every pastry chef has their secret for creating the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, and for 2022 F&W Best New Chef Warda Bouguettaya, it’s nutty, rich crumbles of halvah (which the chef calls halwah) folded into the dough. While halvah can be enjoyed as a standalone dessert, here, it gives the nostalgic chocolate chip cookie a toasty and earthy twist. “I love chocolate and sesame seeds together. One of the first cookies I made growing up in Algeria was a batch of old-fashioned no-bake cookies with toasted sesame, which I rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate,” says Bouguettaya. “When I opened my Detroit bakery, Warda Pâtisserie, I wanted something a little more special to add to the classic chocolate chip cookie. I reached again for sesame, this time in the form of halvah.” For these cookies, Bouguettaya breaks halvah into bite-size pieces, and then gently folds it into the cookie dough by hand to ensure well-dispersed pockets of melty, smooth halvah in each cookie. The cookies come out with a chewy center, crisp edges, and just the right amount of gooeyness. Frequently asked questions What is halvah? Halvah is a crumbly sesame confection that is popular in the Middle East and North Africa where, depending on the country, it is also called halva, halwah, or halawa. (Not to be confused with South Asian halwa, which is a semolina pudding.) It has a distinct fudge-like texture. Where can I buy halvah? You can purchase halvah at most Middle Eastern grocery stores or online at Persian Basket or Yekta Market. Bouguettaya likes to use sesame halvah (labeled “Halawa”) from the Lebanese company Al Kanater, which is made from tahini, sugar, marshmallow extract, and vanilla. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen When you're breaking up and measuring halvah, remember to leave the pieces fairly large in order to get a nice dispersion throughout each cookie. After folding the pieces into the dough and scooping out the cookies, they will continue to break into smaller pieces. Chocolate fèves, also called discs, will dramatically spread as they bake, creating melty puddles; a roughly chopped chocolate bar will form smaller but equally decadent pools. Ingredients 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 11 3/8 ounces) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup unsalted butter (6 ounces), melted and cooled 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 4 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (62% cacao) fèves or bar (such as Valrhona), roughly chopped (about 3/4 cup) 3 1/2 ounces plain halvah (such as Al Kanater Halawa Plain), broken into bite-size pieces (about 3/4 cup) 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds Flaky sea salt, for garnish Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside. Beat brown sugar, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until thick, smooth, and well combined, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined and stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, about 15 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture until just a few streaks of flour remain, about 30 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer. Using a spatula, fold in chopped chocolate, halvah, and sesame seeds until evenly distributed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour. Scoop dough using a small ice cream scoop (about 2 inches in diameter), and place at least 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven, one baking sheet at a time, until edges are lightly golden and centers are soft and just set, 12 to 14 minutes. Immediately sprinkle cookies with flaky sea salt, and let cool slightly on baking sheet, about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Rate It Print