Halo-Halo: The Origin and Evolution of a World-Class Filipino Dessert
- museomaritimo
- May 8
- 6 min read
Updated: May 13
May 7, 2026 – Pasig City, NCR, Philippines
An article by SM Floralde
As the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially declared the start of summer (or tag-init) in the Philippines last March 23, the Filipino people are expecting nothing but a series of heat waves the whole season. With the end of the northeast monsoon (locally known as Amihan), the months of April and May are expected to bring us much higher temperatures. In fact, the hottest we have experienced so far this year was 39.2°C in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. And based on PAGASA’s five-day heat index forecast, 15 areas in the country may record heat index levels ranging from 42°C to 44°C. That’s scorching hot!
With this sweltering weather, how do Filipinos beat the summer heat? By going to the beach to swim? Drinking ice-cold beverages? Eating sweet frozen delights?
Chilling in Summer
As a country that is virtually hot all-year round, we, Filipinos, have learned how to adapt to extreme temperatures. In summer, we always stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, at least 8 to 12 glasses daily. We wear light-colored clothing that can reflect more sunlight away from our bodies and loose clothing that maximizes airflow and facilitates the evaporation of sweat. We use payong (umbrellas) to create a physical barrier that blocks the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Hand fans can also be useful in lowering the surrounding temperature. For appliances, we use bentilador or dikoryenteng pamaypay (electric fans) to accelerate our body’s natural cooling mechanisms, while air conditioners (formally translated as tagakondisyon ng hangin or simply, erkon) remove heat and moisture from the air. Moreover, we stay indoors during peak hours of sunlight from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
But the best of all, we enjoy eating frozen desserts such as ice cream (sorbetes) and ice candy or ice-cold delights like saging con yelo (banana with ice) and buco-pandan (coconut pandan salad). And in a country with a tropical maritime climate characterized by high temperature and significant humidity, no one can argue that the most popular and the sweetest way is enjoying halo-halo.
Halo-halo—National Dessert
Halo-halo is considered the quintessential or unofficial national dessert of the Philippines. It is often incorrectly translated in English as "mix-mix." Using the definition from Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, it is defined as “Pagkaing pampalamig na gawa sa ginadgad na yelong nilahukan ng gatas, minatamis na bungangkahoy, at iba pang sangkap” (A refreshing drink made from crushed ice mixed with milk, candied fruit, and other ingredients.) By composition and flavor, this colorful shaved ice dessert is designed to beat the tropical heat, and at the same time, satisfy one’s craving for ultimate sweetness.
This renowned dessert features a layered mix of sweetened beans, fruits, jellies, and tubers topped with shaved ice, evaporada (evaporated milk), leche flan (caramel custard), and ube (purple yam) ice cream. It is famously served in a tall glass and mixed together before eating. Its popularity is undeniable, for it can be ordered in high-end hotels or bought from street vendors in every barangay in the country.
History—From Japanese Occupation to Contemporary Period
Before the 20th century, Filipinos had never tasted anything like halo-halo. First, halo-halo had not been created yet before the Americans arrived during the Spanish-American War. And ice, one of its ingredients, was still imported and not yet available to most Filipino consumers until the first major government-run facility, Insular Ice Plant, was built in Manila in 1902.
Some references suggest that the Filipino dessert originated from a traditional Japanese dessert. According to food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, “The Japanese mitsumame, literally ‘many beans,’ a favorite homeland refreshment translated into mongo con hielo by Nippon immigrants, helped bring icy refreshment to the popular market.”
In the early 20th century, Japanese settlers brought another sweet dessert to the Philippines. They called it “kakigori,” which was shaved ice with beans. With its growing popularity in Manila, the Japanese businessman sold them in Manila's Quinta Market. It was called “mongo-ya,” which consisted of shaved ice, sugar, milk, and sweet mung beans.
With the introduction of ice and Japanese desserts in the Philippines, Filipinos gradually adopted the Japanese concept. Later, they mixed in native ingredients like kamote (sweet potato), langka (jackfruit), nata de coco (coconut gel), kaong (palm fruit), and eventually leche flan (caramel custard) and ube (purple yam). Soon, halo-halo would become widely available for many Filipinos and be served in numerous food establishments, which contributed to halo-halo’s proliferation, not only in the country but around the world.
A Mixture of Sweet Ingredients
According to TasteAtlas.com, the common ingredients for halo-halo include “bananas, jackfruit, coconut, sweet potatoes, red mung beans, chickpeas, sugar palm fruit, purple yam jam, leche flan, and - in recent times - even sweet corn or corn crisps.” In some popular brands of halo-halo, a few pieces of sugar palm or shreds of macapuno (young coconut flesh) are added, and for special orders, ice cream is added on top of it.
By comparison, it is similar to some desserts from other countries, such as kakigori in Japan, bingsu in South Korea, ais kacang in Malaysia and Singapore, and falooda in India, or even resembles a sundae (an ice cream frozen dessert of American origin). But our very own halo-halo is still unique in terms of layers of local ingredients, various textures, and a smorgasbord of flavors; that is why it has been gaining popularity even with non-Filipinos.
How to Eat Halo-Halo the Filipino Way
Halo-halo is a Tagalog word that means "mix" or "mix-mix," perfectly describing the method of eating the dessert by stirring the components together. It is usually prepared in a tall glass or a big bowl and served with a long spoon.
But some people, especially the foreigners, eat it the wrong way. Being clueless or not properly oriented about the eating procedure, they forget to “mix” it, which is considered a “crime.” They scoop out the sweet ingredients individually, cherry-picking the good ones while leaving other ingredients behind. As a result, the sweet ingredients are not mixed well enough, and they would end up not appreciating their first taste of halo-halo.
The Filipino-American food vlogger, Vanjo Merano, explained how to eat this dessert. He said in his article, “Before eating, all the ingredients need to be distributed evenly. This is done by gently stirring the mixture using the spoon. It is quite challenging at first because the shaved ice gets on the way. Stirring eventually becomes easier when the ice starts to melt.” So, when everything is properly blended, only then can one delight in eating this deliciously rich mixture of halo-halo.
Halo-Halo in the 21st Century
Halo-halo has become a cultural symbol in contemporary times. It is the ultimate summer treat, a staple of Filipino culinary culture and identity. Nowadays, every fast-food joint or restaurant serves halo-halo, which can be eaten as panghimagas (a sweet dish served at the end of a meal) or merienda (a light meal eaten in the mid-afternoon). It has become so popular that halo-halo (along with sorbetes, a popular Filipino ice cream) made it to TasteAtlas’ top 50 best frozen desserts in the world!
In recent years, foreigners have become curious to experience its sweet fusion of textures and flavors. One of them was Anthony Bourdain (American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian). While shooting an episode for his show, he went to a Jollibee branch in Los Angeles, California, and got a first taste of halo-halo. He was fascinated by its delightful ingredients and even posted its photo on his Twitter account and called it "oddly beautiful." On another episode, he traveled to the Philippines and discovered a street vendor serving halo-halo. While eating this sweet, ice-shaved treat, he described it as an “icy, milky, technicolor concoction of sweet mung beans, candied fruits, and gelatins.” For him, it was a “wonderful creation” and praised it as a “delicious” and “very satisfying” dessert that he would recommend to everyone. That’s coming from "the original rock star" of the culinary world!
Anthony Bourdain (with a Filipino companion), holding a glass of halo-halo from Jollibee
In the era of the internet and social media, its popularity has spread globally. From thousands of food establishments across the Philippines, ranging from small roadside stalls, neighborhood sari-sari stores, major fast-food chains, and 5-star hotels to international Filipino restaurants like Jollibee and Max’s Restaurant, all serve halo-halo to satisfy their customers’ sweet tooth. Among the best desserts in the world, this most vibrant, mixed-ingredient treat is widely recognized for its cultural significance and refreshing, diverse flavors. Undoubtedly, halo-halo has now become an iconic, globally recognized dessert.
References:
1. Gelaine Santiago - Cambio & Co. Not Your Mama’s Halo Halo: Chef Carl Mandrique On Reinventing Filipino Food. Shopcambio.co.
2. Acor Arceo (2026, Mar 23) PAGASA declares start of warm and dry season for 2026. Rappler.com
3. Department of Science and Technology—Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration. Top 10 Highest Temperature as of May 7, 2026. pagasa.dost.gov.ph.
4. VINCE ANGELO FERRERAS, GMA News (2026, May 4). 15 areas to hit 'danger' heat index on May 5 — PAGASA. GMANetwork.com.
5. Glutto – Glutto Digest. Kakigori: Japanese shaved ice that’s perfectly “not too sweet”.
6. Halo-Halo (Haluhalo). Tasteatlas.com
7. Vanjo Merano (2018, August 31). Halo halo Dessert. panlasangpinoy.com.
8. Tiana Gee (2021, July 6). Halo-Halo. bonappetit.com.
9. GMA Integrated News (2023 June 2). Sorbetes, Halo-halo among TasteAtlas’ Top 50 Best Frozen Desserts in the World. GMANetwork.com.
10. CBS LA (2013, September 25). Halo-Halo, The Ultimate Filipino Dessert, Gains In Popularity. CBSNews.com.
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/halo-halo-the-ultimate-filipino-dessert-gains-in-popularity/
11. AJ—Youtube (2013, Apr. 24). Anthony Bourdain - Parts Unknown - S01E2 Jollibee Clip HD. Youtube.com.