The Most Popular Halo-Halo Mix-Ins, Ranked

(SPOT.ph) There are plenty of ways you can cool down from the dehumanizing summer heat—like knocking down a glass (or two) of halo-halo. Heck, we’d argue it’s probably the best heat-beater ever. Combining a variety of tastes, textures, and colors in an vessel filled with crushed ice, milk, and other mix-ins, this Filipino dessert is pretty much the definition of fiesta in a glass (or bowl).

When it comes to those mix-ins, though, everyone’s got preferences. Every mix-in has its own distinct character, of course—which some might love and others might hate. We sought to explore how these ingredients stack up, for, uh, science—in light of which comes this totally subjective, non-scientific ranking of halo-halo mix-ins by the SPOT.ph team.

We listed 14 common halo-halo mix-ins asked members of the team to rate each one from one to five, based on how they feel about it in their halo-halo:

1: Strongly dislike
2: Dislike
3: Neutral
4: Like
5: Really like

The scores of each ingredient were then added up (out of the maximum possible score of 60) and ranked in order. We’ve rounded up everyone’s specific remarks, too. Quick disclaimer that this is just for fun, folks—and an undying love for the quintessential summer treat.

Also read: The Most Popular Pizza Toppings, From "Hard Pass" to "Chef's Kiss"

The Essentials: Ice and Milk

Before anything, we’ve gotta start with what is arguably halo-halo’s backbone. We agreed not to include these in the ranking as they’re inherently non-negotiables in any halo-halo, but we can’t not discuss them anyway.

Ice is usually crushed to varying levels of fineness—the team more or less universally agrees that finely crushed is the way to go. “‘Wag bloke,” says Christa, our Section Head for News, Travel, and Culture. Managing Editor Pat specifies she likes hers super fine—”Razon’s level, if pwede.”

Our Video Content Creator Janelle, Video Content Producer Mig, and Brand Head Kiko likewise prefer shaved ice. And for Pia, Senior Correspondent for News and Explainer, it’s best if the ice itself is flavored—”a la Kuya J’s or [like] bingsu, so it has a flavor of its own. ‘Di lang siya parang empty canvas.”

Eat + Drink Section Editor Trish (currently referring to herself in the third person) admits she has a soft spot for uneven or roughly crushed ice, “as someone who chomps down ice cubes as a snack”—but agrees that when the ice is finely crushed, you get a “smoother, more seamless experience.” Amen.

For the milk bit—when it's served separately anyway (some places use shaved ice actually made with milk)—the team generally prefers the evaporated kind, which is conveniently what’s also usually employed here in Manila. (Pia also says she’s open to condensed milk!) Trish, however, says it’s a whole different experience when you use fresh carabao’s milk. “It can be hard to find in the city, but it’s so worth subbing in if you can get your hands on it.” It’s grassier and cleaner-tasting, she explains, yet creamy in its own right.

Now onto the elements that give halo-halo its vibrant, varied character.

Also read: Top 10 Halo-Halo for Delivery in Manila

These mix-ins, ranked, make for the best halo halo in Manila:

14. Cornflakes

Granted, this isn’t the most common ingredient you’ll find on halo-halo (Icebergs is one establishment that uses it in their take), but it does have its fair share of fans—like Pia and Janelle. The cereal adds a subtle crunchy element to the mix after all, though Pia admits she ultimately prefers pinipig for that purpose (“parang mas Pinoy siya versus cornflakes,” she explains). For Trish, they’re one of those ingredients that works better on paper than in real life. “In practice the cornflakes get soggy easily and tend to get lost in the mix,” she says.

13. Cheese

Cheese is another ingredient that’s relatively uncommon, but still occasionally utilized in some small street shops and/or parts of the country (e.g., Bicol). This was a polarizing item for the team, with Kiko going “WHY” and our Associate Editor Mia jokingly rating it -100. But then you’ve also got its believers: our Staff Writer Leana commends the way it makes for a creamier halo-halo—”there's a bite of saltiness from the cheese, especially if they use Eden Cheese [or the] processed kind”—and how it balances out the umay from the other sweeter ingredients. Our Social Media Strategist Marese agrees, praising the “salty, creamy combo” you get with the cheese on top. That, plus: “I’m just a cheese addict.”

12. Sweetened Beans

Giving beans the sugary treatment is a Japanese influence—and sweetened white beans, red monggo, and even garbanzos are pretty much a staple halo-halo ingredient today. Trish, for one, is a huge fan, praising their earthy, nutty tastes—yup, the very “bean-y” flavor people either love or hate—and creamy texture (“white beans, especially”). Associate Eat + Drink Section Editor Bea agrees, though she describes the textural aspect that she loves to be its grittiness.

Not everyone is convinced, though: Mia, Pia, Christa, Pat, Janelle, and Kiko all give it a rating of 1. “For me, beans and monggo in halo-halo is like raisins in fruit salad or rellenong bangus,” Pia explains. “It’s a surprise you don’t really want on your food, but I guess to each his/her own. Monggo is our Friday ulam, let’s keep it that way.” Pat simply goes: “Just no.”

11. Kaong

Another ingredient on the more commonly used end of the halo-halo ingredient spectrum, kaong refers to sweet palm fruit that’s preserved in a syrup (at times tinted red or green). The result: a sweet mix-in that doesn’t quite stand out in taste, yet has a distinctive texture that can best be likened to a cross between yam and a firm jelly. Think: nature’s jellybeans.

A number of members of the team (Pat and our Staff Writer Louise) have yet to try it; some others (Leana and Marese) simply don’t particularly care for it and rate it a 2. But Mia, Christa, Janelle, and Mig give it a 4, and Trish goes ahead and rates it a 5, calling it an “underrated hero” and her favorite ingredient. “I’m a huge texture person, and kaong is so unique in that aspect—it’s almost buttery smooth as you bite down, but it’s still a touch starchy but jelly-like and refreshing,” she says.

10. Sago

Ah, sago. These tapioca balls are an ingredient you’ll find across a variety of local desserts—halo-halo, of course, included. Their primary contribution to halo-halo is one of texture, as they’re known for their distinctly chewy character—and hey, the sight of balls against a clear glass is arguably… attention-grabbing.

Some members of a team (Mig, Louise, Janelle, and Bea) give it a lower rating of 2, with Mig acknowledging how it adds to the “visual appeal” but ultimately “[doesn’t] need to be there.” Pia, who rates it a 3, calls it an “attendance ingredient.” “Walang lasa pero bilog kasi so added texture, I guess?” On the more pro-sago camp is Trish, who again is a sucker for texture and says it offers the “perfect resistant chewiness,” at least when cooked right, to contrast against the creamy milk and ice.

9. Gulaman

Gulaman or agar jelly cubes are another staple in the world of Filipino samalamig. They’re light, bouncy, and, well, jelly-like; sometimes they can be flavored, but most gulaman in halo-halo are of the neutral-tasting kind.

Bea has a strong anti-gulaman sentiment for that very reason. “It doesnt have any taste,” she laments, sharing that she’d either “remove it and set it aside, or I force myself because food waste [sucks].” Other team members consider it an “okay” addition the halo-halo equation—Mig calls it an “aesthetic ingredient”, Louise says it’s “ayt,” and Pia says it’s a “good addition para more mix-ins” (and jokingly calls it “fake nata”). (The three also each gave gulaman a rating of 3.) Trish regards it as a “filler ingredient” of sorts that can be done without, but she doesn’t mind having in there.

8. Pinipig

This all-natural cereal of sorts is usually added to halo-halo as a topping. They’re made with immature grains of glutinous rice that are pounded flat, then toasted briefly so that they “pop” and develop a puffy, crisp character and toasty taste—giving you subtle textural contrast when mixed with the other halo-halo ingredients.

Some members of the team aren’t particularly enthusiastic about it; Christa rates it a 1, Louise says it’s just “eh,” and Pat admits she can “live without this ingredient.” “The added crunch is fun but I don't miss it if it's gone,” Mig adds. This makes sense as most halo-halo would only tend to have a small sprinkling of pinipig of top—but for Trish, the “toastiness and subtle crunch” it adds is one she can’t get enough of.

7. Langka

Langka or jackfruit—usually the syrup-preserved kind from a jar, though occasionally the fresh kind would be used—has a distinct bright, tropical taste that’s practically unmatched.

Pat considers it a “hit-or-miss” addition to halo-halo (“minsan I like it in halo-halo, minsan hindi”), and Louise doesn’t eat it at all, but Trish considers it essential as the primary tangy element in the mix. “It uplifts the dessert in the most beautiful way,” she says. Mig, who rated it a 5, also calls it “more fun than bananas.”

6 and 5. Macapuno and Sweetened Saba Bananas

Both of these elements scored 39 points in total. Macapuno, of course, refers to mutant coconut—strips of which are preserved in a sugar syrup that (ideally) retains its delicate, jellylike texture. Most members of the team are fans, though Trish—who normally loves the ingredient—thinks that their delicate flavor tends to get lost in the specific case of halo-halo.

Saba bananas are a banana variety that are firmer and starchier than others you’ll find in the Philippines; they’d usually be cooked in a sweetened syrup, which preserves it too, then added to halo-halo where they contribute a distinct fruity taste. Save for Christa who rated it a 1, the rest of the team are fans of the fruit, with Pat even calling it a “god-tier ingredient.”

4. Ube Halaya

Ube halaya (also called ube jam) consists of purple yam cooked in sugar and dairy (milk and/or evaporated or condensed milk, as well as butter, are common) to form a thick, spreadable sweet condiment-slash-dessert of sorts. Most versions around end up a touch nutty, but also lush and creamy with all that dairy in there—thus adding richness and body when mixed into halo-halo.

Though Janelle rated it a 1, calling herself a “white halo-halo stan” (“I dislike ube,” she says), Pia, Christa, Trish, Leana, Marese, and Mig all rated it a 5. Trish even considers it a “non-negotiable.” “It’s essential for what I consider to be the quintessential halo-halo taste,” she says.

3. Ice cream

Ice cream is usually added to halo-halo as an upgrade or add-on; most shops’ halo-halo are ice cream-less by default, with ice cream-topped versions being sold as “Special” or “Extra Special” versions for a higher price. And it’s well worth getting the upgrade, if you ask us—it makes for a more indulgent dessert after all, whether you decide to stir it in as you mix your halo-halo, or keep it wholly or partially unmixed and dive into it in between spoonfuls of the iced mix below.

What the team became polarized about, amusingly, was the best flavor of ice cream to go for when you have the choice. Pia, Trish, Pat, Louise, and Mig are all on Team Ube, with Pat calling it the “only acceptable flavor” of ice cream for this application. “Ube all the way!,” Louise raves; “ube supremacy,” Mig chimes. “Aside from the flavor, it gives the halo-halo more color once mixed in,” Pia explains. Trish does say she has a soft spot for cheese ice cream at times, but ube is ultimately where it’s at.

Christa and Kiko would beg to disagree. “No to ube ice cream, yes to ube halaya,” Christa says. Heck, Kiko even says he’d prefer to have “anything BUT ube.” “I mean, if [I have] no choice I can eat it but I prefer other flavors. Vanilla is a go-to.” Mia (who admits it’s “blasphemy,” but stands by her choice anyway) and Janelle (who, as mentioned, prefers her halo-halo “white”) are similarly on Team Vanilla.

2. Nata de Coco

This distinctly Filipino invention is made with coconut water that’s fermented, along with a bacteria called acetobacter xylinum—which naturally gives it a firm yet chewy, gel-like chew you can’t find anywhere else.

Only Trish rated it relatively low at just 3, saying she appreciates the ingredient in itself but that it feels odd (“and too refreshing”) in halo-halo. Everyone else, however, loves it—Pat says if she could rate it 1 million, she would. Pia says it’s similar to kaong but that she prefers nata for its smoother bite (plus, “if it comes in different colors, mas fun pa,”). And Louise? “​​[It’s] the best mix-in, I don't make the rules. I love how chewy they are! I can eat a whole jar of nata de coco, fr fr.”

1. Leche Flan

This rich, creamy flan—often made with condensed and evaporated milk and egg yolks in modern times—is our absolute favorite halo-halo topping, with Trish and Pat rating it a 4 and everyone else on the team giving it a 5. “It’s just rich and buttery like nothing else,” says Trish.

And even though you typically only get a small block of leche flan on your halo-halo, it makes a massive impact when you get even a small wad in your spoonful. “Getting even a bit of leche flan in your mixed halo-halo is a bit like a treasure hunt, but one that’s well worth it,” she says, because the reward you get is: “A lush, caramel-y explosion.”

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