Air Fryer Tahini Halva Brownies

Name: Air Fryer Tahini Halva Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped, into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces; 4 oz (115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature; ½ cup (130 g) sesame tahini (not roasted), at room temperature, well-stirred; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder; ¼ tsp (1¼ g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; ⅓ cup (75 g) tahini halva, crumbled, into pea-sized pieces

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fudgy, nutty brownies with sesame tahini and crumbled halva swirled throughout, cooked in the air fryer for a crispy exterior and chewy center. This Middle Eastern-American fusion delivers intense chocolate flavor elevated by toasted sesame and the subtle sweetness of halva.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 12 brownies (3×2-inch / 7.5×5 cm each)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes
Line a 7×5-inch (18×13 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal
Have eggs and tahini at room temperature for smooth mixing

1
Melt chocolate and butter
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the chopped dark chocolate and unsalted butter.
- Stir frequently until completely melted and smooth, about 3–4 minutes.
- Do not overheat.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: No visible chocolate or butter chunks remain; mixture is glossy and smooth
Tip: Keep heat low to prevent the chocolate from seizing or becoming grainy.
2
Whisk in sugars and tahini
- In a large mixing bowl, pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture.
- Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined and no lumps remain, about 1 minute.
- Then whisk in the room-temperature tahini until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and thick.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform in color with no streaks of tahini or sugar visible
Tip: Cold or clumpy tahini will create an uneven batter; ensure it's at room temperature and well-stirred before use.
3
Add eggs and vanilla
- Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Then whisk in the vanilla extract until the batter is thick, glossy, and homogeneous.
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Ready when: Batter is uniform and slightly pale, with no streaks of egg white visible
Tip: Room-temperature eggs emulsify smoothly and create a better texture than cold eggs.
4
Fold in dry ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet batter using a rubber spatula, folding until just combined—do not overmix.
- The batter should still have a few flour streaks when you fold in the halva.
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Ready when: No dry flour visible; batter is thick and consistent
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes brownies tough; fold gently until you no longer see flour streaks.
5
Fold in halva pieces
- Fold the crumbled tahini halva into the batter using a spatula, being careful to distribute the pieces evenly throughout without crushing them further.
- The batter should be thick and studded with halva crumbles.
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Ready when: Halva pieces are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: If halva crumbles are too fine, they dissolve into the batter and lose texture; crumble them into roughly pea-sized pieces for best results.
6
Transfer to air fryer pan
- Pour the batter into the parchment-lined 7×5-inch baking pan.
- Smooth the top with a spatula, pressing gently to fill any gaps and create an even surface.
- Do not press too hard or the brownies will be dense.
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Ready when: Batter is level and fills the pan evenly
Tip: The parchment overhang makes it easy to lift the entire brownie block out after cooking.
7
Air fry at 350°F (175°C)Oven 350°F / 175°C
- Set the preheated air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully place the baking pan inside the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 18–20 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- The top should look slightly cracked and feel firm to the touch.
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Ready when: Toothpick has a few moist crumbs; top is firm and slightly cracked; edges are set
Tip: Air fryer temperatures vary, so check at 18 minutes to avoid overbaking. Underbaked brownies are better than overbaked—they continue to set as they cool.
8
Cool completely
- Using pot holders, carefully remove the pan from the air fryer and place it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- The brownies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Do not cut until fully cooled, or they will be crumbly.
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Ready when: Pan is cool enough to touch; center feels set (not jiggly) when pan is gently shaken
Tip: Cooling is crucial—rushing to cut warm brownies results in a messy, broken texture.
9
Cut and serve
- Once completely cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift the entire block out of the pan onto a cutting board.
- Using a sharp knife (dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for clean edges), cut the block into 12 even squares (3 rows × 4 columns).
- Each brownie will be approximately 3×2 inches (7.5×5 cm).
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Ready when: Clean, even cuts without crumbling or breaking
Tip: A hot knife creates the cleanest edges; wipe the blade after each cut to prevent crumbs from dragging.

Good to know

Tips

Air fryer models vary in temperature and performance. If your air fryer runs hot, reduce the temperature by 10–15°F (5–8°C) and check early. If it runs cool, you may need to add 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Do not skip room-temperature ingredients—cold eggs and tahini don't emulsify smoothly and result in a grainier texture.
For extra fudgy brownies, remove them at 17–18 minutes; for cake-like brownies, bake the full 20 minutes.
These brownies are rich; one brownie pairs beautifully with strong coffee, tea, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Make ahead

Brownies can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (sealed container): up to 4 days. Refrigerator (airtight container): up to 1 week. Freezer (wrapped individually in plastic wrap and sealed in freezer bag): up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Substitutions

dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped → Milk chocolate (55–60% cacao) or semi-sweet chocolate. Brownies will be sweeter and less intense; use 5 oz (140 g) to account for added sweetness.
sesame tahini (not roasted) → Almond butter or peanut butter. Use the same amount; flavor will shift from sesame to nutty/peanut. Halva may taste less cohesive with these butters.
tahini halva, crumbled → Sesame seeds or crushed pistachios. Sesame seeds add nuttiness without sweetness; pistachios add color and different flavor profile. Use 0.33 cup (40 g) of seeds or 0.5 cup (60 g) chopped pistachios.
all-purpose flour → Whole wheat pastry flour. Brownies will have a slightly nuttier, earthier taste and denser crumb. Use the same amount.