Mung Bean Halwa Cookie Pie

A Simple Mother’s Day Bake

Some years, Mother’s Day is simple. No elaborate plans. Just time at home and something prepared in the kitchen.

That year, I had boiled mung beans left from a savoury pastry I had made earlier in the day. A portion of them sat in the fridge, already cooked and soft. I also had a cookie dough inspired by a crumbly semolina biscuit I grew up with.

Instead of shaping individual cookies, I pressed the dough into a pie dish and made a quick mung bean halwa to layer inside.

The result was a mung bean halwa cookie pie with a lightly crisp crust and a soft, sweet centre. It sliced neatly, held its shape, and disappeared steadily over the next day.

It was simple. And it worked.

If you enjoy mung beans in savoury form, you might also like this Savoury Mung Bean Pastry, where the same ingredient takes on a completely different role.

What Is Mung Bean Halwa?

Mung bean halwa is a sweet preparation made by cooking mung beans down into a thick paste with sugar and fat until rich and cohesive. It appears in various forms across South Asia and is often slow cooked until deeply aromatic.

In this version, the halwa is simplified. The beans are already boiled, then simmered with sugar and plant-based milk until thick. It is less elaborate than traditional preparations but still carries the dense, sweet character that defines halwa.

Mung beans adapt surprisingly well to sweet bakes. I’ve also used them in this Crumbed Top Mung Bean Cake, where they create a soft, structured crumb beneath a lightly crisp topping.

Here, instead of forming the base of a cake, the halwa becomes a filling layered inside a cookie crust.

Why Bake It Into a Cookie Pie?

The dough combines gram flour and semolina, which give it a slightly sandy texture once baked. The structure is similar to naan khataay in texture, though shaped differently.

Pressing the dough into a pie dish makes the process easier. One bake instead of multiple trays.

Layering the halwa inside creates contrast:

• A firm, lightly crisp outer crust
• A dense, sweet mung bean centre
• Clean slices that hold together

It turns a simple dough into something shareable.

Variations and Substitutions

You can adapt this recipe depending on what you have.

• Use plain flour plus baking powder instead of self-raising flour
• Omit semolina for a softer, less crumbly crust
• Add ground cardamom to the halwa for warmth
• Use chopped pistachios or almonds on top
• Replace brown sugar with cane sugar if preferred

If using dried mung beans, soak and boil until very soft before preparing the halwa.

Serving and Storage

Slice while still warm for cleaner cuts.

Once cooled, the crust firms slightly and the halwa settles into a denser texture.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. In warmer climates, refrigeration may be better.

It can also be frozen in slices and thawed as needed.