You may have heard about Dubai chocolate online however, you might not have heard how it compares to other chocolates. It may not surprise you to hear that Dubai chocolate was created in Dubai, the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates, known largely for its luxurious shopping, dining and architecture. However, the Dubai Chocolate discourse here in America rose to new heights at the beginning of 2025 due to influencers on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat popularizing it. It immediately became a favorite among all of us who have a sweet tooth due to its unique texture and flavor.
First, let’s cover why people can’t get enough of it. Perhaps most notable about Dubai chocolate is the fact that it’s not just chocolate—it’s traditionally a milk chocolate bar with a pistachio and kadayif filling, which is a pastry dough made from shredded phyllo strands. The incorporation of the kadayif gives the chocolate a crunch, the pistachio adds a nice nutty taste and the milk chocolate gives it an overall sweet and creamy flavor, creating a perfect balance of crunchy, nutty and decadent sweetness.
The Golden Nuts, a coffee, nut and dessert shop on Central Avenue in Columbia Heights is just one local eatery that heavily features various iterations of Dubai chocolate on its shelves. With a welcoming atmosphere and kind workers, there are also plenty of unique, showcased sweet treats that would be difficult to find elsewhere, from Turkish sweet cheese pastry künefe to gelatin-free gummy candies.
“It tasted sweet and crunchy, but not like a KitKat,” Mohamed Ahmed (10) said. “There seemed to be a green ingredient inside it that made it taste unique and different.”
While Dubai chocolate is delicious, there are already some other chocolates with crunchy fillings, so what makes it different from delectable morsels like Ferrero Rocher and KitKats? Mainly, the pistachio filling—already hugely popular in Middle Eastern desserts like baklava and mafroukeh—is what sets Dubai chocolate apart and arguably above the rest However, if perhaps you can’t eat this exquisite treat due to a nut allergy, other options can give you a taste of Dubai chocolate. For instance, a KitKat can give you that satisfying crunch while Ferrero Rocher can give you some of the trendier treat’s unique milky, nutty flavor.
“It was kind of like a Ferrero Rocher in texture because of the phyllo dough, it was much more interesting compared to typical nougat-filled chocolates,” Columbia Heights High School (CHHS) science teacher Ms. Jennifer Switalla said. “It was filled with nuts and chocolate, which I enjoyed.”
When purchasing Dubai chocolate in its imported bar form, though, you may think that the price is quite steep. However, as discussed previously, there are some good alternatives to it. A much more cost-friendly alternative is the recently unveiled caramel-filled Hershey bar, which is the classic milk chocolate- candy bar with a silky sweet and gooey layer of caramel inside. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a higher quality chocolate that won’t put too much stress on your wallet, give Ghirardelli squares a chance. With numerous creamy fillings available like raspberry and mint plus both milk chocolate and slightly bitter dark chocolate options,Ghirardelli squares are just fancy enough to make you feel special when you indulge but not so high culture that you worry about your bank account.
In the end, Dubai chocolate is a sweet, crunchy, chocolatey and nutty chocolate bar that you should treat yourself with rarely to savor the taste and so that you don’t end up breaking your wallet.
