You’ve seen the viral Dubai chocolate all over social media, so you'll know this flavour combo straight away. Sweet pistachio cream and crunchy kataifi pastry covered in chocolate is next level! But who wants to spend $25 for a bar of chocolate, when you can create your own (dare I say better) version at home, with my Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookies?
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These Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookies are my twist on the trend, built on the base of my No-Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies. I bake the cookies in a muffin tin until golden, then press a little divot in the centre while they’re still warm. Each one is filled with a rich kataifi pistachio filling, drizzled with melted milk chocolate, and finished with chopped roasted pistachios. They're just like my Biscoff stuffed cookies, but with a pistachio centre.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It uses my easy and very popular no chill cookie dough
- The same amazing flavour and textures of viral Dubai chocolate, but in a cookie!
- Filled after baking so there’s no leaking or mess
- Each one is topped with melted milk chocolate and a sprinkle of roasted pistachios
- And because I think they're the best thing I've made this year!
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk chocolate chips for a sweeter cookie. They give that gooey, bakery-style texture and pair beautifully with the sweet pistachio filling.
- Kataifi pastry: this is the fine shredded filo used in many Middle Eastern desserts. It turns crispy and golden when toasted in butter, which is perfect for mixing into our filling.
- Pistachio cream or past is key to replicating that viral Dubai chocolate flavour. Look for a sweet pistachio spread or cream, usually found at Middle Eastern or Mediterranean grocers.
- Roasted pistachios, chopped finely and sprinkled over the top, they add texture and a toasted nutty hit.
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make the Cookies
- Step 3: Mix the sugar and cooled melted butter until well blended
- Step 4: Add egg, extra yolk and vanilla and beat at medium-high speed for 5 minutes
- Step 3: Add combined flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then mix on low until almost combined.
- Step 4: Add chocolate chips and stir through by hand to avoid overmixing.
- Step 3: Use a large cookie scoop to scoop balls of cookie dough into prepared muffin top pan.
- Step 4: Bake until lightly golden, remove cookies from oven and immediately use a ¼ cup measuring cup to press divots into the hot cookies.
How to Make the Kataifi Pistachio Filling
Make the filling while the cookies are baking.
- Step 1: Gently pull apart the kataifi pastry with your fingers to loosen the strands.
- Step 2: Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the kataifi and cook, stirring constantly, for 6–8 minutes or until golden and crisp.
- Step 3: Allow to cool slightly, then mix in with pistachio cream until well combined.
- Step 4: Use straight away, or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Filling The Cookies
- Step 3: Scoop pistachio kataifi mixture into each cookie. Use the back of the scoop to spread the mixture.
- Step 4: Generously drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Hint: Use a small cookie scoop to get the filling neatly into each cookie. You want it nice and full, without it spilling over the sides.
This recipe is next level
the combination is perfect!"
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap milk chocolate for white or dark chocolate
- Try making these stuffed cookie cups made with different cookie doughs -try my Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies (without the marshmallows!)
- Add a pinch of cardamom or rosewater to the filling for a true Middle Eastern vibe.
- Use the filling in other desserts - make a Dubai Chocolate version of my Rocher Stuffed Dates (I've tried it and it's insane! Recipe coming soon)
EquIpment
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:
- Stand Mixer: there's a bit of mixing, so let the stand mixer do the heavy lifting.
- Good quality frypan - for toasting the kataifi.
- Cookie scoops - a large one for the cookies and a small one for the filling
Storage
These Dubai Cookies will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls and bake them whenever the need hits -they'll freeze well for up to 3 months.
Top Tip
The filling can be made ahead and kept refrigerated. When you want to use it, just microwave the mixture for 20 seconds, to make scooping easier.
FAQ
They’re cookies inspired by the viral chocolate bar from Dubai, known for it's kataifi pistachio filling and chocolate shell. These cookies captures that same flavour and texture, but in cookie form.
Check the freezer section at Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocers. Many larger fruit and vegetable stores carry it, but it sells out quickly. Ask to pre order if necessary.
Yes, but they work best in a muffin top tin to hold the shape and give you that deep centre for the filling.
Absolutely! You can make the filling and keep it in the fridge for a week or at room temperature overnight. The cookies can be frozen as balls -see my guide here
Desserts with Texture
If you love great texture combinations, try these:
Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie
- 170 gram Unsalted butter just melted and cooled for 5 minutes
- 180 gram Light brown sugar
- 120 gram White sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 260 gram Plain flour
- 1 teaspoon Bi carb soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 360 g Milk chocolate chips
Filling
- 100 grams Kataifi pastry
- 50 grams Unsalted butter crushed
- 240 grams Pistachio cream or paste warmed in the microwave for 20 seconds
- 100 grams Milk Chocolate melted, to drizzle
- 30 grams Roasted pistachios chopped
Instructions
Cookies
- Heat oven to 180°C/350°F/165°FF
- Heat butter in microwave until it's just melted. Set aside while you prep the other ingredients.
- Lightly spray a muffin top pan with cooking spray and set aside. (see notes)
- Sift the flour, bi carb soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cooled melted butter and sugars until well blended
- Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Beat on medium-high for 5 minutes.
- Stop the mixer, add the flour mixture and beat until almost combined
- Remove bowl from stand, add chocolate chips, then combine with a wooden spoon or spatula. DO NOT OVERMIX
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out balls of cookie dough into prepared muffin top pan, leaving plenty of space to spread.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, until lightly golden
- When cooked and lightly golden, remove cookies from oven and immediately use a ¼ cup measuring cup (or similar) to press divots into the hot cookies.
Make the Filling while the cookies are baking
- Cut the kataifi into pieces, then separate the strands.
- Melt butter in a frypan over medium heat, then toss the pastry in the pan and toast until golden. Be sure to keep stirring the pastry for even toasting. Pour into a mixing bowl.
- If your pistachio cream is quite firm, microwave it for about 20 seconds.
- Pour the pistachio cream over the pastry and stir until combined.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the pistachio mix into the cookies. Spread the mixture if needed.
- Melt the extra chocolate, then drizzle it over the cookies.
- Sprinkle over pistachios and let the cookies cool in the pan.
Notes
- If you don't have a muffin top pan, you can place the cookie dough balls into an egg ring or tart ring that's placed on a lined baking sheet.
- Cookie dough balls can be frozen -simply place a tray of dough balls into the freezer for 10 minutes, then pop them into snap lock bags -make sure you label them with cooking instructions! When you're ready to bake them, pop them into your muffin top pan and bake as usual.
Nutrition
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Sandra says
My family loved this!