Posted on 10/06/2025 3:33:58 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
NEW YORK (AP) — Some flavor crazes flirt with us and fade. Others stay and make themselves at home.
It’s too soon to tell for sure, but the Dubai chocolate movement seems to have put down roots and is spreading at a brisk clip. The sweet flavors and thick texture that have made Dubai chocolate bars a hit are morphing into other kinds of confections too.
Let’s back up for a minute. The original and now-classic Dubai chocolate bar was created by Fix Chocolatier in the United Arab Emirates in 2021, and by 2023 had exploded on social media. Rich and indulgent, it features a thick, milk chocolate shell usually encasing a creamy pistachio (and often tahini) filling mixed with crispy, shredded, phyllo-like pastry called kadayif.
Global brands and small bakers alike are riffing on the concept, translating it to croissants, milkshakes and more. Fillings range from peanut butter and jelly to s’mores to matcha.
“I don’t call this a ‘trend’ anymore — it’s a whole new thing,” said Din Allall, whose family business, The Nuts Factory, has about 150 U.S. stores featuring nuts, dried fruits and candies.
The craze has even contributed to a pistachio shortage this year, the Iranian nut producer Keinia has reported. It said the primary reason for the shortage is “the explosive surge in demand fueled by the viral ’Dubai chocolate’ TikTok trend, compounded by underlying supply constraint.”
Globally, Google searches for “Dubai chocolate” shot up quickly at the start of the year before peaking in March. They’ve remained elevated since then, according to Google Trends.
In the U.S., Dubai chocolate is still a relatively niche product. In the 52 weeks ending June 28, U.S. retail sales of pistachio-filled chocolate totaled $822,900, according to the market research company NielsenIQ. By comparison, sales of all chocolates totaled $16.27 billion.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
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Sounds like the UAE version of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
It’s a bar of milk chocolate stuffed with pistachio paste which contains crunchy wafer bits. They’re phenomenal, but expensive at $12-15 each bar depending on the brand you buy. They’re large and weigh quite a bit, but are still pricey for their size.
When I really wanna treat myself, I get one.
Well that explains the elaborate display of $15 “Dubai-style” chocolate bars at my local Walmart! Needless to say, they aren’t exactly selling like hotcakes.
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I have a sudden urge for spanakopita. Mmmmm… .
I want one with dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate
For those who don’t know…. They really are to die for. I never had them until Costco carried them… at least for awhile.
Sounds amazing.
I love me some baklava.
I'm very intrigued.
The Dubai chocolate bar said to have taken over the world.
Sign in front of nearby Russell Stover Outlet: “We now have Dubai chocolate!”
Is it better than other chocolate?
Fairly average, if you ask me. I’d rather just have a really nice dark (e.g., >85%) European bar...
Or maybe some crab cakes like those ones from that restaurant on the Outer Banks of NC - best crab cakes in the world.
Goombays Grille & Raw Bar that place is called.
Mmmmmmm….
I had a jar of Dubai Chocolate peanut butter from Udderly Nuts and it was the best damn tasting peanut butter I’ve ever had.
For 15$ it better make me 6’4 and a number 1 draft pick
$20 at the local gas ⛽ station ⛽
Well, $19.99......
I love high quality chocolate. Not very fond of milk chocolate though.
I like the white chocolate with whole pistachios made from camel’s milk, and bring back a ton of them when I go to Abu Dhabi, or Dubai. The Dubai chocolate reminds me of a better butterfinger
I don’t like pistachios, so I’m not interested in this either.
Now, that’s an endorsement.
I will keep that in mind as I visit several stores this week.
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