The Dubai chocolate trend has swept the planet, and I completely get why- that chocolate kunafa is SO GOOD! And the crunchy pistachio coated kunafa is an amazing way to pack extra flavor and a bit of a twist to classic desserts, like my famous easy chocolate chip cookies. When you take such a great cookie recipe, and stuff it with pistachio coated kunafa, these Dubai chocolate cookies are born and let me tell you, this is not a recipe you want to miss out on!
Any time you want to make cookies that are even more elevated than a classic, I highly recommend trying this Dubai cookie recipe out. This is an especially great recipe for parties or gatherings where you want a bit of a wow factor, or in Ramadan, where pistachio and kunafa are both super popular in recipes.
This was inspired by my take on the viral Dubai chocolate bar, this chocolate kunafa from my website. I love it because it’s so easy, no chocolate molds required, just a simple loaf pan, and you can use an air fryer to toast the kunafa.
Jump to:
Ingredients you need to make these cookies:
- Kunafa pastry (kataifi dough): This will be found in the freezer section. You can probably find it in larger retailers, as well as Middle Eastern supermarkets, Greek supermarkets, and on Amazon!
- Pistachio spread (or pistachio cream): You’ll find it similarly in most larger retailers or in Middle Eastern supermarkets or Amazon
- Unsalted butter: both to use to toast the kunafa and in the cookie dough
- Brown sugar: I use either light or dark or a mix of both, either work just make sure it’s the sticky kind.
- Granulated sugar: Just a touch of regular white sugar gives the cookies great texture
- Egg: Room temperature to blend into the cookie dough easier
- Flour: All purpose plain flour
- Baking soda: what gives the cookies their chewy texture
- Salt: A little regular table salt in the cookies, and some flaky salt for topping
- Chocolate chips: I like using semi-sweet, to offset the sweetness of the pistachio kunafa filling in the cookies. You can use chips, chunks, or just chop up a dark chocolate bar. You can also substitute milk chocolate if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Dubai Chocolate Cookies
- Step 1: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the shredded kunafa dough.
- Step 2: Toast until golden brown, stirring constantly.
- Step 3: Place in a medium sized bowl to cool slightly.
- Step 4: Add the pistachio cream.
- Step 5: Stir until well combined.
- Step 6: Scoop out 2 teaspoon sized balls of the filling onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and freeze while you make the dough.
- Step 7: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Step 8: Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Step 9: Add the egg and vanilla.
- Step 10: Mix again until just combined.
- Step 11: Whisk the dry ingredients together separately.
- Step 12: Add the dry ingredients to the cookie dough.
- Step 13: Mix until just combined.
- Step 14: Add chocolate chips.
- Step 15: Mix until just combined.
- Step 16: Wrap cookie dough around frozen pistachio kunafa balls.
- Step 17: Space stuffed cookie evenly apart on baking sheet.
- Step 18: Bake until golden brown and sprinkle with sea salt.
Hint: Keep stirring the kunafa as you toast it, it can go from not done to burnt very quickly!
Double the cookie recipe
Do what I like to do, and double the cookie recipe! Use half for stuffing with pistachio kunafa, and freeze the other half into cookie dough balls to pull out and make regular (and delicious) chocolate chip cookies whenever a craving hits!
How to serve:
I love having these fresh out of the oven, so I only bake however many I need at that particular time! Stuffed cookie dough balls will last up to 5 days in the fridge) and freeze wonderfully (check the storing leftovers section below).
- Milk – The best way to enjoy these! With a cold glass of milk
- Ice cream – If you want the ultimate Dubai chocolate cookie experience, serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, and maybe some chocolate or pistachio sauce drizzled on top.
Storing Leftovers:
Leftover cookies will still be delicious 2-3 days after baking in an airtight container. My preference is to bake the cookies fresh, using dough that’s been stored in the fridge or the freezer:
- To refrigerate dough – Cover tightly in the fridge and store for up to 5 days.
- To freeze dough – Freeze the dough in ready made cookie dough balls, by forming the balls, flash freezing on a tray or baking pan until set, then storing together in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, maybe adding a minute or two to baking time.
See the regular version of these classic chocolate chip cookies on my website!
Expert tips and tricks:
- The chilling time is important in this recipe. You want the Dubai chocolate pistachio centers to freeze into solid disks, or it’ll be nearly impossible to stuff the dough with them. Similarly, you want to chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes to develop the flavor and stiffen the dough enough that it’s easy to work with. Chilling cookie dough also helps prevent the dough from spreading too much.
- Cut your kunafa into little pieces so that you get the maximum crunch.
- Preheat the oven while you chill the dough, and line your baking sheets with parchment paper to use the time efficiently. If baking two trays at a time, swap their places halfway through the bake.
- If you have a cookie scoop, use one for this recipe to get evenly sized cookies, on the larger side (3 tablespoon each)
Top Tip
Don’t overbake! Once edges are golden and center is just set, remove from the oven as they’ll cook further on the tray as they cool (You can lift a cookie just to make sure the bottom is a light golden brown).
Recipe FAQs:
Absolutely! The cookie dough will last up to 5 days in a fridge tightly covered, so you can make it the night before to speed up your prep.
Make sure you use enough cookie dough to really encase the filling, and make sure you’ve sealed the cookie dough thoroughly around the pistachio kunafa filling.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, make sure the oven is preheated before the cookies go in, and if you feel they spread a little while baking, use a dull butter knife to push the sides of the cookies into the center immediately when you remove them from the oven.
Most larger retailers carry it (also known as pistachio butter or pistachio cream), you can also find it online (Amazon) or Middle Eastern supply stores.
Of course! You can follow the same recipe exactly, and freeze dollops of Nutella or Biscoff spread and stuff with those instead- either plain, or mixed with the toasted kunafa.
If you liked this recipe, you might like:
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card and a comment!
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
Dubai Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
For the pistachio kunafa:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup shredded kunafa (kataifi) pastry 50g
- heaping 1/3 cup pistachio spread 100g
For the cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 113g
- 3/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar or a mix of light and dark, 150g
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar 37g
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour 220g
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- heaped 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks 170g
- flakey sea salt for topping
Instructions
For the pistachio kunafa:
- Cut the kunafa (kataifi) into little 1/2 inch pieces in a large bowl, I find it easiest to do this using kitchen scissors.
- Place the chopped kunafa in a medium sized bowl and mix with the melted butter until well coated.
- Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat, then add the coated kunafa and toast, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown.
- Alternately, you can air fryer the kunafa by preheating the air fryer to 350F (180C) , and lining the basket of the air fryer with parchment paper. Add the shredded kunafa and air fry for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that the kunafa toasts evenly.
- Place the toasted kunafa into a large bowl, add the pistachio spread and stir well to combine. Form little 2 teaspoon sized dollops of this and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then place in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough (until hardened, at least 30 minutes).
For the cookie dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a handheld mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar for 5 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Once five minutes is over, add in egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until combined. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed, and mix until just combined.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in chocolate chips or chunks until just combined. Place bowl of dough in fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill. Meawhile, preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Form heaped cookie dough balls (about a 3 inch scoop or 3 tablespoon each), then flatten each ball and place one pistachio kunafa disk in the center of each. Wrap the dough around the kunafa, making sure to seal tightly. If you need to, add more dough to fully encircle the kunafa.
- Place dough balls at least 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets. I like to top each with a few more chocolate chips for visual appeal. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges and set in the center. Don't overbake! Start checking at 12 minutes. If baking more than one sheet at once, swap their places in the middle of baking time.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt, let cool for a few minutes then enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Pistachio Spread: Substitute with Nutella or Biscoff for a different flavor twist.
- Chocolate Chips: Use chunks, chopped chocolate bars, or swap in milk/dark chocolate depending on your preference.
- Baked Cookies: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
-
Unbaked Cookie Dough:
– Fridge: Store tightly wrapped for up to 5 days.
– Freezer: Scoop into balls and freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
- Freeze the filling: It’s crucial to freeze the pistachio kunafa centers before stuffing so they hold shape and don’t leak.
- Chill the dough: Chill for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading and enhance flavor.
- Double the dough: Stuff half of it, and form the other half into cookie dough balls you keep in the freezer for whenever a cookie craving hits.
- Don’t overbake: Remove cookies when the edges are golden and centers are just set. They’ll continue cooking as they cool.
- Use a cookie scoop: For evenly sized, bakery-style cookies (3 tablespoon is ideal).
- Stir kunafa constantly: Stir constantly when toasting—it can burn quickly!
K says
These turned out great! Followed the recipe almost exactly – realized I was 1tbsp of butter short for the dough and replaced with a heaping tbsp of pistachio cream. Baked for 12min. Delish!
Farah Abumaizar says
That sounds absolutely delicious! Great idea for the next time I make these- thanks for taking the time to comment and so glad you liked them!
Kait says
Big hit in my house.
can they be frozen after baked for future enjoyment?
Farah Abumaizar says
Yes, but I’d much prefer freezing the dough balls and baking them fresh! To freeze the baked cookies, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months, and you can freeze the dough the same amount of time and bake direclty from frozen.
Audrey says
It doesn’t mention the oven temperature in the recipe. That information would be helpful.
Farah Abumaizar says
Fixed that thanks for pointing that out Audrey!