14 Foods Inspired by the Dubai Chocolate Craze
Dubai chocolate took off like few desserts ever have. The original bar might cost $20, but chains have found ways to bring its texture and flavor to frozen yogurt, donuts, shakes, and more, without the airfare. Here’s a compilation of those who joined the trend and how they did it.
Paris Baguette Mochi Donut
Credit: Youtube
Instead of the usual cake or yeast, Paris Baguette used its signature mochi donut as the base. It’s topped with a thick spread of pistachio cream, milk chocolate, and crunchy kataifi. The donut leans into pistachio and strawberry without straying far from its Korean-French roots.
Shake Shack Pistachio Chocolate Shake
Credit: Youtube
It was initially launched in the UAE and got an American debut in three cities. It’s pistachio frozen custard spun with toasted kataifi and served inside a chocolate shell that cracks like Magic Shell. Shake Shack even reworked the prep process and replaced fresh-grilled kataifi with ready-to-go phyllo for kitchen efficiency.
Nick The Greek Pistachio Cream Froyo
Credit: Youtube
This California-based Mediterranean chain took its usual Greek yogurt and swirled in ribbons of pistachio butter. Kataifi adds texture, while a chocolate shell and pistachio cream drizzle finish it off. The froyo aligns with the brand’s focus on regional ingredients and taps into a trend that resonates with traditional dessert fans and TikTok-watchers alike.
Marble Slab Creamery Sundae
Credit: Facebook
Marble Slab Creamery built a sundae around sweet cream ice cream to capture the appeal of the viral treat. It’s served in a chocolate-dipped waffle bowl dusted with pistachios, then layered with pistachio butter, chocolate, crunchy waffle pieces, and kataifi. The sundae had early tests in Texas and expanded nationwide due to customer demand.
Crave Cookies Dubai Chocolate Cookie
Credit: Youtube
If you’re into extra-thick cookies, Crave’s version doesn’t hold back. The dough is chocolate, and the filling is pistachio kunafa-style cream. Toasted kataifi adds texture on top. It’s only around for a short time, so fans usually keep an eye on the rotation calendar.
Paris Baguette Dubai Chocolate Tart
Credit: Instagram
Pastry fans got their fix through this tart, which skips doughy crusts for something more refined. It’s filled with pistachio cream and kataifi, then sealed with a layer of chocolate ganache. Crushed pistachios sit on top for added bite. It upscaled the trend without losing the viral ingredient formula.
MilkShake Factory Chocolate Bar
Credit: Instagram
MilkShake Factory made its own bar version rather than riffing on the dessert. Pistachio crème and kataifi are wrapped in a milk chocolate shell and sold as individual bars for about $6. It’s one of the more direct homages to the original, but with a U.S. price tag and packaging.
16 Handles Frozen Yogurt
Credit: Instagram
This frozen yogurt mixed pistachio base yogurt with milk chocolate bits and cocoa powder, skipping the full kataifi layers but keeping the nutty, chocolatey balance. The chain didn’t go for over-the-top visuals, but its blend has that creamy-green center that fans of the trend expect.
Costco After’s Ice Cream Bar
Credit: Reddit
At select Costco locations, After’s Ice Cream rolled out its take on the Dubai dessert as a boxed ice cream bar. Like the viral version, the bar featured a hard chocolate shell with a pistachio-forward interior and bits of crispy kataifi for texture. It sold out quickly and didn’t stay on shelves long.
Starbucks Pistachio Matcha Hack
Credit: Reddit
Starbucks hasn’t formally added Dubai chocolate to its menu, but a customer-created version went around. The drink involves an iced matcha latte, pistachio syrup (available seasonally), and chocolate cream cold foam. While it skips the kataifi, it replicates the flavor and color palette pretty closely.
Paris Baguette Matcha Latte
Credit: Instagram
Unlike Starbucks’ off-menu hack, this drink is an official part of Paris Baguette’s seasonal offerings. Pistachio-flavored matcha latte is topped with chocolate mousse soft cream and finished with shredded kataifi and crushed pistachios. It also had enough visual appeal to make it shareable.
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Bar
Credit: Reddit
Trader Joe’s launched a budget-friendly take with pistachio filling and crispy phyllo. While the original version from Fix Dessert Chocolatier costs about $20 per bar, Trader Joe’s reduced that to under $4. The texture isn’t as dense or crunchy, but it gives a solid introduction for curious shoppers.
Kilwins Pistachio Truffles
Credit: Instagram
Kilwins leaned into its confectionery roots by rolling out truffles packed with pistachio cream and kataifi and dipped in milk or dark chocolate. Each one is decorated with a green and yellow top for visual flair. Kilwins has over 175 shops and one of the U.S’s widest reaches.
Crumbl Dubai Chocolate Cookie
Credit: Reddit
Crumbl slipped the Dubai chocolate cookie into its weekly lineup for a short run. It came with a pistachio base, a layer of chocolate on top, and kataifi for crunch. The oversized format that Crumbl is known for helped it grab attention fast, and fans treated it like another must-try before it disappeared.
Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Bar
Credit: Facebook
One of the biggest chocolate brands in the world entered the scene with a bar that blends milk chocolate and pistachio paste. Lindt’s version includes 45% pistachios along with almonds, hazelnuts, and kadayif (another name for kataifi). It’s now sold at major U.S. retailers like Target, Kroger, and Walgreens.