Dubai Chocolate Bar

We can’t get ‘knafeh’ of this viral Dubai Chocolate Bar recipe! Silky, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, crunchy shredded Filo, and creamy pistachio butter makes every bite pure perfection. It’s giving fancy hotel in Dubai but in the easiest no-fuss way possible.

Dubai is known for its over-the-top desserts, from gold-dusted chocolates to saffron-infused sweets, and this recipe brings a little bit of that magic into your kitchen. The best part? It’s so straightforward to make with just a few ingredients, and you can customize it however you like. Whether you’re treating yourself or making a beautiful gift, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought chocolate!

What stands out

This Dubai Chocolate Bar is a chocolate lover’s dream—rich, creamy, crunchy, and irresistible. The silky chocolate melts in your mouth, while the crispy shredded Filo adds the most delicate crunch, making every bite feel like a little celebration. The pistachio butter swirled throughout takes it to the next level with its nutty, slightly sweet flavor that perfectly complements the chocolate. It’s the ultimate balance of smooth, crunchy, sweet, and salty. And the best part? It’s ridiculously straightforward to make—no baking no fuss. Just melt, mix, and set!

Whether you need a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift or just want to satisfy your chocolate cravings without the hefty price tag, this homemade bar has you covered. It tastes like something you’d find in a boutique chocolate shop, but you can whip it up in minutes right in your own kitchen. Make it for yourself, share it with someone special (or don’t—no judgment here!), and enjoy every decadent, chocolatey bite.

How to Prepare

First, follow the package directions for thawing the Filo in the fridge. Once thawed, place it on a cutting board and cut into thin sections across.

With clean hands, separate the filo, making sure there are no clumps and the strands are all separated.

Next, heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter shimmers, add the shredded Filo. Cook the Filo, stirring the whole time, for 5 to 10 minutes, until crispy and lightly golden.

Remove the Filo from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

Melt the pistachio butter for a few seconds in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove, just until runny. Add it to the Filo with the Tahini and mix to combine.

Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in a double boiler or in the microwave, until runny.

Take the chocolate bar mold and pour in 1/4 of the chocolate making sure to move it all the way around so that it coats the bottom and the sides evenly.

Place the mold in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until it has fully solidified.

Once solidified, take it out of the freezer and add as much Pistachio filling as your heart desires. We like to add it almost all the way to the top making sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of space.

Pour over the rest of the chocolate and tilt the mold or use a spoon making sure the chocolate is evenly spread on top.

Place the mold back into the freezer for another hour or until solidified. Remove from the mold and optionally, add crushed pistachios on top and enjoy!

Kitchen tip

We like to separate the shredded filo with our hands, making sure there are no clumps and the strands are all separated. Cook it in the butter until golden and crispy!

Swaps

1. Gluten-free? Traditional filo has gluten, but you can try finding gluten-free Filo. Alternatively, you can try using crushed gluten-free cookies, toasted coconut flakes, or even chopped nuts for that crunch!
2. If you need this recipe to be nut-free, feel free to use Biscoff instead of pistachio butter.
3. We love dark chocolate, but you can use whichever chocolate is your favorite! Just make sure it’s high-quality and suitable for melting.
4. This recipe calls for pistacio butter and tahini, but if you can’t find tahini, don’t stress! Pistachio butter works well as a solo star!

About the Ingredients

This dessert takes inspiration from the viral Dubai chocolate bar, but let’s talk about what makes it so special—starting with knafeh dough!

• What is Knafeh: Knafeh is a beloved Middle Eastern dessert made with shredded filo dough, a layer of soft cheese, and then baked until crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. It’s the flaky, buttery magic of the shredded filo that gives this dessert it’s crunch! To top it off, it’s drizzled with syrup and garnished with ground pistachios for irresistible flavor.
• Pistachio Butter: And then there’s pistachio butter—think of it as peanut butter’s sophisticated older cousin. Pistachio butter is rich, creamy, and nutty with a naturally sweet, slightly floral taste. It’s an absolute game-changer in desserts, pairing beautifully with dark chocolate and fresh fruit.

Serve it with

• Serve with Love Letter Pastries for the Valentine’s Day treat!
• Dubai Chocolate Bar and hot coffee are the ultimate mid-afternoon pick-us-up.
• Add it to this Simple Charcuterie Board for the sweet and savory combo.

Questions

What kind of chocolate should we use?

We used dark chocolate, but feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate! Make sure it’s high quality and suitable for melting.

how long will the chococlate take to harden?

These chocolate bars will take around an hour to harden in the freezer once assembled.

Which chocolate molds should we use?

How do we store these?

Store your chocolate bar in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place away from light to prevent bloom (white film). We like to bring it to temperature if we want the filling to be softer on the inside as it will solidify in the fridge.

Can we make this nut-free?

If you have a nut allergy, feel free to substitute the pistachio butter for Biscoff or any other nut-free spread like sunbutter.

Ingredients

Makes 1 bar

• 1.5 cups shredded filo, or Kataifi
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup pistachio butter, or Biscoff
• 1 tablespoon Tahini, sesame seed butter
• 150 grams dark chocolate, or your favorite type of chocolate
• ½ tablespoon coconut oil, for the chocolate
• 1 tablespoon crushed pistachios, optional

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Medium Pot
• Chocolate Bar Mold
• Shredded Filo Dough
• Pistachio Butter

Method

1. Note: We purchased a 454 gram pack of Krinos Kataifi (shredded Filo dough) and used 100 grams from that pack (1/4 of the package). You can find shredded filo in the frozen section of most grocery stores. We like to buy ours from Adonis, Highland Farms or click HERE to get it on Amazon.

The Pistachio Filling

1. Follow the package directions for thawing the filo in the fridge. Once thawed, place it on a cutting board and cut into thin sections across.
2. With clean hands, separate the filo, making sure there are no clumps and the strands are all separated.
3. Once separated, heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter.
4. Once the butter shimmers, add the shredded filo. Cook the filo, stirring the whole time, for 5 to 10 minutes, until crispy and lightly golden.
5. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.
6. Next, melt the pistachio butter for a few seconds in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove, just until runny. Add it to the filo with the Tahini and mix to combine.
7. Note: if you don't have Tahini, it will be delicious without it too so don't stress!

The Chocolate

1. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave with the coconut oil until runny.
2. Now, take the chocolate bar mold and pour in 1/4 of that chocolate making sure to move it all the way around so that it coats the bottom and the sides evenly.
3. We like to let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. You can clean off the top of the mold with a spatula or even a damp paper towel.

To Assemble

1. Place the mold in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until it has fully solidified.
2. Once solidified, take it out of the freezer and add as much Pistachio filling as your heart desires. We like to add it almost all the way to the top making sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of space and then we pour over the rest of the chocolate.
3. Tilt the mold or use a spoon making sure the chocolate is evenly spread on top. If you have extra filling, feel free to make our Dubai Chocolate Dates or even make our Dubai Strawberry Cup out of it.
4. Place the mold back into the freezer for another hour or until solidified. Remove from the mold and optionally, add crushed pistachios on top and enjoy!

Kitchen notes

Filo Dough:

We purchased a 454 gram pack of Krinos Kataifi (Shredded Filo Dough) and used 1oo grams from that pack which is 1/4 of it. You can find shredded Filo in the frozen section of most grocery stores. We like to buy ours from Adonis, Highland Farms, or HERE on Amazon. Additional Tips: If you can’t find Pistachio butter feel free to use any other sweet spread, such as Biscoff. Nutritional information: This recipe makes 1 large chocolate bar. These calories are approximate based on the brands we used so please feel free to plug in the ingredients you use into an app such as our fitness pal for accuracy.