Apparently the Dubai chewy cookie is going viral on Korean socials and I am absolutely here for it.
I’m not over Dubai chocolate and neither is Korea or the internet because there’s a new cookie in town and it’s the chewy Dubai chocolate cookie. I LOVE the filling of Dubai chocolate — I literally eat it with a spoon — so when I saw the chewy Dubai cookies I broke out my trusty jar of pistachio paste and went straight to the kitchen.
What is the Dubai chewy cookie?
If you’ve had Dubai chocolate, think of the crispy, crunchy, creamy pistachio kadyif filling, but instead of it inside a chocolate bar, imagine it in a soft and squishy cocoa dusted marshmallow. It’s kind of like a filled mochi, but way easier to make because you use store-bought marshmallows.
Who invented the Dubai chewy cookie?
Du-Jjon-Ku, aka what Koreans are calling the Dubai chewy cookie, is so incredibly popular that Korea is looking at a marshmallow and pistachio shortage. I’m not sure which bakery invented them, but it was one in South Korea. Like most of Asian, they love chewy desserts and the dujionku was invented to please the locals. There are lineups around the block at bakeries that sell the cookie, partially because it’s so good and partially because, well, it’s viral. Much like Lisa (of BLACKPINK) did for Labubus, Jang Wonyoung of IVE is doing for Dubai chewy cookies.
Chewy Dubai chocolate cookie ingredients
- kadyif – the best part of Dubai chocolate, the crispy crunchy bits! You can buy it or make it, but I recommend buying it. Dubai chocolate is so popular that they sell it online now. If you absolutely want to make it, it’s super simple, just time consuming. More on how to make kadyif right here.
- pistachio cream – pistachio cream is what give Dubai chocolate that glorious green hue and flavor. Pistachio cream is essentially pistachio paste that’s been sweetened and cut with either dairy or white chocolate. Pistachio cream is more spreadable and liquid compared to pistachio paste. It’s readily available online and in specialty stores.
- tahini – most of the recipes I’ve seen online for chewy Dubai cookies don’t have tahini in them, but I feel like that tiny bit of tahini makes this particular recipe sing. The sesame just adds another note and makes the cookies more multidimensional.
- butter – we’re going to use the butter two different ways: first, to toast the kadyif and second, to make the marshmallow shell.
- marshmallows – you can use mini or jumbo marshmallows, but I like using the jumbo marshmallows because they melt slower and I just inexplicably feel like they work better.
- cocoa powder – a bit of cocoa powder is what’s going to make the marshmallow shell chocolately.
- milk powder – this is optional if you don’t have milk powder at home, but adding it in adds a nice little toasty milky note. I’ve seen many people online omit the milk powder and be happy, but I haven’t tried it since I wanted to stay true to the original.
How to make chewy Dubai chocolate cookies
- Toast – Start by toasting the kadyif in a bit of butter until it is golden brown and crunchy.
- Mix – After the toasted kadyif is cool, mix it up with pistachio cream, tahini, and a sprinkle of salt.
- Scoop – Use a cookie scoop to scoop out balls of the filling. Put the filling in the freezer to let it firm up.
- Melt – Make the chocolate marshmallow shell by melting marshmallows with butter over very low heat.
- Stir – Once the marshmallows start to lose their shape but aren’t yet completely melted, stir in cocoa powder and milk powder. Stir until the marshmallow mix is completely smooth and glossy.
- Divide – Put the marshmallow mix on a lightly oiled cutting board or piece of parchment paper. Use a knife to cut it evenly into 6 pieces.
- Shape – Using lightly oiled hands (or wear gloves and lightly oil) flatten a piece of the marshmallow mix and place a ball of filling in the centre. Wrap and pinch the marshmallow around the filling.
- Dust – Finish the cookies by dusting them with cocoa powder and enjoy!
Where to buy chewy Dubai chocolate cookies
If you’re not a baker or just want to buy some Dubai chocolate cookies, you’re in luck! Well, that is, if you live in Korea and are willing to wait in line. Just kidding, there are a bunch of cafes in North America that are jumping on to the trend, so just do a quick search and see if anyone is making them near you.
Tips and Tricks
This is a relatively simple recipe to make, but it’s always helpful to have some insider tips and tricks.
- If you’re not into it, don’t make the crispy kadyif. Just buy it. If you like doing meticulous things, by all means you should make it and I have the recipe right here.
- Use a cookie scoop for the filling. Using a cookie scoop will give you the perfect domed ball shape. Once you’re scooped all your filling, freeze it. Freezing the filling helps it keep its shape.
- Add the cocoa powder and milk to the marshmallows once they start melting a tiny bit. They don’t need to be completely smooth before you stir in the cocoa and milk. Marshmallows melt and cool very quickly, so you have to be mindful.
- Use gloves and lightly rub oil on them so the marshmallow doesn’t stick. Work with the marshmallow mixture while it’s still warm. Using gloves will give your hands a bit of protection against the heat and the oil will help with shaping.
- Store in little cupcake wrappers. Even after dusting the chocolate marshmallow shell with cocoa powder, you’ll want to keep all the cookies separate without touching. The best way to do this is to put them individually into cupcake wrappers. Or, if you want them to look like the ones they sell in Korea, they package them up in cute lil domed containers.
How to store Dubai chewy cookies
Keep them in an air-tight container for up to 2 days at room temp if you like a soft and gooey filling or in the fridge if you like a firmer, crunchy filliing.
That’s it! I’ve taken to making mini ones so I can just pop them in my mouth instead of biting into them. I love mini everything and mini chewy Dubai cookies are even better than the standard size, in my opinion.
Happy cookie-ing!
xoxo steph
Chewy Dubai Chocolate Cookie
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter divided
- 1 1/4 cup kadayif chopped ~100g
- 1/2 cup pistachio cream ~100g
- 1 tbsp tahini
- pinch of salt
- 4 cups marshmallows about 7oz (~200g)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder plus extra to finish
- 1 tbsp milk powder
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan over low heat. When melted, add the chopped kadyif, stir, and toast until deeply golden and crunchy. When golden, remove from the pan and let cool.
- Add the toasted kadyif to a bowl and stir in the pistachio cream, tahini, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Use a cookie scoop and scoop out the filling on to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. When all the filling is scooped up, place the cookie sheet in the freezer to firm up.
- While the filling is in the freezer, make the chocolate marshmallows. Add the butter and marshmallows to a non-stick pan and heat gently over low heat while stirring.
- When the edges of the marshmallows soften, stir in the cocoa powder and milk powder. Stir until smooth, removing from the heat if necessary.
- Immediately pour the melted chocolate marshmallow mixture onto parchment paper or a lightly oiled cutting board.
- Take the prepared filling balls out of the freezer.
- Divide the chocolate marshmallow into 6 even pieces and use lightly oiled hands (or wear gloves and lightly oil them) to press the chocolate marshmallow into flat rounds.
- Place a ball of the prepared Dubai filling into the middle of the chocolate marshmallow, enclose and pinch to surround the filling. Repeat as needed. Finish by dusting all of the cookies generously with cocoa powder.
i don’t have a TikTok account but bless you for keeping me up to date on all these viral recipes! Please keep them coming.