Dubai Chocolate Cookies
Thick, Gooey Pistachio Cookies with a Crispy Outside, Pistachio Kataifi Filling, and a Rich Chocolate Drizzle.
Why You’ll Love These Dubai Chocolate Cookies
These Dubai Chocolate Cookies are a delightful fusion of textures and flavors that will make them an instant favorite. The rich, buttery pistachio cookie base is perfectly balanced with a crispy, golden kataifi filling, offering a satisfying crunch in every bite. The addition of dark chocolate drizzle adds a touch of decadence, while the crushed pistachios on top bring a nutty finish that complements the whole experience. Each cookie is a unique blend of sweet, savory, and nutty goodness, making them an indulgent treat that’s both visually stunning and incredibly delicious. Whether you’re a pistachio lover or just looking for something special to satisfy your sweet tooth, these cookies are sure to impress.
Ingredients and Process Explained
- Cold Butter and Letting Dough Sit in the Fridge: Using cold butter in your dough, combined with letting the dough chill in the fridge, is key to achieving a thick, gooey, and crispy cookie. The cold butter helps reduce the spread of the cookie as it bakes, ensuring that it remains thick with a delightfully chewy center and crispy edges.
- Pistachio Paste vs. Pistachio Cream: Pistachio paste is made from 100% ground pistachios and is unsweetened, making it perfect for the cookie dough. Using the paste ensures that the cookies aren’t overly sweet and allows the natural nutty flavor of the pistachios to shine through. On the other hand, pistachio cream is sweetened and should be reserved for the filling. It adds a rich, sweet contrast to the cookie, complementing the other flavors without overwhelming the overall taste.
- Dark Chocolate Instead of Milk Chocolate: Dark chocolate is used in this recipe to balance the sweetness of the cookie. Its rich, slightly bitter flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet and nutty elements of the cookie, preventing it from becoming too sweet and adding a layer of complexity to the taste.
These cookies are the epitome of indulgence, featuring a thick, gooey center wrapped in a perfectly crispy exterior. Each bite reveals a delightful surprise: a pistachio kataifi filling that adds a unique texture and nutty flavor. To top it all off, the cookies are finished with a generous drizzle of rich chocolate, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion. Whether you’re a fan of pistachios or just love a good gooey cookie, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your baking repertoire.
- 130 g cold, unsalted butter
- 70 g pure pistachio paste (not sweetened)
- 200 g brown sugar
- 35 g white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 270 g all-purpose flour
- 75 g cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cup pistachios
- 3 tbsp butter
- 227 g kataifi
- 200 g pistachio cream (I make my own pistachio cream with pure pistachio paste, butter and white chocolate but you can also buy it pre-made! Comment if you would like a recipe for the pistachio cream :))
- 50 g tahini
- 3 dark chocolate bars
- 1/2 cup crushed pistachios
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cold butter, brown sugar, pistachio paste, and white sugar until the mixture is well combined and smooth. This may take a few minutes, so be patient and ensure that everything is evenly incorporated before moving on to the next step.
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Once combined, set the mixture aside until ready to use.
Add the egg to the butter and sugar mixture, and mix until fully combined. Then, add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and continue mixing until well incorporated.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients you set aside, mixing until about 80% combined. There should still be some visible streaks of flour in the dough.
Add 2 cups of whole pistachios and gently mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Be careful not to overmix.
Weigh the dough into 130-145g balls and place them in an airtight container. Let the dough balls sit in the refrigerator for a few hours until hardened, or leave them overnight for best results.
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Once melted, add your kataifi and stir-fry until it turns golden brown and crispy, ensuring it’s evenly toasted.
Transfer the toasted kataifi to a bowl and let it cool. Once cooled, add your pistachio cream and tahini, then mix until well combined.
After a few hours or the next morning, take your chilled cookie dough balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Once the oven is fully preheated, bake the cookies for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are set.
Once the cookies are out of the oven, use a small shot glass to press a well into the center of each cookie while they are still warm. This will create a space to hold your kataifi filling.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, spoon one tablespoon of your pistachio kataifi filling into the well in the center of each cookie.
Melt your dark chocolate and transfer it to a piping bag. Drizzle the melted chocolate over each cookie, then top each cookie with crushed pistachios for an added crunch and visual appeal.
