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Dubai Chocolate Dates

Snejana Andreeva - 1

By Snejana Andreeva

on Feb 13, 2025, Updated Mar 29, 2025

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If you’ve seen the viral Dubai Chocolate Bar 🍫, get ready for a delicious new twist! These Dubai Chocolate Dates take all the dreamy flavors of the Middle East—think crispy layers, rich chocolate, nutty pistachio butter, and chewy, caramel-like dates—and turn them into the ultimate bite-sized treat. Inspired by the flaky goodness of knafeh and decadent chocolate-covered sweets 🤎, this recipe is just as indulgent but even easier to make!

  • Why You’ll Love Dubai Chocolate Dates
  • How to Prepare
  • Nonna’s Tip 🍫
  • Variations and Substitutions for Dubai Chocolate Dates
  • Similar Recipes
  • About the Ingredients
  • Best Served With
  • Common Questions
  • Dubai Chocolate Dates Recipe

Every bite is a perfect mix of crunchy, chewy, sweet, and nutty. Whether you’re making them to impress guests or just treating yourself (because you deserve it 🥰), these chocolate-dipped dates are pure magic ✨.

A hand holds a half-eaten chocolate-covered pistachio ball over a plate. The treat is coated in dark chocolate and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. Other similar treats are visible on the plate. - 3

Why You’ll Love Dubai Chocolate Dates

If you’re a fan of rich, indulgent treats with a touch of elegance, these Dubai Chocolate Dates are about to become your new obsession 😍! Inspired by the luxurious flavors of the Middle East, this recipe transforms simple Medjool dates into a decadent delight. Each bite offers a perfect balance of soft, chewy sweetness, luscious 🍫 chocolate, and a hint of crunch.

Not only are these chocolate-covered dates incredibly delicious, but they’re also naturally sweetened and packed with nutrients—making them a guilt-free 🙃 indulgence. They’re easy to make with just a few ingredients, perfect for 🎁 gifting, serving at gatherings, or enjoying as a wholesome dessert. Plus, they store well, so you can always have a luxurious treat on hand 🙌.

How to Prepare

🧊 Follow the package instructions to thaw the Filo in the fridge. Once softened, place it on a cutting board and slice it into thin strips.

👋 With clean hands, gently separate the Filo strands to ensure there are no clumps.

🧈 Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter shimmers, add the shredded Filo and stir continuously for 5 to 10 minutes until golden and crispy.

A hand holding a knife slices through a block of fine shredded dough, possibly kataifi, on a wooden cutting board placed on a light-colored table. The dough is spread out as it's being cut. - 4

🥣 Remove from heat and transfer the toasted Filo to a bowl, allowing it to cool.

💧 Melt the pistachio butter in the microwave or using a double boiler until it becomes runny. Mix it with the toasted Filo and tahini until well combined.

🍫 In a microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate with coconut oil until smooth and runny.

👩‍🍳 Slice each Medjool date in half lengthwise, keeping one side intact, and remove the pit.

Shredded pastry dough is placed in a glass bowl with a green paste on top. A stream of golden liquid is being poured over the mixture. Bright sunlight is casting shadows on the surface. - 5

🥄 Spoon the pistachio mixture into the hollowed-out center of each date.

🥣 Dip each stuffed date into the melted chocolate, ensuring it’s fully coated. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

🤌 Sprinkle crushed pistachios on top and freeze until set. Enjoy these amazing Dubai Chocolate Dates!

A hand is holding a date, and another hand is using a spoon to fill it with a green paste. The background is a brown surface. - 6

Nonna’s Tip 🍫

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

A plate of chocolate-covered dates sprinkled with crushed nuts and colorful toppings. One of the dates is cut open, revealing a green filling. The plate is on a light wooden surface. - 7

Variations and Substitutions for Dubai Chocolate Dates

  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 perfect crunch!
  2. If you need this recipe to be nut-free, feel free to use Biscoff instead of pistachio butter.
  3. I 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 pistachio butter and tahini, but if you can’t find tahini, don’t stress! Pistachio butter 💚 works well as a solo star!

Similar Recipes

A close-up of a piece of chocolate with a unique, angular top design. It is topped with small bits of crushed nuts, and the center reveals a green, textured filling on a wooden surface. - 8 A close-up of a piece of chocolate with a unique, angular top design. It is topped with small bits of crushed nuts, and the center reveals a green, textured filling on a wooden surface. - 9

Dubai Chocolate Bar

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A glass jar filled with layered ingredients: strawberries, chocolate sauce, green spirulina, and topped with yellow flower pollen. The jar is placed on a light-colored surface with shadows cast from a window in the background. - 10 A glass jar filled with layered ingredients: strawberries, chocolate sauce, green spirulina, and topped with yellow flower pollen. The jar is placed on a light-colored surface with shadows cast from a window in the background. - 11

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A close-up of Healthy Chocolate Turtles—chocolate-covered candies with a caramel and nut filling, topped with pecans and a sprinkle of sea salt, beautifully arranged on a white plate. - 12 A close-up of Healthy Chocolate Turtles—chocolate-covered candies with a caramel and nut filling, topped with pecans and a sprinkle of sea salt, beautifully arranged on a white plate. - 13

Healthy Chocolate Turtles

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A plate of Chocolate Covered Dates, some cut open to reveal a creamy peanut butter filling, sprinkled with bits of sea salt and crunchy nuts. - 14 A plate of Chocolate Covered Dates, some cut open to reveal a creamy peanut butter filling, sprinkled with bits of sea salt and crunchy nuts. - 15

Chocolate Covered Dates

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A ceramic plate filled with Bounty Dates—chocolate-covered treats, some whole and others cut open to reveal a white and caramel-colored filling—topped with flakes of sea salt. - 16 A ceramic plate filled with Bounty Dates—chocolate-covered treats, some whole and others cut open to reveal a white and caramel-colored filling—topped with flakes of sea salt. - 17

Bounty Dates

15 mins

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 incredible 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.

Best Served With

  • Serve with Love Letter Pastries for the perfect 💘 Valentine’s Day treat!
  • Add it to this Simple Charcuterie Board for the perfect sweet and savory combo.
  • Combine with Chocolate Covered Dates , Bounty Dates , and Healthy Chocolate Turtles for a delicious 🤎 chocolate assortment.

Common Questions

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

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

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

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

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Video

Equipment

  • ▢ Mixing Bowls
  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Nakiri Knife
  • ▢ Medium Pot
  • ▢ Pistachio Butter
  • ▢ Shredded Filo Dough
  • ▢ Parchment Paper
  • ▢ Baking Sheet

Ingredients

  • ▢ ¾ cups shredded filo , or Kataifi
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
  • ▢ ⅓ cup pistachio butter , or Biscoff
  • ▢ 11 Medjool dates , or however many you have filling for
  • ▢ 1 bar dark chocolate , or your favorite type of chocolate
  • ▢ ½ tablespoon coconut oil , makes the chocolate shiny
  • ▢ crushed pistachios , optional

Instructions

  • ▢ Follow the package instructions to thaw the Filo in the fridge. Once softened, place it on a cutting board and slice it into thin strips.
  • ▢ With clean hands, gently separate the Filo strands to ensure there are no clumps.
  • ▢ Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter shimmers, add the shredded Filo and stir continuously for 5 to 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
  • ▢ Remove from heat and transfer the toasted Filo to a bowl, allowing it to cool.
  • ▢ Melt the pistachio butter in the microwave or using a double boiler until it becomes runny. Mix it with the toasted Filo until well combined.
  • ▢ In a microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate with coconut oil until smooth and runny.
  • ▢ Slice each Medjool date in half lengthwise, keeping one side intact, and remove the pit.
  • ▢ Spoon the pistachio mixture into the hollowed-out center of each date.
  • ▢ Dip each stuffed date into the melted chocolate, ensuring it’s fully coated. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • ▢ Sprinkle crushed pistachios on top and freeze until set. Enjoy!

Nonna’s Notes

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Dubai Chocolate Dates

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Nakiri Knife
  • Medium Pot
  • Pistachio Butter
  • Shredded Filo Dough
  • Parchment Paper
  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients

  • ¾ cups shredded filo or Kataifi
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ⅓ cup pistachio butter or Biscoff
  • 11 Medjool dates or however many you have filling for
  • 1 bar dark chocolate or your favorite type of chocolate
  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil makes the chocolate shiny
  • crushed pistachios optional

Instructions

  • Follow the package instructions to thaw the Filo in the fridge. Once softened, place it on a cutting board and slice it into thin strips.
  • With clean hands, gently separate the Filo strands to ensure there are no clumps.
  • Heat a pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter shimmers, add the shredded Filo and stir continuously for 5 to 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
  • Remove from heat and transfer the toasted Filo to a bowl, allowing it to cool.
  • Melt the pistachio butter in the microwave or using a double boiler until it becomes runny. Mix it with the toasted Filo until well combined.
  • In a microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate with coconut oil until smooth and runny.
  • Slice each Medjool date in half lengthwise, keeping one side intact, and remove the pit.
  • Spoon the pistachio mixture into the hollowed-out center of each date.
  • Dip each stuffed date into the melted chocolate, ensuring it’s fully coated. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle crushed pistachios on top and freeze until set. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Dubai Chocolate Dates https://themodernnonna.com/dubai-chocolate-dates/ February 13, 2025