TikTok creator samples Dubai chocolate in viral video
Maria Vehera (@mariavehera257) trying a Dubai chocolate bar has nearly 7 million likes, starting the global dessert trend.
Dubai chocolate has become the newest trendy craving for those with a sweet tooth.
The sweet and salty dessert originates from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), inspired by a Middle Eastern dessert called knafeh.
The original thick milk chocolate bar is filled with pistachio cream and kataifi, also known as phyllo dough, for a satisfying crunch.
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Dubai chocolate has been trending on TikTok as creators share their reviews, including Maria Vehera (@mariavehera257), who posts videos trying the "best food" in the UAE, according to her bio.
Maria Vehera (@mariavehera257) went viral after posting a TikTok video trying this Dubai chocolate bar in December 2023. (TikTok/@mariavehera257)
Vehera posted a video in December 2023 of herself trying a Dubai chocolate bar from Fix Dessert Chocolatier, which first launched the product in 2021.
The post went viral, amassing more than 124 million views and nearly seven million likes so far, piquing widespread public interest.
Since then, Dubai chocolate has made its way across the globe and into the States. Restaurants have offered inspired menu items like Dubai chocolate-covered strawberries, while brands such as Costco are selling Dubai chocolate products.
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Ghirardelli recently announced its limited-time Dubai chocolate sundae at select stores.
Lacey Zane, vice president of restaurant and retail at Ghirardelli, told Fox News Digital that Dubai chocolate has captured "so much attention" due to its "striking" appearance and delicious taste.
"The combination of rich chocolate, pistachio and unexpected textures like crispy kataifi offers a layered, luxurious experience that people are really responding to," she said.
As the craze continues, industry experts have warned that it's causing a global pistachio shortage, according to a report from the Financial Times last week.
Giles Hacking, of London-based nut trader CG Hacking, told the publication that pistachio prices have skyrocketed from $7.65 per pound to $10.30 per pound in the last year.
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"The pistachio world is basically tapped out at the moment," Hacking said.
The U.S. is the leading exporter of pistachios globally, but Hacking reported that stocks have been on the decline since a "disappointing harvest last year."
Pistachio prices have increased several dollars in one year, experts claim. (iStock)
The nut quality was also higher than usual, which has driven prices up.
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Stephen Vasquez, executive director of the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (ACP), addressed the growth of pistachios in the U.S., specifically representing California, Arizona and New Mexico growers, who account for 99.9% of America's pistachios.
Growers are expected to produce "another record crop" this year at an estimated 1.6 billion pounds harvested, Vasquez told Fox News Digital.
"Pistachios have been the 'it' nut for the past five to six years with chefs and foodies for a variety of reasons."
"Pistachios have been the 'it' nut for the past five to six years with chefs and foodies for a variety of reasons," he said. "They are a great plant-based protein with fiber, good fats (monounsaturated) and low calories when compared to other nuts."
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As pistachios are a "relatively new crop" in the U.S., Vasquez said, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and researchers have "fast-tracked" the success of the crop over the years.
Dubai chocolate is typically a thick milk chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and kataifi, also known as phyllo dough. (iStock)
Iran, the world's second-largest pistachio producer, exported 40% more of the nuts to the UAE from September 2024 to March 2025 than it did in the full year prior, according to Iranian customs data, the Financial Times reported.
A previous influx in supply in 2023 caused a variety of pistachio byproducts, like butter, oil and paste, Iran Pistachio Association board member Behrooz Agah told the outlet.
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"That was around the same time Dubai chocolate was launched and gradually went viral worldwide," he said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Fix Dessert Chocolatier and the International Nut & Dried Fruit Council for comment.
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