What Are Dubai Chocolate Bars? | The Knafeh-Inspired Candy Bar Taking Over Social Media

If you’ve scrolled TikTok or Instagram lately, you’ve probably seen the distinctive milk chocolate bar splattered with white chocolate, cracking open to reveal a bright green pistachio filling. The original “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” bar was created in 2021 by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai by chocolatiers Sarah Hamouda and Nouel Catis Omamalin. It went globally viral in late 2023 after a single TikTok video surpassed 122 million views, and chocolatiers worldwide have raced to make their own versions ever since.

Whether you’ve come across it in a bakery window, at a specialty store, or online, here’s everything you need to know — including what’s actually in it, where to find it, and how to make your own.

What Exactly Is Inside a Dubai Chocolate Bar?

The filling is what makes it completely different from any standard candy bar. The base is toasted kataifi — a shredded filo pastry used across Middle Eastern desserts — mixed with pistachio paste and tahini. The shell is made of premium milk chocolate (some versions use 44% cocoa single-origin chocolate from the Dominican Republic; others use Belgian or semi-sweet chocolate).

The texture is the real signature: the kataifi is pan-toasted in butter until golden brown, giving the filling a satisfying crunch, while the pistachio-tahini mixture stays creamy and slightly gooey. Many makers add white chocolate splatter marks on the milk chocolate exterior for the signature look, and some variations include hazelnut praline filling, white chocolate swirls, or a hint of coconut oil.

Where Can You Buy Dubai Chocolate Bars?

The original “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” bar from Fix Dessert Chocolatier is exclusive to Dubai and is not imported to the US. It’s available at their shop in Dubai, select malls, and airport duty-free. In the United States, you won’t find it in standard grocery stores — instead, look in specialty confectionery boutiques, high-end restaurants and coffee shops, and online retailers that ship from Dubai or offer US-made versions.

If you’re ready to buy, check out our tested roundup of the best Dubai chocolate bars available in the US, with honest reviews on quality, price, and shipping reliability.

Individual bars typically range from $10 to nearly $30 in the US market, depending on the brand and ingredient quality.

How to Make Dubai Chocolate at Home

If you can’t get the original or you’re tired of hunting, this is surprisingly doable in a home kitchen. Here’s the process step-by-step:

1. Toast the kataifi. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a pan, add shredded kataifi (available at Middle Eastern grocers or online), and stir constantly over medium heat until golden brown — about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Make the filling. Mix the cooled kataifi with pistachio paste and tahini in a 2:1:1 ratio until well combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed but still feel slightly crumbly.
3. Temper the chocolate. This step is optional but recommended — tempering keeps the shell snappy and prevents a dull, bloomed finish. Melt milk chocolate (preferably 44% cocoa) over a double boiler, then cool it to around 86°F while stirring constantly.
4. Build the bar. Coat chocolate bar molds with a thin layer of tempered chocolate — about ⅛ inch thick. Tap the mold to release air bubbles, then chill until firm (about 10 minutes). Fill the mold with the kataifi-pistachio mixture, pressing it in gently. Cover with another layer of tempered chocolate, spreading evenly to seal the edges.
5. Set and decorate. Chill the finished bars for at least 30 minutes until fully firm. For the signature look, melt white chocolate and use a fork to splatter it over the top.

The biggest common mistakes: not toasting the kataifi long enough (results in a soggy, chewy texture), using cheap pistachio paste with added sugar or oils (the original is pure pistachio and tahini), and skipping the tempering step (the shell turns soft or develops white streaks).