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Stack of Dubai chocolate cookies with pistachio cream center, kataifi topping and dark chocolate drizzle

Dubai Chocolate Cookies

Chewy protein chocolate-chip cookies with a hidden pistachio cream center and a toasted kataifi topping — the viral Dubai chocolate flavor in cookie format. 10 g protein, 120 calories per cookie.

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:
  • - 1 cup vanilla whey protein powder 90 g
  • - 3/4 cup almond flour 80 g
  • - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (28 g)
  • - 3 tablespoons allulose 36 g
  • - 1 large egg
  • - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • - 1/4 cup sugar-free dark chocolate chips 45 g
For the Dubai chocolate finish:
  • - 3 tablespoons pistachio cream or pistachio butter 45 g, for hidden centers
  • - 1/4 cup kataifi pastry 20 g, toasted
  • - 1 teaspoon ghee or butter for toasting kataifi
  • - 2 tablespoons sugar-free dark chocolate 30 g, for drizzle
  • - 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • - 1 pinch flaky sea salt optional

Equipment

  • - Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • - Cookie scoop
  • - 2 mixing bowls
  • Small skillet
  • - Whis

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut kataifi into 1/2-inch lengths. Melt ghee in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add kataifi and toast, stirring constantly, 4 to 5 minutes until deeply golden. Spread on a plate to cool.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together protein powder, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and fine sea salt.
  3. In a larger bowl, whisk melted butter and allulose until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and whisk to combine.
  4. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir into a soft dough. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop 12 mounds of dough onto the sheet, 2 inches apart. Press an indent into the top of each. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon pistachio cream into each indent. Pinch the dough over the cream to seal completely — no green should be visible.
  6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers still look slightly underdone. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes.
  7. Melt the 2 tablespoons dark chocolate with coconut oil in 15-second microwave bursts until smooth. Top each cookie with toasted kataifi, drizzle with melted chocolate, and finish with flaky sea salt.

Notes

  • Storage: Airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
  • Pistachio cream: Seal it completely inside the dough. If it leaks, it burns. The fix is patience.
  • Bake time: Pull when centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up on the hot pan.
  • Kataifi: Always toast then add on top after baking. Never bake it into the dough.
  • Protein: Whey or casein only. Plant protein dries the cookies.

Tried this recipe?

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