JOA Mom
Introduction
Hi everyone! It’s JOA Mom here. 👩🍳
Today, I’ve brought the hottest dessert in Korea right now — Dubai Chewy Cookie! Many of you have been asking for this Dubai Chewy Cookie recipe, also known as Dubai Pistachio Kadayif Cookies.
In Korean, we call it ‘Dubai JJONDEUK Cookie’ — or ‘Dujjonku’ for short. ‘JJONDEUK’ describes a super chewy and slightly elastic texture that makes this cookie so addictive.
This Dubai Chewy Cookie combines crispy golden kadayif with rich homemade pistachio paste, all wrapped in a soft chocolate marshmallow coating.
While the ingredients can feel a little pricey, it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Plus, it pairs perfectly with coffee or milk. I can honestly say this Dubai Chewy Cookie tastes even better than many store-bought versions, and it feels like such a special treat once you make it yourself.
Let’s make this irresistible Dubai Chewy Cookie using luxurious homemade pistachio paste and crispy kadayif. 💖
Nutrition / Why this combo
This Dubai Pistachio Kadayif Cookie has become one of the most talked-about Dubai desserts trending in Korea. What makes it special is the contrast in texture — crispy golden kadayif strands, rich homemade pistachio paste, and a soft, chewy chocolate marshmallow coating all in one bite.
Unlike typical pistachio desserts, this Dubai Chewy Cookie delivers both crunch and stretch at the same time. If you love rich nutty flavors and chewy textures, this combination is really hard to resist.
Cooking Tip
Freezing the filling before wrapping helps it hold its shape and makes the coating process much easier. Also, keep your hands slightly cold and dusted with cacao powder during shaping to prevent sticking.
Ingredients
Here are the core ingredients you need for Dubai Chewy Cookie.
🥜 Pistachio Paste
- Shelled pistachios: 500g
- Flavorless vegetable oil: 50g (10% of the pistachio weight)
- Vanilla extract: a little bit
🍜 Filling Base
- Kadayif: 400–500g
- Unsalted butter: 200g
- White couverture chocolate: 200g
🍫 Choco Marshmallow Cover
- Marshmallows: 400g (not for BBQ)
- Unsalted butter: 80g
- Cacao powder: 50g
- Skim milk powder: 40g
This recipe yields approximately 30 cookies, depending on portion size.
5 Simple Steps
1️⃣ Prep the Pistachios
Roast the shelled pistachios in an oven preheated to 170°C for 20 minutes to remove all moisture.
For a premium flavor, boil them for 30 seconds to remove the inner skin. Skipping this won’t ruin the taste, but removing the skin gives you a brighter green paste and a slightly richer aroma.
2️⃣ Make the Paste
Place the roasted pistachios in a food processor and blend. Gradually pour in the flavorless vegetable oil while blending until you reach your desired texture. I do not recommend olive oil for this.
Once the texture is right, add a few drops of vanilla extract to your liking. Your ultra-nutty homemade pistachio paste is ready.
3️⃣ Prepare the Filling
Spread the kadayif on an oven tray and drizzle melted butter evenly over it. Bake at 160°C for about 20 minutes until the white kadayif turns a golden orange.
Mix the baked kadayif with your homemade pistachio paste. You can adjust the amount of kadayif to your taste — use a little less if you want more pistachio paste texture.
Finally, add melted white couverture chocolate and mix well. If you want a nuttier flavor, you can use a little less chocolate.
Now the filling is done. Portion it into 30g balls, and freeze them briefly in the freezer.
4️⃣ Make the Choco Marshmallow Cover
In a pan over very low heat, melt the marshmallows and unsalted butter. You need to stir continuously for quite a while.
Once the marshmallows lose their shape and clump into one big mass, turn off the heat and sift in the cacao powder and skim milk powder.
This part takes more strength than it looks, so just keep stirring steadily. Spread it thin on a Teflon sheet and let it cool slightly before using.
5️⃣ Assemble the Cookies
Now wrap the filling with the choco marshmallow cover.
To prevent sticking, keep your hands cold and dust them with a little cacao powder before handling. Roll the frozen filling into a neat ball, then wrap it with the cover as if you were making a dumpling.
Once wrapped, roll it lightly in cacao powder. Your Dubai Chewy Cookie is now complete.
JOA Mom’s Experience
The key to the best Dubai Pistachio Kadayif Cookies is really the quality of the paste. There are many store-bought products out there, but this homemade paste with a few drops of vanilla extract tastes much nuttier and richer.
You can also mix homemade paste with a store-bought one if that feels easier. I personally think this Dubai Chewy Cookie is honestly good enough to sell, and once you make it yourself, you’ll understand why it became such a viral dessert in Korea.
FAQ
Q. Where can I buy kadayif?
A. You can find it at Middle Eastern grocery stores or on Amazon. If it’s hard to find, you can substitute it with toasted thin wheat noodles (somyeon). Nowadays, some people also use feni or vermicelli as substitutes.
Q. Can I make it less sweet?
A. Yes. You can control the sweetness by adjusting the amount of white couverture chocolate in the filling. Using dark chocolate with a higher cacao content as a topping also pairs well with the sweet pistachio cream.
Q. I want the filling to be more runny.
A. Use about half the amount of kadayif, but make sure to freeze the filling longer before wrapping. It can be a bit harder to handle, but the center will stay softer.
Storage
🧊 Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
❄️ Freezer: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
🔥 Reheating: For the best chewy texture, let the cookie come back to room temperature before eating. In a cool room, it can also stay at room temperature for 1–2 days.
Closing
Dubai Chewy Cookie may look like a premium bakery dessert, but it’s actually very doable at home once you follow the steps one by one. The crispy kadayif, rich pistachio paste, and chewy chocolate marshmallow coating make every bite feel so special. I think that’s exactly why this dessert became such a huge trend in Korea. If you’ve been curious about trying Dubai Chewy Cookie, this homemade version is such a satisfying place to start. And if you enjoyed this recipe, you can also explore more K-food recipes on my blog for more fun homemade ideas.
