The sticky, indulgent Dubai chocolate, filled with pistachio cream and shreds of knafeh pastry, has become a global sensation. Its latest iteration, the Dubai chewy cookie, has taken South Korea by storm. This cookie is quickly becoming the go-to dessert that shops can barely keep in stock.
Referred to as a cookie, its texture is more akin to a rice cake, featuring pistachio cream and knafeh shreds stuffed into a chocolate marshmallow. The high demand has driven shops to sell hundreds of cookies in mere minutes, contributing to a spike in ingredient prices.
The dessert craze kicked off last September after Jang Won-young, a member of the girl band Ive, posted a photo of the chewy cookie on her Instagram. Prices for the treat currently range from 5,000 to 10,000 won but are expected to soar with rising demand.
Convenience stores, restaurants, and even non-dessert-focused eateries have jumped on the bandwagon. Local chain CU introduced its Dubai chewy rice cake in October and sold around 1.8 million pieces shortly thereafter. One representative noted that production cannot keep up with the burgeoning orders.
As the obsession deepens, some South Koreans have even created a live map that tracks available stocks of the chewy cookie, while some retailers have started limiting the number of cookies customers can purchase.
The cookie craze has also led to a 20% increase in pistachio prices in supermarkets. With many counterfeits in circulation, consumers have taken to online reviews to expose imposters and their inferior products.
Food critics attribute the cookie's success to its thick and dense nature, which resonates with Korean culinary traditions that prioritize visual appeal over flavor balance.
