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Pistachio Dubai Chocolate Blondies (With the Crunch That Actually Survives Baking)

Fudgy brown-butter blondies topped with a crunchy pistachio-kunafa chocolate layer inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate bar.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes (includes cooling)
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded kunafa (knafeh) dough, roughly chopped
  • 2/3 cup pistachio paste
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 10 oz milk chocolate, melted (topping)
  • 2 oz dark chocolate, melted (topping)
  • 1/3 cup chopped pistachios, for finishing
  • Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides.
  2. Brown 3/4 cup of the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling until it turns amber and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool 10 minutes.
  3. Whisk brown sugar into the browned butter, then whisk in eggs and vanilla until glossy.
  4. Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt just until no dry streaks remain. Spread into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake 22-25 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still looks slightly underdone on a toothpick test. Cool completely in the pan, at least 1 hour.
  6. While the base cools, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped kunafa. Toast, stirring constantly, until deep golden and crisp, 5-7 minutes. Spread on a plate to cool completely.
  7. Whisk the pistachio paste and tahini together until smooth, then fold in the cooled, crisped kunafa.
  8. Stir the melted milk and dark chocolate together and pour evenly over the cooled blondie base, tilting to cover completely. Let set 5 minutes at room temperature.
  9. Dollop and swirl the pistachio-kunafa mixture over the chocolate layer while it’s still slightly tacky, so it grips. Scatter chopped pistachios and flaky salt on top.
  10. Chill 30 minutes to fully set the chocolate, then lift out using the parchment and slice into squares with a hot, dry knife.

Notes

Kunafa dough (also sold as knafeh, kataifi, or shredded phyllo) is usually found frozen at Middle Eastern grocers — thaw it fully and separate the strands before toasting so they crisp evenly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days; the topping stays crunchiest if you let squares sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating. These also freeze well unglazed — freeze the plain blondie base and add the pistachio-kunafa topping fresh after thawing.

  • Author: Ella Whitley
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern-inspired American