Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars are the ideal baking project for when you want a delicious, elevated and trendy dessert. Harnessing the flavors and textures of the Dubai chocolate bar, these cheesecake bars are composed of multiple layers working together to create a truly indulgent dessert.

It all starts with a simple graham cracker crust, which is then topped with a dreamy pistachio cheesecake. Then, we add the essential components for Dubai chocolate, which include a nutty, crunchy layer made up of toasted golden kataifi (toasted phyllo dough shreds), pistachio cream and tahini. Finally, we finish the bars with a simple chocolate ganache to mimic the exterior of the chocolate bar. Even if you haven’t tried Dubai chocolate before, pistachio lovers in particular are sure to think this recipe is a hit.

What is Dubai chocolate?

If you’ve scrolled food posts on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve likely seen Dubai chocolate bars and other treats embracing the confection. The original Dubai chocolate was made by Dubai-based Fix Dessert Chocolatier, where they combined phyllo dough, pistachio and chocolate to produce a complex, flavorful and crunchy filling for a chocolate bar. It became an internet sensation in early 2025 and has been used as inspiration for countless chocolate bars and other desserts.

Ingredients for Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Graham cracker crumbs: Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to form graham cracker crumbs for the crust.
Granulated sugar: A touch of sugar is added to the graham cracker crust and the cheesecake filling for balanced sweetness.
Butter: Melted butter helps bind the graham cracker crumbs in the crust layer. It’s also used to toast the kataifi for a golden color and depth of flavor.
Cream cheese: Cream cheese is the key ingredient for the cheesecake layer. Soften your cream cheese to room temperature for the smoothest cheesecake.
Pistachio cream: Pistachio cream is a soft and spreadable mixture made of ground pistachios, sugar and oil. It provides a deliciously nutty flavor to these Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars. Use pistachio cream, not pistachio butter. Pistachio cream can be found at specialty stores or ordered online for this pistachio recipe.
Milk: A touch of milk is the liquid added to the cheesecake layer to help everything come together.
Vanilla extract: A small amount of vanilla extract is added to the cheesecake layer to help enhance its flavor.
Egg: One egg is incorporated into the cheesecake filling layer, contributing to its rich texture and flavor. Let the egg come to room temperature and beat it lightly in a small bowl before adding it to the filling. Baking with a room-temperature egg is best because the ingredients will mix more evenly.
Kataifi: Kataifi is delicately shredded phyllo dough. In Dubai chocolate and many Dubai chocolate-inspired recipes, the fine strands are toasted in melted butter until fully cooked and golden.
Tahini: A couple tablespoons of tahini are added to the filling layer. Since it’s made from sesame seeds, tahini adds a nuttiness to enhance the overall taste of the bars.
Semisweet chocolate: These cheesecake bars are finished with a layer of luscious chocolate ganache on top. Use chopped semisweet chocolate bars to make the ganache for the best results.
Heavy cream: Heavy cream is warmed and poured over the chopped chocolate to make the ganache.

Directions

Step 1: Make the crust

A person presses a crumbly mixture into a parchment-lined square baking pan using a metal measuring cup. A mixing bowl with a spatula and remaining crumbs sits nearby on a light-colored surface. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, letting the ends extend up the sides. In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until moistened. Firmly press the mixture into the prepared pan.

Editor’s Tip: Use the base of a glass or a measuring cup to firmly press the graham cracker crumbs into the pan.

A hand using a checkered cloth lifts a square pan lined with parchment paper, filled with a golden-brown baked cake, resting on a wire cooling rack. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Bake the crust until the edges begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Step 2: Make, bake and chill the cheesecake layer

A mixing bowl contains creamed ingredients, matcha powder, and vanilla extract. An egg in a small bowl, a metal spoon, and a mixer with a whisk attachment are nearby on a light-colored surface. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the pistachio cream, milk and vanilla extract. Beat in the egg until just combined.

A bowl is pouring pale green batter onto a square pan lined with parchment paper, covering a layer of crumbly crust. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Pour the filling mixture over the cooled crust. Bake the cheesecake until the center is almost set, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate the cheesecake in the pan for at least four hours or overnight.

Step 3: Toast the kataifi

A white frying pan filled with lightly toasted shredded phyllo dough, being stirred with a white spatula that has a wooden handle. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Toast the kataifi in the butter until golden brown, six to eight minutes. Let cool.

Step 4: Make the kataifi filling

A white bowl contains shredded phyllo dough, beige liquid, and green paste, with a white spatula resting inside, ready to mix the ingredients. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

In a large bowl, stir together the toasted kataifi, pistachio cream and tahini.

A close-up of shredded green filling being spread with a metal spatula on a rectangular crust, possibly for a dessert or savory dish. The filling appears textured and slightly creamy. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Spread the kataifi layer evenly over the chilled cheesecake. Transfer the pan back to the refrigerator while making the ganache.

Step 5: Top with chocolate ganache

A glass bowl with cream and chopped chocolate being whisked, set next to a saucepan with liquid and a folded checkered dish towel on a green surface. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a low simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Wait one minute before whisking until smooth.

A person spreads melted chocolate over a green cake base in a rectangular baking pan using a spatula. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Pour the ganache over the kataifi layer. Let the cheesecake bars set in the refrigerator, covered, for one hour before slicing and serving. If desired, garnish with crushed pistachios.

Six square dessert bars with a crumbly crust, creamy green pistachio layer, and a thick layer of chocolate on top, garnished with chopped pistachios, are arranged on a marble surface. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bars Variations

Try another crust: This recipe makes use of a classic graham cracker crust, but there are plenty of other crumb crust ingredients you could use as a base. Try a chocolate cookie crumb crust (follow the recipe for our Oreo pie crust) or even one made with Nilla wafers or shortbread.
Go for dark chocolate: Semisweet chocolate provides a nice, balanced flavor for the ganache layer on top of these cheesecake bars. However, you can opt for a more robust flavor with dark chocolate or even use milk chocolate for something sweeter.
Sprinkle with sea salt: Sweet, nutty and salty are the perfect combination. Before the ganache sets, sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt to finish off the bars.

How to Store Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

As with any cheesecake or cheesecake bars, these Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars should be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container or wrapped in storage wrap to maintain their flavor and texture.

How long do Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars last?

Keep these cheesecake bars stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Can you freeze Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars?

You can certainly freeze extra cheesecake bars to keep on hand for a sweet treat in the future. Place the bars on a plate or baking sheet, uncovered, and freeze for one to two hours until solid. Then, wrap the bars in layers of storage wrap and aluminum foil. Store the cheesecake bars in the freezer for up to two months and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator.

Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Bar Tips

A spatula lifts a square dessert bar with a chocolate topping, chopped pistachios, and layered cookie and creamy filling on a marble surface. Other dessert bars are visible in the background. Ellie Crowley for Taste of Home

How do you keep the graham cracker crust from crumbling when cutting the cheesecake bars?

Lining the pan with a parchment sling will help make it simpler to lift the bars out for easy cutting. Be sure the cheesecake bars fully cool and set, and use a sharp chef’s knife, wiping it clean between slices.

How do you know when Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars are done baking?

Just as with a full-size cheesecake, testing to see if cheesecake bars are done baking is all in the wobble cheesecake test. B