Opinion: Crumbl New Dubai Chocolate Brownie Review

Across the internet, Dubai Chocolate has dominated social media feeds. Due to its growing popularity, companies like Crumbl have jumped on the bandwagon.

The lavish milk chocolate bar wrapped in pistachio and kataifi (a crunchy phyllo dough) filling, topped with white chocolate and pistachio drizzled, appealed to the masses. With my gift cards in tow, I headed to the nearest location. However, my quest for the most sought-after treat proved to be a difficult feat. Because they were selling out so quickly, I was unable to secure this treat until the next afternoon. 

What is Dubai Chocolate?

It all began in 2021 when Dubai-based Fix Chocolatier Sarah Hamouda searched for a knafeh treat to satisfy her pregnancy craving. Though she had never made chocolate before, this didn’t stop her from concocting it in her living room. From there, the Can’t Get Knafeh of It was born.

Of course, the popularity didn’t take off immediately. Two years after its creation, a popular TikTok food influencer named Maria Vehera filmed an ASMR eating the now viral chocolate bar. As a result, the internet went into a frenzy, with people wanting to get their hands on it. 

The Brownie’s Appearance

When I opened my small, pink cardboard Crumbl box, the brownie appeared as advertised: a square-shaped, fudgy brownie topped with a layer of milk chocolate and pistachio drizzle on top. Once I removed it from the box, I cut it in half, and the filling crunched underneath the knife. This proved to be a good sign. Pulling it apart, the insides were the same, shade of green flecks packed with Katafiti and pistachio filling. 

The Taste Test

Then, I bit into the brownie, the filling crunching under my teeth. The chocolate brownie and icing melted in my mouth, the flavor dancing on my tongue. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. As a lover of chocolate, it was delectable and rich, satisfying my sweet tooth. However, there was too much kataifi for my preference, which dominated most of the brownie. Every bite I took rattled my mouth. Furthermore, the pistachio didn’t provide too much flavor.

Later that day, I felt off due to the excessive amount of sugar. Because everyone is different, too much sugar does affect me. Normally, consuming half a Crumbl dessert doesn’t do this, but the brownie did.

The Verdict

Overall, it was a brownie packed with a lot of crunch. I still enjoyed the chocolate taste, but the kataifi took away from it. Perhaps if there were less of it, I would’ve liked it more. I don’t see myself getting it again, nor would I pay for it out of my own pocket. Dubai Chocolate itself is overhyped. But don’t let my opinions stop you from tasting it yourself the next time it’s available, which Crumbl announced should be in the near future. I advise eating this with caution if you have a sensitivity to sugar. Stay in the loop because Crumbl has teased the Dubai Brownie may be back.

Even our editor-in-chief admitted she was instantly smitten by my description, confessing that the decadent Dubai-inspired review left her plotting her own trip to Crumbl.