Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares Are the Trend's Tallest Take

Ghirardelli is betting the Dubai chocolate craze still has legs. The chocolatier announced this week that it is stuffing its iconic candy with the pistachio-and-kataifi combination that defined the viral trend, launching Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares. The new candy keeps the brand's signature shape but grows it upward: a taller square holding a creamy pistachio filling laced with crispy kataifi, the shredded pastry dough used in Middle Eastern desserts. The change is noticeable on sight, since Ghirardelli's squares have been thin and flat for decades, and the new version looks closer to the chunky imported bars that started the whole craze.

The Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares pair the filling with milk chocolate and come individually wrapped in 4.4-ounce bags carrying a suggested retail price of $10.99, on shelves at major retailers nationwide and on Ghirardelli.com. According to the company announcement, the taller profile was designed specifically to make room for the generous filling, so each square packs more pistachio and pastry crunch than the thinner original could hold. The company describes the candy as made for savoring, sharing and everyday indulgence, and says each square delivers the premium quality shoppers expect from the brand. Bobby Oliver, the company's vice president and head of marketing, said in a statement that consumers continue to be drawn to the rich pistachio filling and crispy texture that define Dubai-style chocolate, and that the new product brings that experience into the format Ghirardelli is known for.

Why Dubai chocolate keeps selling

The trend traces back to 2021, when a chocolatier in Dubai created the candy to satisfy a pregnancy craving. It caught fire three years later after an influencer promoted it on TikTok, turning the pistachio-filled bar into one of the most copied confections of the decade. By 2025, Lidl, Hershey and Lindt had all released their own Dubai-style versions, moving the flavor from novelty to a standard slot on store shelves. FoodDive reported that Ghirardelli, which shares a parent company with Lindt, is keeping its premium positioning with the Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares while other brands compete on price. The appeal is easy to see on paper: smooth chocolate outside, creamy nut filling and a crackling crunch inside, all in one bite.

Not Ghirardelli's first try at Dubai

This launch is the next step in what the company calls its exploration of Dubai-style chocolate. Last year it released individually wrapped Dubai Style truffles that shoppers on Instagram praised as some of the best versions available, calling them "the bomb" and begging the brand to make a full bar. Before that, a Dubai Style Chocolate Sundae sold out in hours, according to Allrecipes. The new Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares answer that request partway: they are not bars, but each tall square lands closer to a section of one, and the individually wrapped format keeps them easy to share. For shoppers who never bought into the trend, the company pointed out that it also launched a series of simple milk chocolate bars over the summer, plain candy with no pistachio in sight.

Ghirardelli has been selling chocolate for more than 170 years, and the brand is now pushing its name into new sweet categories. FoodDive reported that the company made its first move into packaged cookies earlier this month, widening its reach beyond classic bars. The Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares fit that strategy: a recognizable format, a trendy filling, and a price that sits above the standard supermarket shelf. Analysts have long noted that premium candy makers lean into flavor trends to justify higher prices, and the Dubai line gives Ghirardelli a way to charge more without asking shoppers to try a brand they do not know.

Where to find them

The Ghirardelli Dubai Chocolate Squares are available now at major retailers across the country and on Ghirardelli.com, where the company also lists them at a higher online price. For shoppers, the question is whether the Dubai chocolate wave is cresting. Allrecipes noted that while the trend may be fading into foodie history, the pistachio-kataifi combination has proved durable enough to carry a premium product. At more than ten dollars a bag, most buyers will decide in the aisle whether the trend still deserves their money.