Korea Goes Crazy Over Dubai-Style Chewy Cookies

Korea is currently in the middle of a dessert craze as Dubai chewy cookies in Korea continue to dominate bakeries, cafés, and social media feeds. Known locally as Tjonku, these rich, chewy cookies have gone viral since last year, drawing long lines and sparking a sharp rise in prices.

The trend traces its roots back to Dubai chocolate, which first gained attention in 2021. The original dessert featured chocolate filled with pistachio cream and other Middle Eastern-inspired ingredients, with marketing heavily emphasizing Dubai’s image of luxury and indulgence.

The newer chewy cookie version wraps that signature pistachio filling inside a chocolate marshmallow dough, creating a texture many compare to a soft rice cake. Interest surged last autumn after Chang Wonyoung from IVE shared the dessert on social media, quickly turning it into a must-try item across Korea.

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Soon after, bakeries nationwide began recreating the cookie, and today tens of thousands of Instagram posts carry hashtags related to the trend. Despite its origins in the Middle East, Koreans have been lining up in freezing winter temperatures to get their hands on the chewy cookies. Demand has spread far beyond bakeries, with coffee shops, restaurants, and even sushi spots adding their own versions to menus.

For small business owners and self-employed operators facing sluggish consumer spending, the cookie boom has provided a welcome boost. However, popularity has brought challenges as well.

Each cookie now sells for around 5,000 to 10,000 won, with some premium versions reportedly priced far higher. Limited supply and surging demand have pushed ingredient costs upward, especially pistachios.

At one major supermarket chain, pistachio prices have risen by 20 percent, while some sellers report paying nearly double compared to previous months. Marshmallow prices have also followed a similar upward trend.

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