Your guide to the capital’s best artisan biscuits, featuring unique flavours and clever designs

Date and saffron cookies at Camel Cookies


A UAE business that was founded back in 2013, Camel Cookies has branches in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and the menu features biscuits that celebrate ingredients from the region, such as the date cookie drizzled with saffron sauce. They also serve a nutella version with Arabic coffee. The cookie chain has four locations across the emirate and will deliver right to your door until midnight.
Camel Cookies, various locations including Yas Mall, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Dhs61.90 for box of five. Tel: (600) 544541. Taxi: Yas Mall. camelcookies.com

Matcha Greentea at Chateau Blanc


Chateau Blanc is a new café behind Marina Mall that opened earlier this year, and as well as serving some unique dishes such as green tea noodles, they also make their own line of cookies. This Matcha Greentea cookie is made with French butter and white chocolate and is probably the most elegant cookie we’ve seen. The texture is chewy and soft with a slightly crisp exterior. The café can also customise cookies for special occasions.
Chateau Blanc, Marina Village, Breakwater, Abu Dhabi, daily 8am to midnight, Dhs40 per tin. Tel: (02) 6262651. Taxi: behind Marina Mall. chateaublanc.ae

Cool character cookies at Um Mariam


You won’t find these cookies in a shop – Um Mariam sells their biscuits through Instagram, or you can phone ahead to order by the kilo and to organise delivery. Um Mariam’s vanilla flavoured biscuits are incredibly artistic and made in the shape of smiley faces, flowers and hearts, or you can request customised sweet treats for a special occasion (such as baby showers). Toppings include chocolate, nuts, dried fruits and rolled fondant.
Um Mariam, Dhs100 to 200 per kilo. Tel: (056) 1123350. instagram/ummariambakes

Brownie cookies at Taiba’s Sweets


Another outlet where you’ll have to head to Instagram or phone to place an order, Taiba does biscuits that are seductively gooey on the inside and golden brown on the outside. Their chocolate fudge cookies are a tasty and lighter alternative to eating a classic brownie. If cookies just won’t cut it for you, you can order a huge cookie cake – stuffed with Nutella and chocolate chips, it’s money well spent for Dhs120.
Taiba’s Sweets, Dhs25 for box of seven, Dhs45 for box of 14, Dhs65 for box of 21. Tel: (055) 8110114. instagram/taibasweets_uae

Cartoon cookies at Love Cupcake


Another online shop that delivers traditional, monogram, picture and custom cookies, Love Cupcake’s selection is super cute. Kids will love their Spiderman and Superman cookies and there’s plenty more characters on offer, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Hello Kitty and pretty unicorn-shaped biscuits.
Love Cupcake, Dhs5 per cookie. instagram.com/love_cupcake.mk

Hershey’s Monkey Mallows at Monkey Cookies


A Middle Eastern brand that originated in Kuwait but now has branches in the UAE, Saudi and Bahrain, Monkey Cookies has become one of the region’s most recognised artisan biscuit makers. The signature Monkey Mallow is one of their best sellers – it consists of classic cookie dough topped with a melted marshmallow and a chunk of Hershey’s chocolate.
Monkey Cookies, various locations including Bawadi Mall, Al Ain, Dhs35 to Dhs65 for a box of 12. Tel: (050) 1032733. Taxi: Bawadi Mall. monkey-cookies.com

Cookies and cream at Fresh Bakes Cafe


Fresh Bakes Cafe has been making cupcakes and cookies in Al Raha Mall since 2015, and these oatmeal cookies are one of their most popular – they’re filled with chunks of white and dark chocolate Oreos and are just Dhs7.50 each. And it’s not the only unique biccie they sell – they also do a ginger cookie made from molasses and cocoa powder with crystallized ginger and a coffee bon bon cookie made from coffee and vanilla.
Fresh Bakes Cafe, Al Raha Mall, Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Wed 8.30am to 10pm, Thur to Sat 8.30am to 11pm. Dhs7.50 per cookie. Tel: (02) 5563011. Taxi: Raha Mall. freshbakescafe.ae

White chocolate pistachio cookies at Moody Cookies


A blink and you’ll miss it outlet that sits opposite the Sheraton hotel on the Corniche, and the white chocolate and pistachio treat sold here is a particular menu highlight. Moody Cookies have an abundance of unique flavours including Cadbury Oreo, Nutella and Kinder (called Boss Mood). Their rose-flavoured milkshake is also worth a punt.
Moody Cookies, Salam Street, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Thur 10am to 11pm, Fri noon to midnight. Dhs45 for box of six, Dhs70 for box of 12. Tel: (02) 6262761. Tax: opposite Sheraton Corniche, near Lulu Centre. instagram.com/moody_cookies

Almond and chocolate cookies at Ingredients


The all-day dining outlet at the Eastern Mangroves hotel sells it own line of cookies, including an almond and chocolate number that has the right amount of crunch thanks to a 60/40 per cent nut-to-choc ratio, finished off with thin layers of moist cookie dough and chocolate chips.
Eastern Mangroves Hotel And Spa By Anantara, Salam Street, Abu Dhabi, daily 6.30am to 11pm, Dhs10 per cookie. Tel: (02) 6561000 Taxi: Eastern Mangroves. abu-dhabi.anantara.com

Peanut butter cookies at Ben’s Cookies


A global brand with branches in Kuwait, Japan and the UK, Ben’s Cookies are known for their good old-fashioned chocolate chip creations, but it’s their peanut butter cookie that impresses the most. Made with smooth peanut butter and soft cookie dough, you can grab a small box for Dhs60. They also sell gift tins ranging from Dhs65 for four cookies, to Dhs115 for 40 mini cookies.
Ben’s Cookies, Yas Mall, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Wed 10am to 10pm, Thur to Fri 10am to midnight. Tel: (02) 4416777. Taxi: Yas Mall. benscookies.ae

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