Have We Reached Peak Pistachio?

What happens when a flavour goes viral?

As someone who's been making pistachio chocolates for years before the Dubai chocolate craze, it's been fascinating to watch the flavour go from a niche favourite to seemingly everywhere overnight.

Back in the early days of Truffle Witch, one of the very first truffle flavours I created was pistachio - a smooth Belgian milk chocolate ganache with pistachio flavour, hand rolled in finely chopped pistachio nuts. Simple but delicious.

It was also one of the first chocolate bars I made. Belgian milk chocolate with roasted pistachios and a sprinkle of sea salt - a match made in heaven.

Back then it felt a little unusual – a flavour that people didn't come across every day.

Then came ………. the Dubai chocolate bar!

50 Shades of Green

Lightening struck in December 2023, when the Dubai chocolate bar first went viral. By 2024, social media was flooded with videos of people breaking open the thick chocolate shell to reveal a rich pistachio cream filling mixed with crispy toasted kataifi pastry. Inspired by Middle Eastern flavours and textures, its striking appearance quickly captured millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. The pistachio takeover had begun.

As a small artisan chocolatier with a number of pistachio products already in my range (and a truffle made with tahini), it was fascinating to watch. Trends can move very differently for small makers and larger companies. If a new flavour combination catches my imagination, I can be experimenting in the kitchen within days. Larger food companies have a much longer journey of development, testing, production and packaging before a product reaches the shelves. By the time every supermarket has its own pistachio range, the trend itself may already be evolving.

Now it seems every supermarket, café and chocolate maker has their own pistachio creation. Chocolate bars, biscuits, cheesecakes, ice cream, doughnuts, coffee... you can’t escape it.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

At an event earlier this year, my Biscoff-filled bars sold out, the but not a single Pistachio Cream bar found a new home. I even overheard someone walking past say, "Oh... pistachio. Everyone's doing that." It made me wonder if we’ve reached the point where we're all just a little bit pistachio-ed out.

Not because those lovely little nuts have suddenly become any less delicious (they definitely haven't!), but because when we're surrounded by the same flavour everywhere we look, it can feel a little less exciting.

I've noticed something similar at Christmas too. My pistachio Rochers are every bit as delicious (trust me!), but the hazelnut and almond versions are usually the first to disappear. Interestingly, my pistachio marzipan seems to be as popular as ever.

The Magic of Simplicity

Perhaps it’s not pistachio that’s over - maybe it’s simply the novelty. I don’t believe pistachio itself has lost its appeal but I've tried quite a few products over the last couple of years, and many haven't quite lived up to the hype.

For me, there's something magical about the simple combination of good quality milk chocolate, roasted pistachios and a little sea salt. Sometimes the simplest flavours are the ones that need the least improvement.

And if it's crunch you're looking for, call me biased, but I think my pistachio Rochers have that balance just right: creamy pistachio, chopped nuts, crushed wafer and plenty of chocolate. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until my Christmas range returns to try them!

Perhaps the lesson isn't that pistachio has had its day. Perhaps it's that when everyone is trying to reinvent a flavour, sometimes the classics are the ones that stand the test of time.

Final Question

What do you think? Are you still excited when you see pistachio on a menu, or are you ready for the next big flavour trend? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.