Amira Al Dosari has transformed the UAE’s iconic date crop into a sugar-free soft-serve concept, using the fruit’s natural sweetness to develop hundreds of unconventional ice cream flavours.
Abu Dhabi entrepreneur is putting a new spin on one of the region’s most iconic crops, turning dates into the key ingredient in a soft-serve ice cream business designed to offer an alternative to conventional sugar-heavy desserts.
Amira Al Dosari, founder of Ice Station, developed date-based soft serve after becoming concerned about the use of refined sugar, artificial colourants and pre-prepared mixes in commercial ice cream. Her journey began at the age of 53, when she attended an ice cream-making class and began exploring whether a dessert could be made using more natural ingredients.
Dates became the obvious starting point. The fruit is deeply embedded in the UAE’s agricultural heritage, economy and culture, while also providing natural sweetness and dietary fibre.
Al Dosari experimented with the kholas date, a variety known for its soft texture and sweetness, to determine whether it could replace added sugar in soft-serve ice cream.
The challenge was more complex than simply making the dessert sweet. Sugar plays an important role in ice cream’s texture, helping maintain its softness and creaminess. Al Dosari spent years experimenting with the fruit and ice cream-making process, even breaking several machines along the way, before developing a formulation that could deliver the desired consistency.
Her efforts have since evolved into an extensive menu. Ice Station, located near Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port, is reportedly working on its 448th date-based flavour, with the fruit used not only as a sweetener but also as the foundation for different flavour profiles.
The concept extends beyond the edible flesh of the date. Date pits are roasted and ground into a coffee-like ingredient, which is used to create an affogato-inspired dessert. Date palm fronds are also incorporated into a matcha-style flavour, contributing bitterness, antioxidants and a distinctive green colour.
The approach reflects a broader effort by Al Dosari and her daughter, Ghalia Al Mazrouei, to explore how more parts of the date palm can be used creatively. Al Mazrouei, a sustainability consultant, has helped develop new applications for the plant.
“We know that the entire plant is quite safe for consumption, so it was just more about how we could present this in a way that is enjoyable for everyone?” Al Mazrouei said.
For Al Dosari, the project is about more than creating unusual ice cream flavours. It represents an attempt to take a crop closely associated with Emirati identity and rethink how it can be used in modern food products.
The result is an ice cream concept where the date serves simultaneously as an ingredient, a source of natural sweetness and a connection to the UAE’s agricultural and cultural heritage.