These soft and thick ube crinkle cookies bring a vibrant twist to classic crinkle cookies, showcasing the unique flavor and stunning purple hue of ube. Their crackled powdered sugar crust contrasts beautifully with the tender, moist interior, making each bite a delightful experience. Perfect for festive occasions or a comforting treat, these cookies promise both visual appeal and delicious taste.
Crafted with simple pantry staples enhanced by fragrant ube extract, this recipe combines traditional cookie techniques with an unexpected Filipino-inspired flavor. Whether you’re a fan of ube or trying it for the first time, these cookies make an irresistible sweet snack that’s easy to bake and share.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft yet thick texture with a perfect crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Striking purple color adds a beautiful, eye-catching appeal to your cookie platter.
- Coated in two layers of sugar for a delightful crackled crust and extra sweetness.
- Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make it approachable for all bakers.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and a tender crumb, forming the base of the cookie dough with 170 grams needed.
- Baking powder: A leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and become soft, using 1 teaspoon for lightness.
- Salt: Enhances all flavors subtly, balanced perfectly with just ¼ teaspoon.
- Large eggs, room temperature: Two eggs whisked to aerate the dough, contributing moisture and richness.
- Granulated sugar: 150 grams in dough sweetens and helps create a soft texture with additional sugar for rolling.
- Ube extract: 2 teaspoons add authentic purple yam flavor and vibrant color, essential to these crinkle cookies.
- Unsalted butter, melted: 60 grams give a rich, buttery flavor while keeping the dough moist.
- Granulated sugar for rolling: 50 grams for an outer layer that provides crunch and sweetness before baking.
- Powdered sugar for coating: 30 grams for the signature crackled appearance and soft outer crust.
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Stirring these together ensures the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed, which helps create an even texture in the baked cookies.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar
- In a large bowl, whisk the room temperature eggs and granulated sugar for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. This aerates the batter, resulting in a lighter cookie. Then whisk in the ube extract until fully incorporated for the characteristic flavor and color.
- Add Melted Butter
- Slowly pour in the melted unsalted butter while continuously whisking to combine without cooking the eggs. This adds richness and moisture, balancing the sugar’s sweetness for soft, tender cookies.
- Combine Mixtures
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients gently using a spatula, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough. This ensures cookies bake up tender, not tough.
- Chill the Dough
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling firms up the dough, making it easier to scoop and helps develop better texture and flavor during baking.
- Prepare for Baking
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar separately in small bowls for the coating process.
- Roll in Granulated Sugar
- Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough directly into the granulated sugar bowl. Swirl the bowl so each dough ball is evenly coated without warming them with your hands, which helps maintain shape while baking.
- Roll in Powdered Sugar
- Transfer each dough ball onto your hands and roll it into a smooth sphere, then roll generously in powdered sugar. This dual-coating creates the signature crackled exterior once baked.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet
- Place the coated dough balls spaced 1-2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow room for spreading and to avoid sticking together during baking.
- Bake Until Puffy and Crinkled
- Bake for approximately 11 minutes until the cookies puff up and the powdered sugar coating cracks beautifully. Remove and let cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period lets cookies set and finish baking through.
You Must Know
- Using room temperature eggs is crucial for proper aeration and smooth mixing.
- Chilling the dough significantly improves the dough’s handling and final cookie texture.
- Don’t skip the double sugar coating; it’s key to the cookie’s classic crinkle look and enhanced sweetness.
Storage Tips
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain softness and freshness. For longer storage, freeze the fully cooled cookies in a sealed bag for up to one month, then thaw before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these ube crinkle cookies with a cup of hot tea or coffee to balance the sweet, buttery flavor. They also pair delightfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert treat.
Professional Tips
- Make sure to fully coat the dough balls in granulated sugar before rolling in powdered sugar for optimal crackle effect.
- If ube extract is unavailable, purple yam powder or natural food coloring can be experimented with, but adjust flavor accordingly.
- Scoop uniform cookie dough sizes to ensure even baking and consistent results.
FAQs
- How to make ube crinkle cookies?
-
Cream butter and sugar, mix in ube halaya jam, egg, and ube extract for deep purple color, fold in flour and baking powder, chill dough, roll in powdered sugar, and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes until crinkled.
- How long do ube crinkle cookies last?
-
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature they last up to 5 days. Refrigerated up to 10 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Why do the cookies need to chill?
- Chilling firms the dough, prevents excessive spreading, and helps develop flavors for better texture and taste.
- Can I make this dough ahead?
- Yes, the dough can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking, simply let it soften slightly before scooping.
- How do I know when cookies are done?
- The cookies are done when puffed, and powdered sugar forms a crackled pattern on top, usually around 11 minutes baking time.
- Can this be made gluten-free?
- Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend, but check the blend’s instructions as absorbency varies.
- Can I use salted butter?
- Yes, but reduce any added salt slightly to maintain balance in flavor.
Ube Crinkle Cookies
Soft, thick ube crinkle cookies coated in powdered sugar, offering a unique purple color and a perfect balance of sweetness and texture ideal for dessert lovers.
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 whisk
- 1 3-tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 6 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ube extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs and granulated sugar for 3 minutes until pale.
- Add ube extract to the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
- Slowly pour melted butter into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined.
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar into separate bowls.
- Use a 3-tablespoon scoop to form dough balls and coat each in granulated sugar by swirling in the bowl.
- Roll each dough ball between your hands to form a smooth ball.
- Coat each ball generously in powdered sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet with 1-2 inches between them.
- Bake for 11 minutes or until the powdered sugar cracks and cookies are puffy.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chill dough well for best texture and easier handling.
- Use fresh ube extract for vibrant color and flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
