Ube Crinkles are soft, moist, and bursting with Ube flavors. These classic cookies with a tropical twist are easy to make and perfect for coffee or tea time.
Purple yam has been a trending food on both social media and the international food scene in recent years. Many restaurants and bakeries have enthusiastically embraced the trend and started to incorporate this lowly tuber into their dessert selections in the form of ice creams, sponge cakes, doughnuts, bread rolls, and cheesecakes.
With its rise in popularity, other parts of the globe are taking a second look at Filipino food. I am not sure if Ube will remain in fad, but one thing is for sure, it will always hold a special place in our local cuisine.
What are Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies are soft, chewy cookies coated with powdered sugar before baking to produce their unique crackled exterior. They are commonly made with chocolate but adapted to various flavors such as lemon, vanilla, and red velvet.
Today, we will be giving this popular cookie a delicious Pinoy twist. We're making Ube Crinkles!
Making the batter
Good Ube crinkles start with a good ube jam. Although extracts can help enhance the ube flavor, nothing beats the natural taste of pure purple yam jam.
Good Shepherd Ube Halaya is our favorite, but I am sure other great quality brands are available in the market. Of course, you can also make halaya from scratch if you like. 🙂
Quick tips
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator to make it easier to handle, and roll it into balls. This is also important to make the cookies tall and not flat.
- If the powdered sugar is melting, especially in humid weather, coat the cookie balls lightly with granulated sugar before coating them heavily with powdered/confectioner's sugar.
How to store
- These crinkle cookies stay soft and chewy even after a few days. Store them in airtight containers at room temperature.
- To freeze the baked cookies, store them in a resealable bag between sheets of parchment paper and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- To freeze unbaked, shape the dough into balls, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and freeze until frozen. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a resealable bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, roll in confectioner's sugar, and bake according to the recipe.
More baked goodies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 piece egg
- 2 cups ube jam
- 2 teaspoon ube extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- violet food color, optional
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together sugar and vegetable oil.
- Add the egg and beat until frothy and color becomes pale.
- Add the ube jam and ube extract and beat again until well blended.
- Gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix using a spatula or electric mixer with dough attachment. The dough will be very sticky. Add violet food color, if desired, to achieve a deep purple color.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Alternatively, place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Scoop a spoonful, 1 to 2-inch in diameter, of chilled dough and drop into a bowl of powdered sugar. Roll dough in powdered sugar to thoroughly coat.
- Arrange at least 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let the cookies stand for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator to make it easier to handle, and roll it into balls. This is also important to make the cookies tall and not flat.
- If the powdered sugar is melting, especially in humid weather, coat the cookie balls lightly with granulated sugar before coating them heavily with powdered/confectioner's sugar.
Video
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Dahlia Tobert says
Fantastic . You're such a great chef.
Kay says
I followed the recipe but the dough turned out crumbly/dry. Anyway to fix this? Not sure if I used the wrong Ube jam. I just picked up sweet purple yam at my local Filipino store.
Lanie says
I tried your recipe and loved it, I’m just wondering did you flatten the dough before putting it in the oven? By crinkles did not look like your ones. They’re still very round
Zell says
Hi. How many cookies does this recipe yield? Also, once baked, do you keep at room temp or inside the fridge? How long do they last for? Thanks
Renee says
My cookies came out really doughy and I am not sure why. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? I even put them back into the oven for 3 more minutes without any change.
Bass says
The recipe itself was great and the cookies were delicious, but I had trouble cooking them. I’m not sure if it’s a problem with just my oven but I had to cook them for an extra 10 minutes (22 total) to get them to hold up. Would still definitely recommend this recipe !
Chynna says
hello! i tried it and mine didn’t spread out but they did heighten. I followed the recipe exactly. do you know anyway to fix this issue? i will definitely try this recipe again cause it taste great.
Chynna says
i should probably include that i made my own ube jam since i couldn’t find it near me.
Lalaine Manalo says
Crinkle cookies are usually tall cookies, so we chill the dough. You can flatten them a little bit after rolling or leave them out on the counter after shaping for a few minutes so they'll spread a little when baked.
Elizabeth Denoso says
Hi salamat po sa more recipe ang dami ko ping natutunan more power po at God bless po.
terrence says
Your cookies looks great. I haven't try making it yet.
I noticed that Flour is being use. But, its not clear which kinds of flour is needed.
cake flour? AP flour? Almond Flour ? can you please clarified?
Angel says
Hello,
What brand ube extract and jam do you use?
Best,
Angel
Dy says
Hello. I only have about 1 cup left of ube jam left as I used some for the ube pandesal 😄 is one cup Ube just fine?
Cyn weitzel says
Can one add shredded coconut and nuts to it?
Dhe says
Hello from Indonesia.. I read your recipe for Ube Halaya and it said that it can only last up to 3 days in refrigerator (meaning it will last less than 3 days in room temp.?) How about this cookies? Will it also not last long in room temp. because it used Ube Jam as ingredients? I have been meaning to try making Ube Cookies to sell it, but I'm still not sure about their shelf-life, I don't want it to go to waste or disappointing the customers.. I hope you can answer my question and give some enlightment.. Thank you so much, have a blessed day.. 😊🙏🏻
Rommel Q says
How many cookies can you make for this recipe?
Carolynn Sanidad says
I love this recipe. It is so easy. I couldn't find McCormick's ube extract, but I used Butterfly Ube extract instead and it turned out great.