Ube Crinkles (Purple Yam Crinkles)

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.

In recent years, purple yam has become a trending food on social media and the international food scene. Many restaurants and bakeries have embraced the trend and started incorporating this lowly tuber into their dessert selections, such as ube macapuno ice cream, ube mamon, doughnuts, ube cheese pandesal, 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 a 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 can be 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!

Ingredient notes

• Sugar- the cookies include two types of sugars, granulated and powdered.
• Oil- makes for a denser texture than butter. Use a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable oil for the best results
• Egg- the recipe uses whole eggs for color, structure, and leavening
• Ube halaya- 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 other great brands are available. Of course, you can also make it from scratch if you like. 🙂
• All-purpose Flour- provides structure
• Baking powder- leavening agent to help the cookies rise
• Salt- brings out the flavor of the cookies and helps with browning
• Ube extract- enhance flavor and color
• Violet food color- optional; can be used to boost color without additional flavor

How to make ube crinkles

1. Cream sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl using a hand mixer. Add the egg and beat until frothy and pale in color. Add the ube jam and ube extract and beat again until well blended. 
2. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until well combined. The dough will be very sticky. Add violet food color, if desired, to achieve a deep purple color.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight or freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Chilling the dough makes it easier to handle, and roll it into balls. It's also important to make the cookies tall and not flat.
4. Scoop 1 ½ tablespoonfuls and drop them into a bowl of powdered sugar. Roll the dough in the powdered sugar to coat it thoroughly. 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.
5. Arrange 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes or until they begin to form their signature cracks on top.
6. Remove from oven and let stand on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

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 them 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.