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. ๐
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Scoop 1 ยฝ 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.
- 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.
- Remove from oven and let stand on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Quick tips
- Do not skimp on the powdered sugar. It tends to melt especially in humid weather so go heavy on coating the dough balls.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough evenly to ensure uniform baking.
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.
More baked goodies
Ingredients
- ยพ cup sugar
- ยผ cup vegetable oil
- 1 piece egg
- 2 cups ube jam
- 2 teaspoon ube extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- violet food color, optional
- ยฝ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Equipment
- hand mixer
- scoop
- cookie sheet
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.ย
- 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
โThis 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.โ
Jez says
I found that the ube taste itself wasnโt adequate so I added more of the ube extract. I found that softness improved when I warmed up the ube halaya from the glass bottle. I see you omitted butter from your recipe, how much would you add if I wanted to add butter?
nawal czarina says
hope you have chocolate crinckles recipe too.
Mai says
Has anyone tried it with a replacer for egg? My girls are allergic to egg, dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts. Would love to give this treat a try!
Barbie says
Wanted to ask whatโs your recommendation if not making my own ube jam what brand do you prefer?
Kunnida says
Hi Lalaine,
I can't wait to try out this recipe, but where can I find ube jam? I didn't even know it existed.
yurtlover says
we would give it 3 1/2 stars if we could. the cookies were fun to make, but required some adjustments. the original recipe took longer to make then implied, by almost 3 minutes, and they were quite soft. afterwards we used less ube jam and more flour, sugar, oil, and extract. this way they cooked better and were firmer. thank you for the recipe! it was much appreciated :).
Jada says
hi, i just made some ube crinkles, but it didnโt flatten down, instead it stayed in its ball shape, after the 12 minutes. So i let it bake for about 5 more minutes and it was still in its ball shape form, even though it was cooked. What did i do wrong?
Lalaine Manalo says
Crinkle cookies are usually tall and not flat, that's why we chill the dough.
Gabrielle says
What wull have if I'm pregnant impatient and can't wait two hours for chilling? ๐ Bc I need these now
Lalaine Manalo says
Hahaha, sometimes I can't wait for two hours either because they're so good!
GRACE G NAGUE says
I didn't do 2 full hour of chilling in the freezer ...the first batch was for only less than an hour & they were just as good as the ones chilled for more than an hour!
Mae says
I was the same, so the first time I did a short cut and they came out flat :-(...Trust me, good things come to those who wait, and this is one of them!!
Gretta says
Soooo good! I had this in Maui when I visited, and was so happy to find your recipe. Love the subtleness of the flavor. I'm not a sweets person, so I actually reduced the sugar by a tiny bit and it was perfect. Thank you!
Lalaine Manalo says
You're welcome, Gretta! Enjoy.
Diem says
How long does the dough last if itโs refrigerated?
Zenaida Valdez says
Made yesterday and follow exactly your recipe. My mom likes it ..she said not soo sweet and she request another batch. Now i am baking it again as per request. Thank you for sharing your easy to follow recipe
Lalaine Manalo says
Yay! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Moms know best ๐
Debbie Martinez says
What if I don't have the ube extract?
Alona Tuvera Palacpac says
Hello po I'm alona ask ko lng po if ano maganda flour ang gamitin thank you
Myran Julie Boston says
Hi Ms. Lalaine,
Do you have a chocolate crinkels recipe?
Lalaine says
Hello Myran,
Not yet but working on it ๐
Molly says
Why did my batter turn slightly green after putting in the fridge?
Kathleen says
Can I use boiled/mashed ube to substitute the jam? Can I also use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?