Ube Crinkle Cookies (Filipino Purple Yam Cookies) | Quick

Ube Crinkle Cookies blend the vibrant charm of ube—a beloved Filipino yam known for its striking purple hue—with the classic texture and delight of crinkle cookies. These cookies are not just visually appealing but are a culinary trendsetter, combining the sweet, nutty flavor of ube with the satisfying crisp exterior and soft, chewy interior that cookie lovers adore.

In this recipe, we dive deep into the techniques that ensure the perfect crinkle: a crackled, sugary crust juxtaposed with the moist, dense center, all tinted with the natural purple of ube. The unique properties of ube not only add color and flavor but also a creamy texture that sets these cookies apart from their chocolate and vanilla counterparts.

Whether you are a seasoned baker looking to expand your repertoire or a curious cook eager to explore new flavors, mastering the art of ube crinkle cookies promises to impress and delight. Ready to surprise your taste buds and add a splash of color to your dessert table? Let’s explore how to harness the magic of ube in your baking, ensuring your cookies are as delectable to eat as they are beautiful to behold.

What is Ube Crinkle Cookies

Ube crinkle cookies are a festive Filipino dessert with a distinctive vibrant purple color and sweet, nutty flavor that make them perfect for special occasions. Their gleaming amethyst hue comes from ube halaya, a Filipino yam jam made from ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines. The smooth ube filling swirled into buttery cookie dough gives each cookie its signature swirl pattern and intense ube flavor. A roll in granulated sugar before baking adds a delightful crunchy coating to contrast the chewy centers. With their eye-catching appearance and unique taste, these Filipino cookies are sure to impress at birthdays, holidays, or anytime you want a special treat.

Ube crinkle cookies have a complex, nutty sweetness unlike any other cookie. The ube yam lends a subtle earthiness while the ube halaya provides rich, jammy notes. The buttery cookie dough balances out the ube’s intensity. With flavors of vanilla and brown sugar, the cookies taste like an upgraded sugar cookie with hints of hazelnut and caramelized plantains. The crunchy sugar coating adds textural contrast to the soft, fudgy interior. This dynamic interplay makes ube crinkle cookies an unforgettable eating experience.

With their dazzling purple color and decadent taste, ube crinkle cookies are sure to impress guests and add pizzazz to any gathering. Their vibrant hue makes them perfect for themed parties or holidays. At Christmas, they provide a more exciting alternative to traditional holiday cookies. Their association with Filipino culture also makes them ideal for celebrating Filipino traditions. Regardless of the occasion, they add a touch of whimsy and luxury. Offering ube crinkle cookies shows you’ve gone the extra mile to provide something truly unique and indulgent.

Ingredients & Equipment

Making ube crinkle cookies requires just a few easy-to-find ingredients. The key component is ube halaya, a dense ube jam that can be found in Filipino stores or online.

Essential Ingredients

• Ube halaya – mashed purple yams cooked into a jam-like paste that provides vibrant color and distinctive ube flavor
• Flour – all-purpose flour forms the base of the cookie dough
• Butter – provides richness and moisture
• Sugar – adds sweetness and helps caramelize the cookies
• Eggs – help bind the dough
• Vanilla extract – enhances cookie flavor
• Salt – balances sweetness and heightens flavors
• Granulated sugar – for rolling dough balls and creating a crunchy coating

Ube halaya can be found in the jams and spreads section at Filipino grocery stores. Well-stocked Asian supermarkets may also carry it. If you can’t find it locally, buy it online.

Necessary Equipment

• Stand mixer or hand mixer – to thoroughly cream butter and sugar
• Spatulas – for folding and mixing
• Measuring cups & spoons – for accurately measuring ingredients
• Parchment paper – to line baking sheets
• Cooling racks – to allow air circulation for cooling cookies

Standard kitchen tools like mixer, spatulas, measuring implements, and baking sheets are all you need to bake ube crinkle cookies. Parchment paper prevents sticking. Cooling racks help cookies cool evenly.

How to Make Ube Crinkle Cookies

Preparing the Ube Dough

Achieving a well-blended, smooth ube cookie dough is easy with some simple tips:

• Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until completely combined and fluffy. This aerates the dough for a softer texture.
• Beat in the ube halaya until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. The jam will tint the dough a vivid purple.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. This prevents the dough from curdling.
• Mix in vanilla and salt. This boosts the cookie flavor.
• Gradually stir in the flour just until combined. Do not overmix. Overmixing develops excess gluten, making cookies tough.

The finished dough will be thick, smooth, and glossy. For best results, chill it for 30 minutes before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate for a more cohesive dough that holds its shape better.

Shaping and Crinkling the Cookies

Shaping and crinkling the cookies gives them their iconic ridged, wrinkly look:

• Roll dough into 1-inch balls and coat in granulated sugar. Granulated sugar helps create the crunchy, crystallized coating.
• Place dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow space for spreading.
• Use your pointer finger and thumb to gently squeeze each dough ball to create ridges and fissures in the surface.
• For more crinkles, lightly press down on cookies with the back of a spoon or kitchen tongs.
• Sprinkle cookies with more sugar to amplify the crunch. Press gently so sugar adheres.

Rolling in sugar before crinkling prevents dough from sticking and creates crunchy contrast. Crinkling the cookies gives them an adorable, wrinkled appearance.

Baking the Ube Cookies

Baking ube crinkle cookies perfectly takes just three easy steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Low temperature allows cookies to bake slowly for a chewy center.
• Bake for 14-16 minutes, until tops look dry but centers are still soft.
• When done, cookie tops will crack and be lightly golden brown around the edges.
• Cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Cooling on the sheet helps cookies retain their round shape.

Proper bake time is key for ube crinkle cookies. Underbaked cookies will be overly soft and doughy. Overbaked cookies will be dry and crispy throughout. Allowing cookies to cool completely before handling prevents crumbling.

Cooling and Enjoying

Cooling and storing ube crinkle cookies properly optimizes texture and freshness:

• Allow cookies to cool completely on pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Cookies are best served at room temperature the same day they are baked. The centers remain soft and chewy while the sugar coating stays crispy.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. In a freezer bag, they’ll keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.
• Enjoy ube crinkle cookies on their own or pair with coffee or tea. They’re also great crumbled over ice cream.

Allowing ube crinkle cookies to completely cool before storing prevents condensation that can make them soggy. Storing in an airtight container keeps the crisp shell intact. Their chewy centers soften with freezing, so enjoy frozen cookies within 2-3 months.

Baking Tips and Variations

Achieving the Perfect Texture

• Cream butter and sugar thoroughly to aerate the dough for chewy, soft cookies.
• Don’t overmix once flour is added to prevent tough cookies.
• Chill dough before baking for easy shaping and better structural integrity.
• Bake at 325°F for 14-16 minutes for fudgy centers and crisp edges.

Creative Flavor Combinations

• Swirl in different jams like raspberry, strawberry, or apricot instead of ube halaya.
• Use peanut butter or other nut butters for varied flavors.
• Add mix-ins like chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, or chopped nuts.
• Flavor cookie dough with extracts like almond, maple, orange, or peppermint.
• Coat cookies in decorative sugars or sprinkles for a festive touch.

Make-Ahead & Freezing Tips

• Shape dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to bake time.
• Bake cookies up to 5 days ahead and store at room temperature in an airtight container.
• Freeze baked cookies in a single layer up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
• Underbake cookies by 1-2 minutes before freezing. Finish baking frozen cookies straight from freezer.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cookies Spread Too Much

• Chill dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
• Bake at recommended 325°F temperature.

Tops Burn Before Centers Bake

• Lower oven temperature 25 degrees.
• Bake for shorter time, checking often.

Cookies Crumble Apart

• Do not overmix dough when adding flour.
• Let cookies cool completely before moving.
• Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Cookies Lack Ube Flavor

• Use high-quality ube halaya for best flavor.
• Swirl in more ube filling into each cookie.
• Consider boosting amount of ube halaya in recipe.

Conclusion: Ube Crinkle Cookies

With their vibrant purple color, chewy-crunchy texture, and nutty ube taste, ube crinkle cookies are sure to impress. Making them at home is easy using just a few simple ingredients and basic techniques like creaming butter and sugar, crinkling dough, and baking at a low temperature. Share a batch at your next celebration for a showstopping cookie that reflects delightful Filipino flavors. Get creative with alternate jams or mix-ins to make this classic recipe your own. Just be prepared for rave reviews when you add ube crinkle cookies to your repertoire.