Soft & Chewy Ube Crinkle Cookies (Purple Yam Cookies) (2024)

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What is Ube?

​​Ube is a purple yam or purple sweet potato from the Philippines that’s used in many Asian desserts such as ube cheesecake, ube ice cream, and these ube brownies. Ube has a bright purple color that makes whatever you’re baking beautiful and vibrant!

In recent years, Ube has become popular in the United States and can be found in Asian markets, as well as many big box grocery stores. Even Trader Joe’s has delicious, ube-flavored products that people love!

What Makes This Recipe Great

Today, we’re making another ube dessert- soft and chewy Ube Crinkle Cookies! This ube cookie recipe is deliciously sweet with a subtle, earthy ube flavor that’s just irresistible!

All you need is 9 ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand. Ube is easily sourced in your local Asian market, and a little goes a long way!

These chewy ube cookies have a distinctive color, the perfect crinkle top, and a scrumptious, delicate flavor. Plus, they’re gluten-free! They’re perfect for a special occasion or a fun after-dinner dessert.

• Ube Halaya + Ube Extract: Uses both ube extract and ube halaya (ube jam). The sweet jam is what contains real fresh ube. I found both at local Asian grocery stores, but you can also order them online.
• Softened Butter: Use unsalted butter.
• Granulated Sugar
• Large Egg
• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: If you are not gluten-free, regular all-purpose flour can be used instead of the gluten-free flour blend.
• Baking Powder
• Sea Salt
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar.
• Equipment: Large bowl, hand or stand mixer, lined baking sheet, and cooling rack.

1. In a large mixing bowl, add granulated sugar and softened butter. Use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to whip until fluffy.
2. Add in egg, ube halaya, and ube extract, and whip to fully combine.
3. Stir in your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and sea salt, and mix until a thick dough forms. Flatten the dough on the surface of the mixing bowl with a spatula or the back of a spoon so it’s in a thinner layer.
4. Cover and freeze for 1 hour.
5. Place powdered sugar in a separate bowl.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Scoop 2 tablespoons of the dough (I recommend using a cookie scoop), roll it into a ball, then roll in the powdered sugar mixture. Rest for 5 minutes, then roll again in the powdered sugar until the dough is completely covered and the dough doesn’t show at all.
8. Place cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, until they spread slightly and get puffy with a crackly top.
9. Cool the ube crinkle cookies for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• If you are not gluten-free, regular all-purpose flour can be used instead of gluten-free flour.
• Don’t skip the freezing step! This helps the cookie to bake slower to achieve that crinkle effect. Flattening the dough in the bottom surface of the mixing bowl before freezing helps to chill it quickly.
• To help achieve that gorgeous crinkle top, make sure to roll the dough twice in the powdered sugar so you don’t see the purple dough at all when you bake it.

Storage Instructions

• You can store these ube crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
• To freeze, place the uncooked cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3-4 months.
• To bake from frozen, thaw for about 20 minutes while the oven preheats, then roll them in the powdered sugar twice before baking for 12-14 minutes.

What makes a crinkle cookie crinkle?

The crinkled appearance comes from the high sugar content, fat, leavening agents, chilled dough, and a powdered sugar coating.

What is a substitute for ube extract?

Purple yam powder (ube powder) can be used as a substitute for ube extract in some recipes, however it’s trickier to achieve the flavor and color of using the extract. I don’t recommend this substitution for these ube crinkle cookies.

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