These soft, pillowy Ube Crinkles are everything you want in a Filipino cookie. They're vibrant purple, coated in a snowy layer of confectioner's sugar, and bursting with that sweet, nutty ube flavor that's impossible to resist. I first tasted these at a potluck years ago, and I knew I had to figure out how to make them at home. The best part? They're surprisingly simple to make, with ingredients you can find at most Asian markets, and they stay tender for days.
If you're looking for more show-stopping treats, check out this The Best Pinwheel Cookies Recipe or try something fruity like the Delicious Puff Pastry Apple Roses Recipe.
The crackled sugar coating and the soft, chewy center make every bite feel special.
Why You'll Love This Ube Crinkles Recipe
These Filipino purple yam cookies hit every sweet spot. They're soft, chewy, and packed with ube flavor that tastes like a cross between sweet potato and vanilla with nutty undertones. The sugar coating gives them a delicate crunch that contrasts beautifully with the tender interior. They look impressive but don't require any fancy techniques or hard-to-find equipment. Plus, they stay moist for days, which makes them perfect for holiday cookie trays or gifts. If you love vibrant purple cookies and easy recipes that deliver bakery-quality results, you'll be making these on repeat.
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Ingredients For Ube Crinkles
Here's everything you need to make these moist Filipino crinkle Ube Crinkles.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
Dry Ingredients:
All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookies and keeps them soft and tender. It's the base that holds everything together.
Baking powder: Gives the cookies their slight lift and helps create those beautiful cracks on the surface.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the ube flavor.
Wet Ingredients:
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough, though you might need to adjust based on how sweet your ube jam is.
Ube jam or ube halaya: This is the star ingredient. It gives the cookies their purple color, moisture, and signature flavor. Make sure it's at room temperature so it mixes smoothly.
Canola oil or vegetable oil: Keeps the cookies soft and moist without making them heavy or greasy.
Large eggs: Binds everything together and adds richness. Room-temperature eggs mix in more easily.
Ube extract: Intensifies that purple yam flavor and deepens the color. Don't skip this.
Coating:
Confectioner's sugar: Creates that beautiful white crackled coating that makes these cookies look so special.
How To Make Ube Crinkles
Follow these steps for perfectly crackled, soft Ube Crinkles.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
Prepare ube mixture: Use a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer with a paddle attachment to combine the granulated sugar, ube jam, and oil. Mix until everything looks smooth and well blended, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the mixture at this point. If your ube jam is mild, you might want to add a bit more sugar.
Add eggs and extract: Mix in the beaten eggs and ube extract until the mixture is smooth and the color is evenly distributed throughout.
Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the ube mixture in three parts. After each addition, mix on low speed until just combined, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Don't overmix or your cookies might turn out tough.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can. The dough needs this time to firm up so you can roll it into balls without it sticking to everything.
Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Form cookies: Scoop heaping tablespoons of the chilled dough and roll each portion into a smooth ball between your palms. Roll each ball thoroughly in the confectioner's sugar until it's completely coated. Place the coated balls on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 to 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake: Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. You'll know they're done when you see those gorgeous cracks forming and the surface looks matte instead of shiny. The centers should still look slightly soft. Don't overbake or they'll turn hard and dry.
Cool: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set, then carefully move them to a wire rack to cool completely. They'll firm up a bit more as they cool.
Substitutions and Variations
No ube jam? You can use Ube Crinkles powder mixed with condensed milk to make a thick paste, though the texture won't be quite the same as using ube halaya.
Oil alternatives: You can swap the canola oil for melted coconut oil if you want a hint of coconut flavor.
Extra ube punch: Add an extra teaspoon of ube extract if you want a more intense flavor.
Different coatings: Some people like to roll the cookies in granulated sugar before the confectioner's sugar for extra sparkle.
Equipment For Ube Crinkles
You don't need fancy tools for these sugar-coated Ube Crinkles. A stand mixer or handheld electric mixer with a paddle attachment makes mixing easier, but you can do it by hand if needed. A 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop helps keep the cookies uniform in size. You'll also need basic baking sheets, parchment paper or silicone mats, a medium mixing bowl for the dry ingredients, and cling wrap to cover the dough while it chills.
Storage Your Ube Crinkles
These homemade ube treats stay soft for several days when stored properly. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The confectioner's sugar coating might absorb a bit into the cookie over time, but they'll still taste great. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just thaw them at room temperature before serving. The unbaked dough balls can be frozen too. Roll them in sugar, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these crackle cookies with Ube Crinkles alongside a cup of hot coffee or Filipino hot chocolate for a cozy afternoon snack. They're perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or as part of a dessert spread with other Filipino treats. Kids love them with a cold glass of milk. You can also crumble them over vanilla ice cream for a fun purple yam sundae. If you're serving them at a party, arrange them on a platter with the The Best Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe for a colorful dessert table.
Expert Tips
Chill properly: Don't skip the 4-hour chill time. The dough needs to firm up or you'll have a sticky mess on your hands.
Room temperature matters: Make sure your ube jam and eggs are at room temperature before you start. Cold ingredients don't blend as smoothly.
Don't overbake: These cookies should look slightly underdone when you take them out. They'll continue setting as they cool, and this keeps them soft and chewy.
Sugar coating technique: Roll the dough balls generously in the confectioner's sugar. Don't be shy about it. The thick coating creates those dramatic cracks.
Test your ube jam: Ube halaya brands vary in sweetness. Always taste the mixture after combining the sugar, jam, and oil, and adjust if needed.
Spacing matters: Give the cookies enough room on the baking sheet. They spread a bit, and you want them to have space to develop those beautiful cracks.
FAQ
What ingredients are in ube crinkles?
Ube crinkles use all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, ube jam (ube halaya), oil, eggs, ube extract, and confectioner's sugar for coating. The ube jam gives them their purple color and signature flavor. Emma always says they taste like purple magic, and honestly, she's not wrong.
What is the secret to perfect Ube Crinkles?
The secret is proper chilling and not overbaking. Chill the dough for at least 4 hours so it firms up, then bake just until the surface cracks and looks matte. Pull them out when the centers still look soft. They'll finish setting as they cool, which keeps them tender instead of hard.
What are the ingredients for Ube Crinkles?
Traditional Ube Crinkles need flour, sugar, eggs, oil or butter, cocoa powder for chocolate versions (or ube for purple yam versions), baking powder, and confectioner's sugar for the coating. The key is having enough moisture from the oil or jam to keep them soft while the sugar coating creates that crackled look.
How long does Ube Crinkles dough need to chill for?
The dough needs at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, though overnight is even better. This chilling time lets the dough firm up so you can roll it into balls without it sticking to everything. It also helps the flavors develop and makes the cookies easier to handle.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Ube Crinkles
Ube Crinkles
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted for smooth batter
- 2 teaspoon baking powder leavening agent
- ½ teaspoon salt to balance sweetness
- ½ cup granulated sugar for sweetness
- 7 oz ube jam or ube halaya room temperature, about 1 cup
- ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil, for moist texture
- 2 large eggs beaten, room temperature
- 3 teaspoon ube extract enhances ube flavor
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar for coating cookies
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
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In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend granulated sugar, ube jam, and oil until smooth and fully combined.
- Taste the mixture and adjust sugar if needed, as ube jam sweetness can vary.
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Add the beaten eggs and ube extract to the mixture and stir until uniform.
- Gradually add the dry flour mixture in thirds, mixing on low until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Cover the cookie dough with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
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Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Coat each thoroughly in confectioner's sugar and place 1-2 inches apart on the prepared sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the tops crack and appear matte. They will be soft but will firm as they cool, so avoid overbaking.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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