Home » Blog » Ube Crinkle Cookies

Ube Crinkle Cookies

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Sharing is caring!

Crinkle cookies with an island twist. . .UBE. Soft, buttery, fluffy cookies packed with delicious ube flavor. Perfect for all you soft cookie lovers.

ube crinkle cookies

Crinkle cookies are another popular holiday cookie and this is my favorite crinkle cookie variation.

Day 7 of the 12 Days of Cookies: UBE CRINKLE COOKIES.

If you missed days 1-6, check them out below

ube crinkle cookie

What is a crinkle cookie?

Classic crinkle cookies are soft baked chocolate cookies dusted in powdered sugar  with a distinctive crackled top. The crackled top is what gives the cookies its name.

What is ube?

Ube is a purple yam. Not to be confused with Okinawan sweet potatoes or taro. Ube is a staple crop in the Philippines and is commonly used in dessert recipes. Fresh ube is difficult to find outside of its native regions, but ube halaya (jam) is canned and often found in the Asian food section of the grocery stores.

Ube has taken the Hawaiian islands like a tropical storm. You can find it in everything from cookies to ice cream to tarts. Such a delicious flavor.

ube halaya

What do I need to make ube crinkle cookies?

  • All purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter: Using unsalted allows you to better control the salt in the recipe.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar: You can opt to use all granulated sugar or replace the light brown sugar with dark brown sugar. Using dark brown sugar will give it a richer taste. I personally like to use half light brown and half white.
  • Egg: Best at room temperature. This allows the egg to better incorporate with the other ingredients.
  • Ube halaya: Also known as ube jam. If you are lucky enough to live in a region that has fresh ube go ahead and use that. Otherwise ube halaya can be found in the Asian aisle of your grocery store.
  • Ube extract: This dark purple hued extract gives this recipe an extra flavor boost. I like to use McCormick’s ube extract (not sponsored).
ube extract

How long do you bake ube crinkle cookies?

12-15 minutes.

How to store crinkle cookies?

These cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for about five days.

ube crinkle cookies

Can you freeze ube crinkle cookie batter?

Like all the previous cookie recipes from the 12 days of cookies, this recipe can also be frozen. You can store the dough in a large slab or opt to freeze them already rolled in balls. When you are ready to bake these cookies allow to defrost at room temperature.

How to make ube crinkle cookies?

  • In a small mixing bowl add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Lower mixing bowl and add egg. Raise mixing bowl and continue to beat. Lower the mixing bowl again and add ube halaya and ube extract. Raise bowl and beat until well combined.
  • Lower mixing bowl and slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Remove dough and chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Remove dough from freezer and scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Then roll dough ball in powdered sugar until well coated. Place dough on to a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. When done baking cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
ube crinkle cookie dough
dough ball in powdered sugar
cookie dough
ube crinkle cookies
ube crinkle cookies

Ube Crinkle Cookies

Relle Lum
Crinkle cookies with an island twist. . .UBE. Soft, buttery, fluffy cookies packed with delicious ube flavor. Perfect for all you soft cookie lovers.
4.56 from 590 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen cookies
Calories 100 kcal

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • In a small mixing bowl add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Lower mixing bowl and add egg. Raise mixing bowl and continue to beat. Lower the mixing bowl again and add ube halaya and ube extract. Raise bowl and beat until well combined.
  • Lower mixing bowl and slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Remove dough and chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Remove dough from freezer and scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll in to a ball. Then roll dough ball in powdered sugar until well coated. Place dough on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. When done baking cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Notes

*Best way to measure flour: scoop flour using a spoon into the measuring cup and level with a flat surface.
*Using a room temperature egg will allow it to be better incorporated in the cookie dough.
*Be sure to chill dough. This keeps the cookie from spreading out while baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 47mgSugar: 9g
Keyword christmas cookies, cookies, crinkle cookies, holiday cookies, keeping it relle, ube, ube crinkle cookies
Did you make this recipe?Share a photo and tag @keeping.it.relle on Instagram so I can see all your delicious creations and Let me know how it was!

© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!

Tried this recipe? Tag me on social. I’d love to see and share it.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keeping.it.relle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keepingitrelle

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/keepingitrelle

Tried and love this recipe? Please give it a rating.

Pin for later.

ube crinkle cookie
ube crinkle cookies

***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases***


By on December 8th, 2019

About Relle

Aloha, my name is Relle and welcome to my little home on the internet where I like to share all my favorite Hawaiian recipes (and local ones too).

I am a wife, mom of two, and nurse practitioner here in the beautiful state of Hawai’i. I was born and raised in Hawai’i and I am of native Hawaiian descent. In my spare time I love to cook and bake and I have compiled many of my favorite recipes here for you to enjoy.

More posts by this author.

65 thoughts on “Ube Crinkle Cookies”

  1. 4 stars
    Fingers crossed they still taste good! They Smell good! They are still baking and I’m bummed the directions say freeze about 10 minutes but the video says 30 minutes but I saw the video late.. so my cookies are expanding! Shouldn’t alter their taste though hopefully!

    Reply
  2. The flavour of these cookies were great but unfortunately it didn’t have the same crinkle cookie texture that I’m used to which are chewy on the inside. They were cakey and flakey. These tasted like ube and looked great but didn’t have the right texture for me!

    Reply
    • Hi Carla. Thanks for your insight. If you like a little more crunch I suggest baking them for a little longer. This allows the outside to crisp up a little more and be less cakey.

      Reply
    • Hi Kat. You can order it off of Amazon. You can make it without the extract, but the color will not be as vibrant and the taste will be milder.

      Reply
    • Hi Jen. Fresh ube is difficult to find in Hawai’i or the United States. I’ve never used fresh ube in this recipe. The ube jam is a mix of ube, sugar, and water. If you use fresh ube I would use the same amount as the jam, but you may need to add in a little more sugar and water to the recipe to get the right taste and texture.

      Reply
  3. Hello! I made these using ube jam in a bottle and it was perfect! However when I made ube halaya from scratch and used that my crinkles didn’t have the cracked look. I don’t know why this would happen.. help?

    Reply
      • The classic crinkle is created from the cracking of the cookie. This happens when the tops dry out and the inside continues to spread and cracks the top. The things I see that usually affect this is oven temp and not enough powdered sugar on the cookie to help dry out the tops and promote cracking.

        Reply
  4. Hi Relle, i’ve made these twice now and I love them soo much! These are now going to be a staple in my favorite cookie recipes. The first time I made these, I only froze the dough for maybe 2 hours and they came out very soft/cakey and I couldn’t get that ‘crinkle’ look; but they were delicious none the less. The second time I made these – I froze the dough overnight before baking and the cookie had a little more density and the crinkle look was achieved 🙂 I rarely leave reviews but I had to thank you for sharing!!! THANK YOU!

    Reply
  5. 5 stars
    I usually make the chocolate version but lately, my youngest son has taken a liking to anything ube. These are so good and not overly sweet. I ran out of confectioners sugar so I put granulated sugar in the food processor. Not as smooth, but good enough. Was able to make 28 balls and baked em for 13 mins. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
  6. I made these today. I used vegan butter (what I had on hand) and a flax egg as I need to avoid eggs. They came out well, my only trouble was that I shook off what I thought was excess powdered sugar so I didn’t have the nice white outside. 🙂 anyway, just wanted to confirm folks can veganize the recipe as long as the ube halaya doesn’t have milk. The brand I have does but I don’t think all do.

    Reply
  7. I canʻt find mccormick ube extract anywhere including amazon. Can i use ube extract paste instead? Iʻm always afraid to try new brands.

    Reply
  8. Hi! is there a way where I don’t have to add the ube jam & only just use ube extract? Everywhere I go, they are out of ube jam

    Reply
    • Hi. Many local grocery stores in Hawai’i carry the jam. You can buy it on Amazon if all else fails. I have not made them without the jam. It would likely change the texture and flavor if you omitted it.

      Reply
    • Hi. Ube is a purple yam, while taro is different root vegetable. It definitely will not give you the vibrant purple color that the ube extract gives and the flavor would be different. I have never tried this. Not sure if this would work in replacement. If you try it let me know. Have a great day.

      Reply
  9. Is it ok to mix by hand? Will it alter the way the cookies turn out? Also in the recipe you say to freeze dough for 10 minutes. One comment says they froze for 2 hours. What would be the correct amount of time?

    Reply
  10. I did this yesterday! Loved it! My non-Filipino friends and my partner love it so much that they finished it in a flash!! 🙂 I used fan-forced oven and set it to 160C. Baked it for 14 minutes and came out perfectly! Fresh from the oven, it would be a bit soft however when it’s cooled, the texture becomes chewy. I used ube jam in a jar.

    You don’t need a mixer, manual whisking or a wooden spoon will do to combine the ingredients still works the same way. 🙂

    Thank you for sharing this! This is now my go to ube crinkle recipe!!

    Reply
  11. I tried your recipe and it’s my family’s new favorite! We liked it so much better than the others you buy at the store! Mahalo 🙂

    Reply
  12. I live in Hawaii & have tried these cookies so many times without any luck to get the cracked effect. I use fresh Ube that I’ve cooked, stored frozen & thawed out. I use Ube extract. I’ve tried it with butter, then butter flavored crisp because I read that it will allow the cracked look easier than butter. I’ve added baking soda 1/2 tsp & one recipe had 2 tsp of baking powder. I used white sugar 1st to roll them in then powdered. Then found out there was a thing called non- melting powdered sugar. This last time the chemical reaction changed the vibrant color a little green but still no crackled top I give up

    Reply
    • I’m sorry you’ve had problems. I would try using the store bought ube jam and see if that helps. The moisture in homemade ube can vary and the moisture will affect the crinkle. If the powder sugar is absorbing in to the cookie too fast it’s too moist. You should be able to get through a tray of cookies before your first cookie’s powdered sugar absorbs. If it goes go back and roll it in the powdered sugar again. It should have a pretty thick coating on it prior to baking. Hope that helps. Happy New Year.

      Reply
  13. I made these twice, using AP Gluten free flour, vegan butter, and (just short of) 1/2 cup of maple syrup instead of sugar. They turned out delicious and fluffy!!
    Just wanted to share for those gluten or dairy free, those subs worked great in this recipe!!

    I did notice that the icing sugar almost absorbed by the time I was rolling the rest of the balls, so I had to re-roll a few. Also didn’t get too much of a cracked look either, so I lightly dusted them with more icing sugar as they cooled.
    I also noticed a comment on it being more fluffy than a cookie, which I agree with but I’m sure you could just make smaller cookies to not make them as fluffy. But I prefer the light fluffy taste!

    All in all, this is a fantastic and easy recipe that I will definitely make again and again!!

    Reply
    • Awesome. Thanks for sharing. The cracked look develops from the powdered sugar drawing out some of the moisture. This causes the tops to dry out and when the cookie spreads it creates the classic cracked look. If the powdered sugar is getting absorbed too quickly, roll in sugar again right before baking or form all the balls first then roll in sugar.

      Reply
  14. Mahalo for sharing. First had this cookie from a friend who bought at KTA. Been craving it and each time I went to the store I couldn’t find it. So when you can’t buy it, make it. I made it using the ube spread because jam was sold out and the ube extract brand was butterfly as it was the only one KTA had. But 10 minutes in freezer and 12 minutes bake time for a slight crunch on the outside and soft on the inside, it’s how I like my cookies. The only thing I liked better was to pre roll them before freezing, it made for quick and easy dusting with powdered sugar and it could use a little more extract flavoring. The flavor may be because I used spread instead of Jam.

    Reply
  15. Made these with some ube halaya I made from scratch for a birthday and they were such a crowd pleaser esp bc it was nice to have a different ube dessert than our usuals at the Pilipino party haha! Would definitely make again. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe 😋 love from California!

    Reply
  16. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating