You know those cookies that look too pretty to eat? Yeah, these Ube Crinkle Cookies are those cookies — soft, fudgy, and dusted in powdered sugar so they sparkle like little purple snowballs.
They taste as good as they look: rich, buttery, and full of that sweet, nutty ube flavor Filipinos (and anyone who’s tried it once) can’t get enough of.
If you love this, try my Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies next — same crackly look, rich cocoa flavor, and just as easy to whip up.
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🎥 Watch how these ube crinkle cookies come together — it’s easier than it looks!
I’ve made chocolate crinkles more times than I can count — but with a stash of frozen ube halaya in my freezer, I couldn’t resist an “ubefied” version. These cookies came out soft with a subtle crisp edge and that vibrant purple color that just makes you smile. I loved them so much I baked another batch the very next day.
Ube desserts are my weakness. Between my Ube Cassava Cake and Ube Pancakes, these crinkles officially complete my purple dessert trifecta.
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What Is Ube?
Ube (pronounced oo-beh) is a purple yam popular in Filipino desserts. It has a sweet, earthy flavor — kind of like vanilla with a hint of pistachio. In this recipe, it gives our cookies a rich flavor and naturally gorgeous purple hue. We use ube halaya (purple yam jam) plus ube extract to pack in that signature color and taste.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Mix everything in one bowl with a mixer, scoop, bake — done.
- Gorgeous: That bold purple color stands out on any cookie tray.
- Texture win: Soft and fudgy middle with just a hint of crisp on the outside.
- Minimal fuss: No overnight chill required.
- Crowd-pleaser: Great for dessert tables, cookie swaps, or just treating yourself.
🥘Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of your cookie dough, giving it structure.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cookies rise and create those signature crinkles.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the ube.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with the cookie’s texture.
- Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam): The star of the show, providing rich ube flavor and color.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together and gives the cookies structure.
- Neutral Oil (vegetable or canola): Keeps the cookies moist and gives them a soft texture.
- Ube Extract: Boosts the ube flavor and deepens the purple color.
- Confectioner’s/Powdered Sugar: For rolling the dough and creating that iconic crinkle look.
Swaps & Add-Ins
- No ube halaya? Use ube powder + a little milk to make a paste.
- Swap oil for melted butter if you want richer flavor.
- Add white chocolate chips or shredded coconut for variation.
- For a gluten-free version: use gluten-free flour blend.
Quick Tips
- Use your mixer: With the paddle attachment, beat sugar + oil (or butter) until smooth, then add egg + ube halaya + extract. Dry ingredients last.
- Chill dough briefly if warm: Even 20–30 minutes makes it easier to handle.
- Roll generously in powdered sugar: The more coating, the better the crinkle effect.
- Don’t overbake: Edges should look set, center still soft — they’ll keep setting as they cool.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat and mix wet ingredients:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In your mixer bowl, beat together granulated sugar and oil (or melted butter) until smooth. Add the egg, ube halaya, and ube extract, and mix on medium speed until everything is well combined and evenly purple.
- Combine the dry ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until fully blended.
- Step 3: Bring it all together:
With your mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined — the dough should be thick but slightly sticky. Don’t overmix.
- Step 4: Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes if it feels too soft or sticky to handle. This helps keep the cookies from spreading too much.
- Step 5: Scoop and roll:
Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon (around 40 grams) of dough per cookie and roll each portion into a smooth ball.
- Step 6: Coat in sugar:
Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar until fully coated. The thicker the coating, the better the crinkle pattern.
- Step 5: Bake:
Arrange dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are still soft.
- Step 6: Cool and enjoy:
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations & Serving Ideas
- Stuffed version: Press a small dollop of ube halaya into center of each dough ball before rolling in sugar.
- Coconut twist: Add ¼-½ cup shredded coconut into the dough.
- Chocolate chip version: Fold in ½ cup white or dark chocolate chips before rolling.
- Serving ideas: Enjoy with hot coffee or milk tea; pair with ube ice cream; add to a halo-halo dessert bar for a Filipino dessert spread.
☕Serving ideas
- Enjoy warm with a mug of hot chocolate (perfect contrast to the sweet, nutty ube).
- Pair with a glass of taho (Filipino silken tofu with syrup and sago) for a nostalgic merienda vibe.
- Sandwich two cookies with a scoop of ube ice cream for the ultimate purple-on-purple dessert.
- Serve alongside coffee or milk tea, or tuck them into a halo-halo dessert bar for a full Filipino spread.
Storage / Meal Prep
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze unbaked dough balls (un-sugared) for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw ~15 minutes, roll in powdered sugar, bake 1-2 minutes more than fresh.
- Idea: Bake ahead and freeze for parties or holiday trays.
Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
- Chill the Dough: Chilling helps firm up the dough, making it easier to handle and roll.
- Coat Generously: Make sure the dough balls are completely covered in powdered sugar for that classic crinkle look.
- Don’t Overbake: The cookies should be set on the edges but still soft in the center for the perfect chewy texture.
- Cookies spreading too much? Dough was too warm — chill it a bit before baking.
- Crinkles not forming? Roll thoroughly in powdered sugar; use fresh baking powder and correct oven temp.
- Flavor too mild? Use higher quality ube halaya and add more ube extract.
Recipe FAQs
Think of classic chocolate crinkle cookies — the ones that bake up with those pretty powdered-sugar cracks — but made with sweet, nutty ube instead. As they bake, the sugar coating splits open into that signature “crinkle,” showing off the soft, fudgy purple centers underneath.
Yes! Just boil, mash, and sweeten fresh ube or purple sweet potato to mimic ube halaya. The flavor will be milder and the color lighter, so a few drops of ube extract help bring that signature purple punch.
Freeze unbaked dough balls (without sugar) on a tray, then store airtight; coat in powdered sugar just before baking. Baked cookies can be frozen up to 3 months—thaw and warm briefly to bring back that fresh texture.
Overbaking or too much baking soda can dull or shift ube’s color. Stick to baking powder and use quality ube extract.
More Ube Desserts You’ll Love
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Easy Ube Crinkle Cookie
Equipment
- 1 MIxing Bowl
- 1 ice cream scoop
- 1 large baking sheets
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup ube halaya
- 1 pc large egg beaten, room-temperature
- ½ cup neutral oil canola, vegetable, avocado oil
- 2 teaspoon ube extract
- ¾ cup confectioner’s/ powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat to 350°F; line sheets.
- Beat sugar + oil/butter in mixer until smooth.
- Add egg, ube halaya, ube extract — mix until even color.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, salt separately.
- With mixer on low, add dry ingredients; mix until just combined.
- Chill dough 20-30 mins if necessary.
- Scoop dough into balls, roll in powdered sugar thoroughly.
- Place on baking sheet, bake 10-12 mins until edges set.
- Cool on sheet 2-3 mins, then transfer to rack.
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Notes
- Chill the Dough: Chilling helps firm up the dough, making it easier to handle and roll.
- Don’t Overbake: The cookies should be set on the edges but still soft in the center for the perfect chewy texture.
- Double roll in sugar for best effects.
- Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Freeze dough balls (un-sugared) for up to 3 months
