Ube Crinkle Cookies: Soft Purple Yam Cookie Recipe

Our secret recipe is finally unlocked! These ube crinkle cookies are a holiday favorite—ideal for cookie exchanges, leaving out for Santa, or simply satisfying your sweet tooth.

Ube crinkle cookies are ube-flavored sugar cookies with a cracked exterior and a powdered sugar coating. They use ube halaya and dark brown sugar in the dough and are rolled in sugar before baking to create their signature crinkles.

These cookies are always a hit with friends and family, and they’re sure to be a hit for you too.

Read on for the recipe.

Table of Contents

The Secret to Perfect “Crinkled” Cookies

Crinkles form when the cookie’s outer crust sets before the interior finishes spreading or rising in the oven. That contrast between a crisp exterior and a soft interior is what makes crinkle cookies so satisfying.

A powdered sugar coating highlights the cracks, but on its own powdered sugar melts quickly and can disappear into the dough. The trick is to first roll the chilled dough in granulated sugar, then roll it in powdered sugar.

Why this works: Granulated sugar has coarser crystals that partially melt and recrystallize during baking, creating a crunchy outer layer. That layer helps preserve the powdered sugar on the surface so the cracks stay visible and the exterior remains crisp.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick butter, unsalted, room temp
• 1 cup ube halaya
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1 tsp ube extract
• granulated sugar for coating
• powdered sugar for coating

Ube Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Prepare the Cookie Dough

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and ube halaya with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the dark brown sugar, then mix in the egg and ube extract until combined.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, mixing just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.

4. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Note: Crinkle cookie dough is sticky and benefits from chilling for easier handling. Colder dough spreads less, so chilling overnight will yield thicker, slightly cakier cookies; two hours produces slightly thinner cookies that still spread nicely.

Bake the Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and cracks have formed. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Tips on Baking Ube Crinkle Cookies

• To make taller cookies: Use fresh baking soda and consider chilling the dough overnight. Fresh leavening and colder dough both reduce spread and increase height.
• Be generous with the sugar coating. A thick coating of granulated then powdered sugar helps create a clear contrast and distinct crinkles. If coated insufficiently, gently dip the tops in powdered sugar after baking while still slightly warm.
• For best texture, let them rest. The outer crust continues to set after baking; waiting until the next day yields a crisper exterior. They still taste great right away, but the texture improves as they fully cool.

Final Thoughts

Ube crinkle cookies bring Filipino flavor to the classic crinkle cookie: a crisp, cracked exterior with a soft, ube-scented interior. Follow this recipe for reliably beautiful cracks and an irresistible purple-hued treat.

Thank you for reading! If you try this recipe, leave a rating and share your creations on Instagram by tagging @itsforkandspoon.