Ube crinkles

These ube crinkles are a Filipino take on the popular crinkle cookie. I’ve replaced the traditional cocoa powder with ube halaya and extract for a nutty vanilla-like flavor and stunning purple hue.

Credit: Page Street Publishing / Catherine Zhang

• makes

  10

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

While crinkle cookies might be a popular holiday baking project, these fudgy ube crinkles with their crunchy, crackled exterior are delicious no matter the time of the year.

Ingredients

Cookie dough

• 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup (120 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup (113 g) ube halaya (ube jam)
• 1 tsp ube extract

Assembly

• Caster (superfine) sugar, for rolling
• Icing (powdered) sugar, for rolling

Chilling time: 30 minutes. Freezing time: 1 hour.

Cooling time (after baking): 30 minutes.

Instructions

1. To make the cookies, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder in a mixing bowl, and whisk until combined. Mix in the melted butter, egg, ube halaya and ube extract. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes, or until firm.
2. Once chilled, roll the dough into ten balls and freeze for 1 hour, or until solid.
3. To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
4. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and roll each ball in superfine sugar, then powdered sugar, ensuring the dough is well coated. Place the coated balls on the prepared tray, leaving 5 cm (2 inches) in between to prevent them from spreading into each other, and bake for 15 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes, or until completely cool.
5. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

 

Recipe from Mochi Cakes and Bakes by Catherine Zhang, published by Page Street Publishing Co. (RRP PB $44.99). Photography by Catherine Zhang.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

While crinkle cookies might be a popular holiday baking project, these fudgy ube crinkles with their crunchy, crackled exterior are delicious no matter the time of the year.