Ube Crinkle Cookies (Without Ube Halaya)

Name: Ube Crinkle Cookies (Without Ube Halaya)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 158g (¾ cup + 2 teaspoons ) granulated white sugar; 53g (scant ¼ cup) neutral oil, such as canola; 50g (about 1 large) whole egg, weight is without shell, at room temperature; 20g (1 egg yolk from a large egg) egg yolk, at room temperature; 1½ teaspoons ube extract; ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 158g (about 1¼ cups) all-purpose flour - if using cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off.; 26g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) pure unsweetened ube powder; 2g (½ teaspoon) baking powder; 1.5g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt; 60g (½ cup) powdered sugar, for coating, plus more if needed

stack of ube crinkle cookies showing the fudgy inside

Easy, One-Bowl Ube Crinkles

These ube crinkle cookies have soft centers, plenty of ube flavor, and a snowy powdered sugar coating that cracks as they bake. Made with ube powder and extract, they don’t need ube halaya or a mixer.

If you’ve tried my reader-loved soft and chewy ube cookies, here’s another purple cookie to add to your baking list. Those are buttery sugar-coated cookies; these have the powdered sugar finish of a classic crinkle.

This recipe took three test batches to get right. The first had a texture I liked but needed more ube flavor. The second had the flavor, but the cookies were too cakey. The third finally brought it together: dough that was easy to handle and cookies I was happy to share.

I used my chocolate crinkle cookies as an initial reference and looked to my established ube cookies for flavor inspiration. I chose pure, unsweetened ube powder because it gives me more control over the recipe. Store-bought halaya can vary in moisture, sweetness, and ube flavor from brand to brand, which can change how the dough behaves. Powder brands can still differ, so use pure ube powder rather than a sweetened mix.

Happy baking, Trish.

Why You’ll Love These

Ube powder and extract give these cookies their flavor without halaya.
A soft center and crackled powdered sugar coating make them a pretty addition to a cookie box.
No mixer or butter-softening step required.
Gram measurements help you get the same dough consistency each time.
Easily double the recipe if you need a big batch!

Recipe FAQs

Yes. This recipe uses pure ube powder and ube extract. Halaya adds moisture and sugar, so don’t substitute it directly for the powder.

Use both for the intended result. The powder contributes purple yam solids, while the extract helps give the cookies their recognizable ube aroma and color. My soft and chewy ube cookies also use this combination.

Too much flour, baking longer than needed, or changing the egg quantities can affect the texture. Weigh the ingredients and use one whole egg plus one yolk as written. Check the cookies at 10 minutes and let them finish setting on the baking sheet. Several ingredients affect texture together, so there isn’t always one single cause.

No. I tested these cookies with powdered sugar alone, so there’s no need for a granulated sugar coating first. Roll the dough balls generously in powdered sugar just before baking.

Look in Filipino or other Asian grocery stores, or online. Choose pure unsweetened ube powder and check the ingredient list rather than buying based on the purple color alone. If you’d like another way to use them, try my marbled ube cookies.

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Makes: 12 cookies (approx 40g each)

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:10

Chill:1

Total Time:1 25

INGREDIENTS

158g (¾ cup + 2 teaspoons ) granulated white sugar
53g (scant ¼ cup) neutral oil, such as canola
50g (about 1 large) whole egg, weight is without shell, at room temperature
20g (1 egg yolk from a large egg) egg yolk, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons ube extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
158g (about 1¼ cups) all-purpose flour – if using cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off.
26g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) pure unsweetened ube powder
2g (½ teaspoon) baking powder
1.5g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt
60g (½ cup) powdered sugar, for coating, plus more if needed

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, oil, whole egg, egg yolk, ube extract, and vanilla until evenly combined. You do not need to whip the mixture until fluffy.
158g (¾ cup + 2 teaspoons ) granulated white sugar
53g (scant ¼ cup) neutral oil, such as canola
50g (about 1 large) whole egg, weight is without shell, at room temperature
20g (1 egg yolk from a large egg) egg yolk, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons ube extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

TIP: Weighing is especially helpful for flour and ube powder. See how to measure flour correctly.

Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, ube powder, baking powder, and salt directly to the wet mixture. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt evenly over the surface. Use a spatula to gently lift the mixture from the bottom and turn it over itself. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you mix. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour. The dough will be thick and may look slightly grainy.
158g (about 1¼ cups) all-purpose flour – if using cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off.
26g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) pure unsweetened ube powder
2g (½ teaspoon) baking powder
1.5g (¼ teaspoon) fine sea salt

NOTE ON UBE POWDER: Use pure, unsweetened purple yam powder, not a sweetened drink mix or taro powder. Add it dry for this recipe; do not rehydrate it separately.

Chill. Press cling wrap directly against the surface of the cookie dough. This helps prevent the surface from drying out and forming a skin. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the dough is firm enough to scoop and gently roll.

BAKER'S TIP: avoid adding flour simply because the dough feels sticky before chilling. Extra flour can change the finished texture.

Prepare the oven and pan. Toward the end of chilling, position an oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350°F (175°C), conventional/no fan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Shape and coat. Weigh out 40g of dough for each cookie before adding the powdered sugar, then gently roll into balls. Without a scale, divide the dough into 12 equal portions; spoon measurements are only an estimate. Roll each ball generously in the powdered sugar until it has a thick white coating. Place the balls about 3 inches (7.5cm) apart on the prepared baking sheet. Keep the remaining dough covered in the refrigerator between trays. Coat each batch just before baking.
60g (½ cup) powdered sugar, for coating, plus more if needed
Bake. Bake one tray at a time for about 10 minutes, until the cookies have spread and cracked, the edges are set, and the centers still look soft but not wet.

Do not wait for the centers to feel firm in the oven. The cookies will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.

Cool. The cookies may look puffy when they come out of the oven and settle slightly as they cool—this is normal. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage: Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within about 3 days. The powdered coating may absorb moisture over time.