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If you want a show-stopping dessert that brings Filipino flair to the table, these stunning purple crinkles are it. With their bold violet color and craggy tops, they always turn heads. Don't let their good looks fool you, though. One bite and you'll fall for their pillowy insides and soft vanilla-ube flavor. I tossed them together for my family’s Lunar New Year, and now everyone begs for them at every celebration.
Vibrant Ingredients
- Cornstarch: not necessary but makes the sugar cover extra powdery
- Powdered sugar: sift for the coolest snow effect on the cookie tops
- Whole milk: locks in moisture for a soft bite use the full fat version if you can
- Ube extract or purple coloring: for that classic taste and loud purple look check Filipino markets for the real deal
- Vanilla extract: brings out all the best smells go for pure vanilla if possible
- Large eggs: holds everything together and keeps the cookies nice and chewy fresh eggs work best here
- Granulated sugar: gives the sweet flavor and those great crinkle tops organic is a nice touch
- Unsalted butter: makes the cookies rich let it sit out to soften for easier mixing
- Salt: wakes up all those deep flavors fine sea salt spreads out the taste evenly
- Baking powder: helps them puff up and crack on top be sure your powder isn’t old
- All purpose flour: builds the cookie up and gives a little chewiness unbleached is best for texture
Simple Step-by-Step
- Finish and Cool:
- Let them sit on the baking trays for five minutes. After that, move them onto a wire rack. Dust with more powdered sugar if you want them looking extra snowy.
- Pop Them in the Oven:
- Spread the sugar-coated balls evenly on your trays, leaving a bit of room to grow. Bake for twelve to fourteen minutes, just until those beautiful cracks appear and the middles are still soft.
- Shape and Roll:
- Grab dough by the tablespoon, roll it into balls, and toss them generously in your sugar and cornstarch mix. Get a nice thick coating so the crinkle stands out.
- Prep Oven and Set Up:
- Crank your oven to one seventy five Celsius. Lay parchment on two trays. In a shallow dish, mix the powdered sugar with cornstarch for coating.
- Chill the Dough:
- Seal up your mixing bowl and slide it into the fridge for at least two hours or overnight. This step is key—your cookies will stay crinkly and not spread too much.
- Mix Wet and Dry:
- Add the dry mix to your wet stuff, swapping back and forth with whole milk – three rounds, start and end dry. Go slow, just till it all comes together so you don’t toughen your cookies.
- Eggs and Color Go In:
- Crack in the eggs, one after the other, mixing after each. Stir in the vanilla and the ube extract or coloring till the whole thing is a solid purple. Scrape the bowl so nothing is missed.
- Butter and Sugar Cream:
- In a big bowl, beat the soft butter with sugar for about three minutes, until it’s fluffy and pale. This puts extra air in the dough so the centers stay soft.
- Get Dry Stuff Ready:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until you don’t see streaks. This keeps everything evenly mixed for good cookie structure.
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Swirling in the ube and watching the dough turn purple is the most fun. That color brings back good times making sweets with my grandma in her kitchen.
How to Store
Once your cookies have cooled all the way, pack them in a container with a tight lid and keep them at room temp. They’ll stay soft up to four days. Want them to last longer? Freeze the baked cookies layered between parchment. When you’re ready, let them thaw at room temp and toss on fresh sugar if they need it.
Swap It Up
If you can’t track down ube extract, use some top notch purple food dye and a little extra vanilla to cover the flavor. For a dairy free swap, grab plant butter and your favorite non-dairy milk. Flax eggs will hold things together but the cookie will turn out more cakey than chewy.
Serving Ideas
These are super flashy on any dessert table for the holidays. They go awesome with a hot mug of coffee or tea when you want something sweet. I love stacking these up in cute boxes for birthday gifts or wrapping a couple with ribbon for fun party favors.
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Filipino Flavor Story
Ube and Filipino baking go hand in hand—it’s in everything from bread to desserts. These crinkles put a playful spin on the traditional treats I grew up eating. Their pop of color and thick sugar crust totally capture the celebration vibes at every Filipino get-together.
Recipe FAQs
- → How does ube change up these cookies?
You get a natural purple look, some earthiness, a gentle nutty bite, and plenty of sweetness from ube. It really makes each cookie pop.
- → If I don’t have ube extract, can I fake it with purple food dye?
Go for it! Mix in purple food color and a bit of flavoring—you’ll still get that pretty color and a nod to the taste.
- → How come chilling the dough matters?
When you chill, your cookies won’t spread out too much, and your crinkles turn out just right because the dough gets nice and firm first.
- → What’s the trick for a big, snowy sugar crust?
Stir up your powdered sugar with some cornstarch, then roll those dough balls all over in the mix so every bite gets a thick, craggy layer.
- → Any tips to keep cookies soft after making them?
Cool them off and pop them in a container with a tight lid. Leave them on the counter and you’ll have soft cookies for up to a week.