Ube Cookies

It’s no wonder that ube makes such a great ingredient for dessert recipes with its notes of vanilla and striking purple hue. Thanks to ube extract and ube jam, we make these gorgeous thumbprint-style ube cookies with a white chocolate drizzle. I love baking a batch of these for any occasion, but especially for a Christmas cookie tray to add a nice pop of color.

What is ube?

Ube is a purple yam that’s native to the Philippines, where it’s a staple in sweet and savory recipes. The yam is vibrantly purple, sweet and nutty with a distinct vanilla flavor. It’s popularly used in ube ice cream, ube halaya (a jam-like spread that we use here), and other baked goods like ube bread and ube cheesecake.

Ingredients for Ube Cookies

• Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature beforehand. This can take up to an hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen, so plan accordingly.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is best here to give the thumbprint cookies a crunchy outside and soft interior.
• Ube extract: Your grocery store may carry ube extract, but it’s more likely that you’ll find it at Filipino markets. You can also buy ube extract from online retailers.
• All-purpose flour: No need to get fancy with the flour; cookies turn out best with all-purpose flour. Use a gluten-free flour blend if needed!
• White chocolate chips: These are mixed into the cookie dough and melted down for the white chocolate drizzle. Make sure you have enough for both. It’s worth buying the best white chocolate chips for your ube cookie recipe.
• Ube jam: You can buy ube jam (ube halaya) online or find it at popular grocery store chains.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cookie dough

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, ube extract and salt until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes.

Gradually beat in enough all-purpose flour to form a smooth dough.

Add 1 cup white chocolate chips to the dough, and mix on low speed or fold them in using a rubber spatula.

Step 2: Portion into balls

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop and roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Place the cookie dough balls 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Step 3: Add the jam

With the end of a wooden spoon handle, press a deep indentation into the center of each cookie dough ball. Fill the indentation with the ube jam.

Step 4: Bake the cookies

Bake the cookies until the bottoms are browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for a few minutes to finish setting up. Remove them to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.

Step 5: Decorate with white chocolate

Melt the remaining 1 cup white chocolate chips. You can do this in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave, stirring between each 20-second interval. However, be careful, as chocolate is very prone to burning in the microwave.

Editor’s Tip: There are other ways to melt chocolate than in the microwave. My favorite is the double-boiler method!

Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cookies. Let the chocolate harden, then enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• Use other chocolate chips: For those who aren’t a fan of white chocolate, feel free to use another type of chocolate instead. Just know that since white chocolate is extremely sweet, using a different chocolate won’t make the ube cookie recipe as sweet.
• Include nuts: If you like a little crunch in your desserts, add chopped macadamia nuts or pistachios to the cookie dough.

How to Store Ube Cookies

Store the ube cookies recipe in an airtight container. The cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you notice they’re drying out and going stale, soften the cookies by placing a piece of sandwich bread in the container. The cookies will absorb the bread’s moisture and soften again.

Can you freeze ube cookies?

Yes, you can freeze ube cookies. Once the chocolate hardens, store the cookies in an airtight container with a piece of parchment or waxed paper between each stack to both protect the design and prevent the cookies from sticking. Freeze for up to two months. Whenever you’re ready to enjoy them again, thaw the cookies at room temperature.

Ube Cookie Tips

How else can you fill the ube cookies recipe?

Can’t find ube jam? Fill each cookie with passion fruit curd, guava jam or pistachio butter. Do not add these before baking. Instead, indent the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven, then wait for them to cool completely before adding these fillings.

How else can you decorate these ube cookies?

You can totally forgo the thumbprint cookie design for a whole new cookie. Roll the cookie dough into balls, then roll in confectioners’ sugar for a crinkle cookie look. Alternatively, keep the white chocolate drizzle on the cookies but omit the jam center. Another decoration idea is to forego the jam and white chocolate for a vanilla bean buttercream decoration. Take it a step further and sandwich the frosting with another ube cookie. Delicious!

Can you add purple food coloring to the ube cookie dough?

Yes, you can add purple food coloring to the ube cookie dough if your color is looking a little flat. I recommend gel food coloring for the best vibrancy. Wait to add it until after the ube extract is mixed in, though. Ube extract will add the purple hue, so see how your cookie dough looks first before adding the purple food coloring.