• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Rezel Kealoha

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • My Portfolio
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • My Portfolio
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Blog » Recipes » Ube Recipes

    Published: Nov 18, 2023 by Rezel Kealoha · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Ube Tea Cookie Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Ube Tea Cookie that is inspired by the ones you get at Trader Joe's. These however are made with Ube powder with no other spices. It tastes more what an Ube should taste like.

    Ube Tea Cookie on a gold plate on top of a purple napkin.

    I was not a fan of the Ube Tea Cookie from Trader Joes

    It tasted more like a cinnamon cookie and that gutted me, as I saw little kids carrying around that purple bag eating it for an after sport snack. They have no idea that Ube isn't supposed to taste like that. It's such a slippery slope when you get into a mainstream grocery store in the US. So I am here to righting a wrong. I did hear from the grapevine that Trader Joe's did approach a Filipino owned business to make the Ube Tea Cookie. Now when you use Ube on its own, it is very bland, almost savory. Because of that I think during testing corporate people were commenting that it had no taste, which is why they added cinnamon. But then that overpowered everything. These cookies honor the stubble taste of pure ube.

    Ingredients

    The key in this recipe is to use the right ingredients. This is what you will need to make Ube Tea Cookie.

    Ube Powder: This recipe uses a specific type of Ube powder and it is from Filiflavors. This powder is super fine and there is no need to re-hydrate it like other powders.

    Flour: The main ingredient is the Ube powder, but we do add some regular all purpose flour here too.

    Powdered Sugar: This makes the cookie melt in your mouth.

    Coconut Milk Powder: If you are going to add in another flavor with Ube it needs to be coconut. It complements it so well. And yes there is such a thing as coconut milk powder.

    Butter: The butter gives the cookies some fat and moisture.

    Salt: Gives good counter balance to the sugar.

    Egg: The egg is our primary binder that brings everything together.

    Ingredients: Ube powder in a bowl, flour in a bowl, powdered sugar in a bowl, coconut milk powder in a bowl, a stick of butter, salt on a plate and one egg.
    Packet of Ube Powder and Coconut Milk Powder

    How to Make the Dough

    Place the Ube powder, flour, powdered sugar, salt and coconut milk powder in a food processor and pulse for a few minutes until mixed.

    Cut the butter into cubes and put in the food processor. Pulse until the Ube Cookie mix looks like sand. Add in the egg and pulse until it becomes a soft dough.

    Steps 1 to 4 of making Ube Tea Cookie dough in a food processor.

    Line your surface with plastic wrap. Take the dough out of the food processor and flatten it a bit and wrap fully in the plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for an hour to rest.

    Steps on how to roll out and cut the cookie dough.

    Baking The Ube Tea Cookies

    Pre-heat oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon mat. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out so that it is ½ cm thick. Then use a 1 inch in diameter cookie cutter to cut mini circles out of the dough. Bring the dough scraps together and roll it out again and cut more dough circles. Keep repeating until you have no dough left. If the dough starts to get sticky, place it in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden. I made 62 cookies.

    Place the cookies on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart. You will probably use two baking sheets.

    Bake for 15 minutes until the outside is crispy.

    Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

    Ube Tea Cookies cooling on a gold wire rack.

    Coating the Cookies

    Once the cookies are fully cooled. Add ½ Cup powdered sugar and ¼ cup ube powder to a ziplock bag. Place all the cookies in the back and seal well. Then shake until all the cookies are coated.

    Cookies in a ziplock bag with powdered sugar and ube powder.
    Just coated with sugar Ube Tea Cookies.

    How do the Ube Tea Cookies taste?

    A little known fact about Ube is that even though it is a yam, it does not have much sugar in it. After boiling or steaming it, the Ube actually crumbles and has the same taste and texture of a normal potato. So that is the aftertaste you get in this cookie. It will be a little savory potato like taste. Don't be looking for that artificial taste. It will not be in this cookie. What you get is how it really tastes without the addition of artifical flavoring.

    Ube Tea Cookie on a gold plate on top of a purple napkin.
    Broken pieces of cookie on a countertop.

    How to Store

    Keep them in an air tight jar or other container for up to a week on the counter or one month in the refrigerator.

    For more  Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.  Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox.  And if you make this recipe.   I would love to see it.  Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.

    Ube Tea Cookie Recipe

    Ube Tea Cookie that is inspired by the ones you get at Trader Joes. These however are made with Ube powder with no other spices. It tastes more what an Ube should taste like.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Chill Time: 1 hour hour
    Course: Merienda, Snack
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Servings: 62 Mini Cookies
    Author: Rezel Kealoha

    Equipment

    • Food Processor

    Ingredients

    Ube Tea Cookie Batter

    • 1 cup Ube powder
    • ½ cup Flour
    • ¼ cup Coconut milk powder
    • ¼ cup Powdered sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Egg
    • 4 oz Butter

    Sugar Coating

    • ½ cup Powdered Sugar
    • ¼ cup Ube Powder

    Instructions

    • Make the Ube Tea Cookie Batter: Place the Ube powder, flour, powdered sugar, salt and coconut milk powder in a food processor and pulse for a few minutes until mixed. 
      Cut the butter into cubes and put in the food processor. Pulse until the Ube Cookie mix looks like sand. Add in the egg and pulse until it becomes a soft dough.
    • Rest the Ube Tea Cookie Dough: Line your surface with plastic wrap. Take the dough out of the food processor and flatten it a bit and wrap fully in the plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for an hour to rest.
    • Roll Out and Cut Dough: Pre-heat oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon mat. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out so that it is ½ cm thick. Then use a 1 inch in diameter cookie cutter to cut mini circles out of the dough. Bring the dough scraps together and roll it out again and cut more dough circles. Keep repeating until you have no dough left. If the dough starts to get sticky, place it in the freezer for 5 minutes to harden. I made 62 cookies.
    • Bake the cookies: Place the cookies on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart. You will probably use two baking sheets.
      Bake for 15 minutes until the outside is crispy.
      Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
    • Coat the Cookies: Once the cookies are fully cooled. Add ½ Cup powdered sugar and ¼ cup ube powder to a ziplock bag. Place all the cookies in the back and seal well. Then shake until all the cookies are coated.
    Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!

    More Ube Recipes

    • Ube Latte - A Super Easy Version
    • Ube Tiramisu - A Super Pinoy Version
    • Ube Pie Made with Only 4 Ingredients!
    • Ube Cheesecake Cooked in a Rice Cooker!

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Rezel and I am here to guide you on how to use those Filipino ingredients you have in a fresh new way. As a fellow home cook, the focus is easy to make recipes with lots of Filipino flavor. You will find a mix of reimagined Filipino Recipes along side traditional recipes on our site.

    More about me →

    My Current Favorites

    • Sans Rival Candy Bark
    • Bread Dip in an Ube Bread Bowl
    • Afritada Lasagna Recipe
    • Seafood Kare Kare with Udon
      Seafood Kare Kare with Udon Noodles Recipe
    • Kale Laing With Chili Crisp
    • Maruya (Filipino Baked Banana Fritter) Recipe
    • Lumpiang Hubad (Lumpia Salad Bowl)
    • Panzanella with Pandesal
      Panzanella with Pandesal Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Terms and Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2024 Rezel Kealoha

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.