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.
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.
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.
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.
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 1/2 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.
Coating the Cookies
Once the cookies are fully cooled. Add 1/2 Cup powdered sugar and 1/4 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.
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.
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.
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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.
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour hour
Course: Merienda, Snack
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 62 Mini Cookies
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 1/2 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 1/2 Cup powdered sugar and 1/4 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.