Coconut Ube Besito Cookies (Printer-Friendly)

Bite-sized treats combining purple yam and coconut in a tender cookie. Filipino-Latin fusion perfect for tea time.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup ube halaya (purple yam jam)
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins & Coating

09 - 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
10 - 1/4 cup desiccated coconut (for rolling)
11 - 2 tablespoons ube extract (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Mix in the egg, ube halaya, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Add ube extract if using for enhanced color and flavor.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
06 - Fold in the sweetened shredded coconut until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Scoop 1-tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Coat each ball by rolling in desiccated coconut.
08 - Place the coconut-coated balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
09 - Bake for 13-15 minutes until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the bottoms.
10 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The crumb is impossibly tender, like a tiny cloud that melts against your tongue
  • That stunning purple color makes people genuinely happy before they even take a bite
  • They bridge two culinary worlds in the most delightful way imaginable
02 -
  • Ube halaya varies in sweetness between brands, so taste your dough before baking
  • Overmixing once the flour is added will make these tough, so stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks
  • The cookies might look slightly underdone when you pull them out, but they firm up beautifully while cooling
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients make all the difference in achieving that perfect texture
  • If your ube halaya is particularly thick, warm it slightly for easier incorporation
  • Use a cookie scoop for uniform sizing so they bake evenly

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