Coconut Ube Besito Cookies (Printable)

Tender cookies infused with vibrant ube and sweet coconut, offering Filipino-Latin fusion flavors perfect for sharing.

# 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. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg, ube halaya, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Add ube extract if using for deeper 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. Roll each ball in desiccated coconut to coat evenly.
08 - Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
09 - Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden on the bottoms.
10 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The fusion of Filipino ube and Latin besito traditions creates something completely unexpected yet wonderfully familiar
  • These bite sized cookies are impossibly tender with that perfect crumb that makes you reach for just one more
  • The striking purple color flecked with white coconut makes them impossible to resist on any platter
02 -
  • The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, which is exactly right so do not be tempted to add more flour
  • Ube halaya varies in sweetness between brands, so taste your dough and adjust sugar if needed
  • These cookies continue to firm up as they cool, so pulling them out when they look slightly underdone is the secret to perfect texture
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable here because cold butter will not cream properly and your cookies will not get that perfect texture
  • Rotate your baking sheet halfway through baking so all the cookies brown evenly

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