Matcha Ube Cookies Recipe

Irresistibly Sweet Matcha Ube Cookies Recipe for Tea Lovers

Soft, chewy cookies burst with unexpected flavors when matcha ube cookies hit your taste buds.

These delightful treats blend vibrant green tea powder with stunning purple yam for a unique dessert experience.

The color contrast alone makes these cookies a stunner at any gathering.

Rich, earthy matcha perfectly complements the sweet, creamy ube notes in each bite.

Their striking appearance promises a delicious adventure for adventurous bakers.

Mixing these two beloved ingredients creates a magical fusion of Filipino and Japanese culinary traditions.

You’ll fall in love with this simple yet extraordinary cookie that transforms an ordinary sweet into something extraordinary.

Reasons Matcha Ube Cookies Stand Out Instantly

  • Craft Colorful Delight: These matcha ube cookies offer a stunning visual treat with vibrant green and purple swirls that will impress everyone who sees them.
  • Blend Unique Flavors: Experience an exciting taste adventure by combining the earthy matcha and sweet ube in one delightful cookie that breaks traditional flavor boundaries.
  • Simple Baking Magic: Even novice bakers can create these stunning cookies with straightforward steps and basic kitchen equipment, making it a perfect recipe for building confidence.
  • Crowd-Pleasing Dessert: Perfect for parties, potlucks, and gatherings where you want to surprise guests with an unexpected and Instagram-worthy sweet treat that sparks conversation.
Main Ingredients:
  • Butter: A rich, creamy base that provides moisture and helps create a soft, tender cookie texture.
  • Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a crisp, golden exterior for the cookies.
  • Flour: The primary structure-building ingredient that gives the cookies their classic shape and texture.
  • Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the cookie's rich flavor and soft texture.
Flavor Ingredients:
  • Matcha Powder: A vibrant green tea powder that adds a unique earthy flavor and distinctive green color to one half of the cookie.
  • Ube Extract: Provides a purple hue and distinctive sweet, slightly nutty flavor characteristic of purple yam.
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
  • Baking Soda, Salt: Work together to help the cookies rise and enhance the overall flavor profile.
  • Granulated Sugar: Used for rolling the cookies, creating a sweet, sparkling exterior.

Guide For Crafting Matcha Ube Cookies Effortlessly

Step 1: Fire Up the Oven

Crank the oven to a toasty 350F (175C).

Grab two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper, creating a perfect non-stick surface for your delightful cookies.

Step 2: Whip Up the Base

Grab your mixer and transform butter and sugar into a dreamy, fluffy cloud.

Mix for about 3 minutes until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Bring in the Eggs

Drop in the whole egg and extra yolk.

Blend everything together, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so no delicious bits get left behind.

Step 4: Prepare the Dry Team

In a separate bowl, team up the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Whisk them together until they’re perfectly combined and ready for action.

Step 5: Marry the Mixtures

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Mix on low speed until the dough comes together, being careful not to overwork the mix.

Step 6: Create Color Magic

Split the dough into two equal portions.

Time for some color fun!

  • Matcha powder for the green batch
  • Ube extract for the purple batch

Blend each color until it’s smooth and vibrant.

Step 7: Scoop with Precision

Use a #50 scoop to create uniform dough balls.

Aim for about 25 grams per portion for both matcha and ube doughs.

Step 8: Combine and Roll

Take one matcha ball and one ube ball.

Smoosh them together, roll into a perfect sphere, and coat with a sprinkle of granulated sugar.

Repeat until all dough is used.

Step 9: Prepare for Baking

Arrange 6 cookies on each baking sheet.

Give them some breathing room to spread out during baking.

Step 10: Bake to Perfection

Slide the sheet into the center of the oven.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges look set and the center has puffed up.

Pro tip: Let the baking sheet cool between batches.

Step 11: Cool and Enjoy

Let the cookies hang out on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.

Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Get ready to devour these colorful, flavor-packed treats!

  • Stop mixing the dough as soon as ingredients are combined to keep cookies tender and prevent tough, dense results.
  • Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before shaping to help cookies maintain their form and prevent excessive spreading during baking.
  • Use high-quality matcha and ube extract to ensure distinct, complementary taste profiles without overwhelming each other.
  • Roll cookies generously in granulated sugar for a crisp exterior and beautiful sparkly finish that adds delightful texture.
  • Transfer cookies to a wire rack after initial cooling to prevent bottoms from becoming soggy and maintain their crisp edges.
  • Gluten-Free Matcha Ube Cookies: Replace wheat flour with a blend of almond and rice flour for a celiac-friendly version that maintains the cookie's soft texture.
  • Vegan Wellness Cookies: Swap butter with coconut oil, use flax eggs instead of chicken eggs, and select plant-based ube and matcha extracts to create a dairy-free alternative.
  • Low-Sugar Green Tea Cookie: Reduce granulated sugar by half, substitute with monk fruit sweetener or stevia, and use a smaller cookie scoop to control portion sizes for health-conscious bakers.
  • Keto-Friendly Adaptation: Use almond flour, replace sugar with erythritol, incorporate cream cheese for binding, and maintain the matcha and ube flavor profiles while keeping carbohydrates minimal.

How To Serve Matcha Ube Cookies Creatively

  • Elegant Tea Party Showcase: Arrange these colorful matcha and ube cookies on a delicate ceramic platter with a coordinating tea set for a sophisticated dessert presentation.
  • Colorful Dessert Platter: Stack cookies in an alternating pattern to highlight the vibrant green and purple colors, creating a visually stunning display that catches everyone's eye.
  • Cultural Fusion Treat: Serve alongside traditional Japanese green tea or Filipino-inspired beverages to complement the unique matcha and ube flavor profiles and celebrate their cultural origins.
  • Instagram-Worthy Styling: Garnish the plate with fresh mint leaves or edible flowers to add an extra pop of color and make the cookies look professionally styled for social media sharing.

Keeping Matcha Ube Cookies Delicious All Week

  • Store cooled matcha ube cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, maintaining their soft texture and vibrant flavors.
  • Pack cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers, and freeze for up to 3 months for long-term enjoyment.
  • Keep cookies at room temperature in a sealed container for 2-3 days, ensuring they remain fresh and delicious.
  • Briefly warm refrigerated or frozen cookies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to restore their original soft and chewy consistency.

FAQs

  • What are matcha and ube, and how do they taste?

Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder from Japan with an earthy, slightly bitter flavor. Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines with a sweet, subtle vanilla-like taste. Together, they create a unique and delightful cookie experience.

  • Can I substitute the ube extract if I can't find it?

If ube extract is unavailable, you can use ube halaya (jam) or purple food coloring. The flavor might slightly change, but it will still create a beautiful purple-colored cookie.

  • Do I need a stand mixer to make these cookies?

No, you can use an electric hand mixer or even mix by hand with a whisk and wooden spoon. The key is to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly and mix the ingredients well.

  • How can I tell if the cookies are done baking?
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Matcha Ube Cookies Recipe

Matcha Ube Cookies Recipe


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4.8 from 26 reviews

  • Total Time: 32 minutes
  • Yield: 24 1x

Description

Indulgent Japanese Matcha Ube Cookies blend emerald green and purple hues into a delightful cultural dessert fusion. Creamy ube and earthy matcha create a unique sweet experience you’ll crave with every delectable bite.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 355 g (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 227 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 350 g (1 3/4 cups) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

Flavoring Ingredients:

  • 5 g (2 teaspoons) matcha powder, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons ube extract (preferably Butterfly brand)

Leavening and Seasoning:

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Additional Ingredient:

  • Granulated sugar (for rolling)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the baking environment by heating the oven to 350F (175C) and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Utilize a stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
  3. Incorporate egg and egg yolk into the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly and scraping down the bowl’s sides to ensure complete integration.
  4. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl until uniformly combined.
  5. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture on low speed, creating a cohesive dough without overmixing.
  6. Divide dough into two equal portions, then introduce matcha powder into one half and ube extract into the other, ensuring even color distribution.
  7. Use a #50 scoop to portion matcha and ube doughs, creating consistent 25-gram portions.
  8. Combine one matcha and one ube portion by pressing together, forming a unified ball, and rolling in granulated sugar.
  9. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them to allow for expansion during baking.
  10. Bake individually on the center oven rack for 10-12 minutes, watching for set edges and a puffed center, allowing the baking sheet to cool between batches.
  11. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.

Notes

  • Matcha Precision Matters Sift the matcha powder thoroughly to prevent clumping and ensure an even, vibrant green color throughout the cookie dough.
  • Ube Extract Intensity Adjust the ube extract carefully, as different brands can vary in color and flavor strength, impacting the final cookie’s appearance and taste.
  • Temperature Control Chill the formed cookie dough balls for 15-20 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading and maintain the distinct two-tone pattern.
  • Flexibility for Dietary Needs Substitute butter with plant-based alternatives and use gluten-free flour blend for vegan and gluten-sensitive bakers, keeping the unique matcha and ube flavor profile intact.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Japanese-Filipino

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 24
  • Calories: 164
  • Sugar: 15 g
  • Sodium: 76 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 0.5 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 28 mg
Lena Martinez

Lena Martinez

Contributing Writer & Culinary Educator

Expertise

Southwestern and Latin American cuisines, Vegetarian and plant-based recipe development, Culinary education and community outreach ​

Education

Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM
Certificate in Culinary Arts

Emphasized Southwestern cuisine and sustainable cooking practices


Lena grew up surrounded by the colors, spices, and traditions of the Southwest – flavors that sparked her love for bold, honest cooking. After earning her Culinary Arts certificate at Santa Fe Community College, she made it her mission to teach home cooks how to create flavorful, plant-powered meals without the fuss.
Her recipes are packed with vibrant ingredients, simple steps, and the kind of heart that turns a regular meal into something you’ll want to share. Outside the kitchen, Lena spends her time wandering farmers’ markets, trading family recipes, and helping young chefs find their voice through food.

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