The Holy Trifecta
If I were a cookie, I would be these Ube, Matcha & Black Sesame Neapolitan Cookies. First off, these are three of my favorite flavors. I will always be a sucker for these mainstream but classic Asian dessert flavors. Second, I love a basic sugar cookie or a cookie with flavors that aren’t as overwhelming as chocolate. Third, one of my favorite color combinations is green and purple. And of course, you can never go wrong with black. Lastly, and most importantly, they are not only the cutest but also delicious! These cookies are made of ube, matcha, and black sesame flavored sugar cookie dough. The flavors are marbled and baked together so that you get the best of all the worlds!
Divide and Conquer
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined set aside. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together until well combined and fluffy.
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Divide the cookie dough into 3 even portions and place each portion of dough into separate bowls. In one bowl, mix the ube extract into the cookie dough. In the second bowl, sift the matcha powder through a fine mesh sieve, to remove any lumps, into the cookie dough. Mix until combined. In the third bowl, mix in the ground black sesame. For all of the flavors, be sure to only mix until combined, do not over mix.
Scoop a ½ tablespoon of each flavor then roll them together into one ball so that the flavors marble together. Pour the remaining ¼ cup of sugar into a shallow dish and roll each ball in it until they are evenly coated on the outside.
Place sugar coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the cookie dough balls onto the parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are set but the center is still soft. Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Best of the Best
Like I mentioned, these are some of my favorite flavors. When a restaurant offers all of them in different desserts, it’s always so difficult to choose a single option. So with these Ube, Matcha & Black Sesame Neapolitan Cookies, I don’t have to choose! The black sesame has a nutty aroma, the ube tastes like a combination of vanilla and taro, and then the matcha has that earthy and slightly bitter flavor. The texture of the cookies is also spot on! The edges are slightly crisp and the center is soft and chewy. While each flavor is so different, they all go so well together without overpowering one another. If you’re also obsessed with these flavors, you have to try this recipe out because they are a dream come true!
Ube, Matcha & Black Sesame Neapolitan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg room temperature
- ½ tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ tsp Ube Extract
- 1 tbsp Matcha Powder
- 4 ½ tbsp Ground Black Sesame (about 3 tbsp black sesame seeds ground in a food processor or coffee grinder)
- ¼ cup Additional Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined set aside. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar together until well combined and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Divide the cookie dough into 3 even portions and place each portion of dough into separate bowls.
- In one bowl, mix the ube extract into the cookie dough. In the second bowl, sift the matcha powder through a fine mesh sieve, to remove any lumps, into the cookie dough. Mix until combined. In the third bowl, mix in the ground black sesame. For all of the flavors, be sure to only mix until combined, do not over mix.
- Scoop a ½ tablespoon of each flavor then roll them together into one ball so that the flavors marble together. Pour the remaining ¼ cup of sugar into a shallow dish and roll each ball in it until they are evenly coated on the outside.
- Place sugar coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the cookie dough balls onto the parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are set but the center is still soft. Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
