One ingredient that I started using last year is ube. I absolutely love how it tastes in desserts, and the rich purple color it imparts to any dessert. At the beginning of year, I made a goal of mine to learn more about this Filipino ingredient and to use it more in my recipes. The first ube recipe this year is my ube brownies. I have absolutely loved riffing on brownies on this blog starting with my matcha brownies. Brownies are one of the easiest desserts you can make next to cookies and blondies, and they’re the ultimate crowdpleaser. And I can honestly say, these ube brownies are definitely a crowd pleaser.
What is ube halaya jam?
Ube halaya jam is a Filipino dessert made with purple yam, coconut milk, and butter. It can be eaten as a snack or used in various Filipino desserts like halo halo, cakes, and ice cream. There are so many amazing recipes for ube halaya online, but I opted to buy mine pre-made at the store to cut down on cook time. I purchased the ube halaya jam at my local Filipino grocery store, but if you can’t find it locally, you can also get it on Amazon. If you are interested in making this from scratch, I found this recipe on the blog Kawaling Pinoy that looks really good.
Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments
- Unsalted butter – Browned butter adds a nutty flavor to the brownies.
- White chocolate – Typically, chocolate is used in traditional brownies, but I chose to use white chocolate so you can see the purple color of the brownies. You can definitely use regular chocolate for these brownies, but you might not be able to see the purple color. Additionally, regular chocolate will make these brownies less sweet. I used Baker’s White Chocolate bars because they melt the best. Chocolate chips are made to hold up in the oven, so they’ll be a lot more difficult to melt.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – Sugar makes these brownies sweet and makes the texture chewy. The question I always get is “can I make this less sweet?” Yes you can, but the lowering the amount of sugar will make these brownies more cakey. I discuss reducing sugar in the tips section below.
- Eggs – Adds richness to the brownies and binds the batter together.
- Vanilla extract – Adds more flavor to the brownies. Substitute with an equal amount of vanilla paste (my preference) or 1 vanilla bean.
- Ube extract – Ube extract adds the purple color and ube flavor to the brownies. The extract is more responsible for the purple color than the ube jalaya. Technically, you can make this dish without ube extract, but I wouldn’t recommend it because it won’t be as purple and you won’t get a strong ube flavor.
- Ube jalaya – Ube jalaya adds the ube flavor to the brownies. I included this ingredient because I wanted some actual ube in the brownies. If you can’t find ube jalaya, I would add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of ube extract.
- Salt for seasoning
- All purpose flour
How to make ube brownies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Prepare a 8×8 baking pan by greasing it and covering it with parchment paper. Brown the butter. Heat butter over medium heat until it melts. Then lower the heat to low and cook until brown bits appear. Put the white chocolate into a bowl. Pour the browned butter over the top. Stir until all the chocolate melts. Set aside.
Combine sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, ube extract, ube halaya jam, and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk until it becomes a fluffy, light purple color (~5-10 minutes). Pour the white chocolate mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Add the all purpose flour and gently fold it into the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out the brownies and tap on the counter to release air bubbles. Optional: Sprinkle flaky salt on top of the brownies. Put them back in the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Let the brownies cool for 20 minutes in the pan before cutting into them.
Ube Brownies Video
Tips on how to make the perfect ube brownies
Use a light coloured pan to brown butter
It is a lot easier to brown butter using a light colored pan because it helps you see the color of the butter as it cooks.
Beat sugar and eggs until thick and creamy
Beating the eggs and sugar incorporates air into the brownies, creating a lift in the final product. This helps provide lift without any type of leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder.
Smack the brownies on the counter
This helps get rid of air bubbles and evens out the shape of the brownies, so they’re not thicker in one part and thinner in other parts.
Heat up the ube halaya so it is easier to incorporate
Pre-made ube halaya comes in a jar and it’s actually pretty stiff, so I found warming up the ube helps it incorporate better. I microwaved it for 20 seconds before adding it to the batter.
Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?
Yes you can, but it will affect the texture of the brownies. I tested this recipe with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the brownies became cakey. If you want to use 1/2 cup of sugar, I would reduce the all purpose flour to 1/4 cup, so you can achieve the fudgy texture you want. Another way to reduce the sweetness of these brownies is to use dark chocolate instead of white chocolate.
What if I don’t want a brownie that is fudgy or as gooey in the middle?
If you want a brownie that is more solid in the center, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour to the batter. You can also reduce the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup (like I mentioned above).
Did you make this dish?
If you made this dish, I would love to see!
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Fudgy Ube Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 oz white chocolate
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ube extract
- ¼ cup ube halaya
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp flaky salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Prepare a 8×8 baking pan by greasing it and covering it with parchment paper.
- Brown the butter. Heat butter over medium heat until it melts. Then lower the heat to low and cook until brown bits appear.
- Put the white chocolate into a bowl. Pour the browned butter over the top. Stir until all the chocolate melts. Set aside.
- Combine sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, ube extract, ube halaya jam, and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk until it becomes a fluffy, light purple color (~5-10 minutes).
- Add the white chocolate mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the all purpose flour and gently fold it into the mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Take out the brownies and tap on the counter to release air bubbles. Optional: Sprinkle flaky salt on top of the brownies.
- Put them back in the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- Let the brownies cool for 20 minutes in the pan before cutting into them.
Video
Notes
- This brownie recipe makes a fudgier brownie. If you want a brownie that is more cakey/not as gooey in the middle, add an extra 1/4 cup of flour to the batter.
- Alternatively, you can reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup. That would make the brownie cakey and reduce the sweetness of the brownie.
How gorgeous! What brand of ube halaya did you use? Did you use any ube extract for them to turn out so purple in the photos?
Hi AJ. Yes I used 1/2 tsp of ube extract! I used Angelina ube halaya. Let me know if you try it!
Loved this recipe, thanks so much for sharing! I made it to take to an event, but my mom (who usually doesn’t like desserts) suggested that I leave it at home for us to eat 😂
LOL Mom’s approval is the only approval I need.
Hi Becca,
Would it alter the taste or texture of the brownies if I left out the ube extract? All ube extract are made with propylene glycol which I do not want to use in my baking.
Hi Huong. Texture should remain the same. You will get less ube flavor, but the brownie should still be good. Let me know how it goes!
Just finished baking my first batch! Can’t wait to try they smell so good!
Mine sank in the middle a little is that normal or should I have left them longer in the middle?
That is normal! Typically they puff up as you bake them, then it comes down as it cools. Let me know how it tastes!
Hey Becca, would it be okay to use a glass pan if I don’t have a metal pan?
Yes should be fine! Let me know how it goes!
Hi May I reconfirm the measurement of all purpose flour of one-half cup only? I tried this recipe And it came out so moist and soft in the middle.
Yes, I used only 1/2 cup to create a soft fudgy center. If you want a firmer center, I would add another 1/4 cup of all purpose flour. Hope this helps!
hi becca can i use disposable aluminum pans?
Yes you can! Let me know how it goes!
How did you achieve the brown outer crust shown in your pictures? Other ube brownie recipes do not show this
For instance
https://theunlikelybaker.com/ube-brownies-recipe/
https://www.amusingmaria.com/ube-brownies-a-simple-and-easy-purple-yam-recipe/
Hi JS. That is a really good question! I had to do a bit of research for this because I wasn’t 100% sure but I used this as a reference: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/05/31/make-brownies-shiny-crust. First, I don’t use any type of leavener like baking powder. The lift in my brownies comes from the air you beat into the batter. I mix the wet ingredients significantly more than those 2 you mentioned. Beating the butter and sugar helps dissolve the sugar and contributes to the crust. Second, I use browned butter instead of melted butter. Not only does it provide more flavor but I think it does contribute to the crust too. Finally, I use white chocolate chips. It looks like the Amusing Maria brownie recipe does not use white chocolate chips which makes it more of a blondie recipe not a brownie recipe. Brownie recipes are distinct from blondie recipes because they use chocolate and blondies don’t use chocolate at all. The chocolate contributes to the crackly top. I know this was a bit of a long explanation, but I hope this helps! Thanks for the question! I also learned a lot from it.
Can I use kosher salt instead of flaky salt?
Yes you can!
Our neigbor makes outsanding ube halaya. I decided to make ube brownies with it and stumbled upon your blog. I made the fudgey version – the results were, I got a browned matte crust, not like the one in your picture which is kinda shiny. Then I remember that I forgot to add the salt. Would the salt make it shinier like the one in the picture? Anyway, I would also like to try the cakey version.
I don’t think the salt would make it shinier. I also get a matte crust. It might look shiny because of how the light hits it. Let me know how the cakey version does!
I wish I could post a photo. These turned out looking just like the photo, just a little darker in overall color. They are sooo good, especially right out of the oven when they’re warm and gooey. This was my first time making them and I’m very happy with how they end up looking and tasting.
If you ever make them again, please send me a pic! 😊
I tired making the brownie, but it stuck to the parchment paper. It makes it harder to peel off. Why does it do that and what can I do to prevent it from sticking.
It should not stick to parchment paper. I am not sure why it is sticking. 🙁 You could grease it with oil or butter to prevent it from sticking.
Hi there!
Do you think I can substitute all purpose flour with like rice flour or almond flour?
Hi Ann. I have not tested with either, but I have some experience substituting all purpose flour with sweet rice flour or mochiko flour. Sweet rice flour absorbs liquid better than all purpose flour, so I would use less. I would try using 1/3 cup of sweet rice flour. If you want a brownie that is a bit more cakey, I would use 1/2 cup of sweet rice flour. Let me know if you try it!
Hi Becca, thank you for your response! I was unable to try it with ube recipe but I did try the mochiko flour with your matcha brownie recipe and it came out really great.
I didn’t realize that the proportion of flour in the matcha recipe was greater than that of the ube recipe. So I ended up using 1/3 cup mochiko flour in the matcha recipe and it came out soo good! I think for next time I’ll up the mochiko to maybe 1/2 cup in the matcha recipe since I like it a bit chewier.
But I am obsessed with your brownie recipes! Definitely going to try the black sesame brownies soon! 🙂
Thank you so much for trying them!! I’m glad they worked out for you! 🙂
Best brownies ever! Seriously these are my favorite
Hi Becca! Do you think this recipe would work with grated frozen ube instead of ube halaya?
Hi Fiona. Yes, I think it would work, but it might taste a little different since ube halaya is sweeter than frozen ube. I would also make sure the frozen ube has as little liquid as possible. Try using a cheesecloth to squeeze out all the moisture.
These were delicious and a BIG hit with my friends, who had never even heard of ube! They couldn’t stop raving about them. Thanks so much for sharing. I will definitely be making these again and again!
Hi Ray! I’m so glad your friends loved them! They are a personal favorite of mine as well 🙂 Thank you so much for trying my recipe!
Hello Rebecca! I’m going to make your recipe for my ube-loving workmates, but the country I live in (New Zealand | Aotearoa) doesn’t commonly have square pans. Circular cake pans are normal, but not brownie friendly. So, I guess my option is to double the recipe. Any advice for doubling, or proceed as normal?
(I’ll send photos if I get a good result!)
Thank you for choosing to make my recipe for your workmates! This might sound really nerdy but do you know the circumference (the measurement around the perimeter) of your circular pan? (I myself am a math nerd if you can’t tell lol). An 8×8 square pan is 64 square inches or 162 square centimeters. That’s the measurement around the perimeter of the pan. If your circular pan is the same distance around the perimeter, I would proceed as normal. If it is 128 inches or 315.12 centimeters, you can double the recipe and double the baking time. Anywhere in between, I would have to do more in depth calculations lol. Anyways! Let me know if that helps and yes please send pictures!
Oh good lord, you’re so kind and helpful! I don’t actually have a round pan here, beyond my rice cooker. I’ll be using one of my rectangular pans. But now anyone that reads the comments knows they don’t have to be limited to square pans. ♥︎
I’ll do the test run this week. 🙂
Becca, these are the best brownies I’ve ever made in 50 years of baking. The only disappointment was that I didn’t double the recipe!
Hi Karen! Wow! Thank you for such a nice message 😊 I’m so excited you like them!
Mine looked cooked after the initial 20 min hardly any ctacks like the picture tooth pick came out clean after I did bake an additional 10 min Waiting for them to cool
Yay! I hope you enjoy them! 😊