If you like things a bit more colorful and are open to new flavor experiences when baking, you’ll definitely love these (Fudgy) Red Bean Crinkle Cookies. These eye-catching cookies made with red bean paste are not only a real showstopper, they’re also incredibly delicious. They’re something truly special if you’re looking for something new to bake. Anyone can make chocolate chip cookies, but red bean paste cookies are certainly something new for most out there. A must-try maybe?! ;)
Now, nothing against good old Chocolate Chip Cookies, don’t get me wrong. We love those classic American cookies. But there’s so much more! Crinkle Cookies, for example. These cookies also originate from the US and are primarily known for their characteristic, cracked surface. The cookie dough is thickly coated in confectioners’ sugar before baking, and during baking, the surface cracks open, revealing the darker (or in our case, red) cookie dough underneath. As a result you get cookies with a slightly crispy exterior and a softer center. In this version, the addition of red bean paste gives the crinkle cookies a unique depth of flavor that sets them apart from other crinkle cookie recipes.
Red bean paste, also known as Anko, is a staple in Asian baking and dessert cuisine. Made from Adzuki beans, it has a pleasantly sweet, slightly nutty flavor. When baked, it not only adds flavor but also gives the cookies a particularly tender, almost fudgy texture. We love it! There is nothing better than a crispy cookie that’s soft inside at the same time. The difference in textures is simply outstanding.
We actually really like these cookies just as they are, but you could definitely take the flavors to the next level by adding a little cocoa or some chopped dark chocolate to the cookie batter. Red bean paste and chocolate are simply a fantastic combination. We know that a lot of people love to add chocolate to pretty much all their sweet bakes, so adding it here would also be fine. Just as a side note. ;P
Anyway. If you enjoy experimenting when baking or love discovering new ingredients, these red bean paste cookies might be the perfect recipe to try. We love snacking on these little treats with coffee or just as a sweet treat throughout the day. They also make a great gift or a small present when visiting friends. Whoever gets them will certainly be delighted with these unusual crinkle cookies.
By the way, you can find red bean paste in most Asian supermarkets in cans or plastic packets. If you don’t have one of these supermarkets nearby, you can get the stuff online as well, of course. You don’t need a whole can to make these cookies, so if you have some leftover, you could also try our easy Red Bean Rugelach, for example. Also very delicious! If you don’t want to make several recipes with the bean paste in a row, you can easily freeze leftovers. Frozen red bean paste will keep for several months…
Many people probably know a certain sweet treat filled with red bean paste, but very few have actually made it themselves at home: Cantonese Mooncakes with Red Bean Paste for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. We love them. So good! They might look complicated to make, but they’re really not. Well, maybe a bit more complicated than these crinkle cookies here. ;P
In case you prefer baking some more (crinkle) cookies, you could also try our Pandan & Lemon Crinkle Cookies. Those are also a bit more on the colorful side of life, thanks to a special ingredient: Pandan paste. Like the red bean paste, pandan is often used in sweets throughout Asia. Pandan has a vanilla-nutty flavor and is excellent for cookies and cakes.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(about 22 cookies)
For the cookie dough:
1/2 cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract*
4.2 oz. (120g) sweetened red bean paste*
some red food color (optional)
1 3/4 cup (230g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
For the coating:
about 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
about 1 cup (130g) confectioners’ sugar
(etwa 22 Cookies)
Für den Teig:
120g weiche Butter
150g Zucker
1 Ei (L)
1 TL Vanille Extrakt*
120g Red Bean Paste*
etwas rote Lebensmittelfarbe (optional)
230g Mehl (Type 405)
1 TL Backpulver
1/4 TL Salz
Für die Ummantelung:
etwa 100g Zucker
etwa 130g Puderzucker
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Add butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Add the sweetened red bean paste and mix in. If you want to use food color, add several drops and mix until well distributed. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined – we normally do that with a rubber spatula only. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Have two bowls ready – one with the sugar and one with the confectioners’ sugar for the coating. Divide the dough into about 22 pieces, with about 30g (1 oz.) each. Shape each piece of dough into a small ball and roll it first in the sugar, then in the confectioners’ sugar. You want the layer of confectioners’ sugar to be quite generous, or the cracks in the surface will not show after baking. Place the covered balls with enough space in between on the prepared baking sheet (we could fit max. 12 on a baking sheet). Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes – you want to see big cracks all over the cookies.
3. Take the cookies out of the oven – if the cookies have spread a lot, you can bring them back in shape right after baking with a round cookie cutter. Just swirl them lightly inside the cookie cutter to give them their round shape back. Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet until they can be moved (they are quite soft when warm). Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool down completely. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
1. Die weiche Butter und den Zucker in eine große Schüssel geben und hell und luftig aufschlagen. Das Ei und den Vanille Extrakt dazugeben und gut unterrühren. Als Nächstes die Bohnenpaste dazugeben und unterrühren. Wer Lebensmittelfarbe für eine intensivere Farbe der Cookies möchte, sollte jetzt etwas davon in die Masse einarbeiten. Mehl, Backpulver und Salz vermengen, dann in die Schüssel dazugeben und alles nur so lange vermengen, bis kein Mehl mehr zu erkennen ist – ein Gummispatel reicht hier vollkommen aus. Den Teig in Klarsichtfolie einschlagen und über Nacht in den Kühlschrank legen.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Zwei kleine Schüsseln mit dem Zucker und dem Puderzucker bereitstellen. Den Teig in etwa 22 Stücke (mit jeweils 30g) aufteilen und zu Kugeln formen. Diese Kugeln dann zuerst im Zucker, dann im Puderzucker wälzen. Beim Puderzucker sollte man großzügig sein und eine etwas dickere Schicht aufbringen – nur so sieht man später dann die typischen Risse auf der Oberfläche der Cookies. Die einzelnen Kugeln dann mit ausreichend Abstand zueinander auf das vorbereitete Blech setzen (bei uns haben max. 12 Kugeln Platz) und die Cookies dann für etwa 10 Minuten backen – es sollten überall Risse zwischen dem Puderzucker zu sehen sein.
3. Die Cookies aus dem Ofen nehmen – falls sie stark auseinandergelaufen sind, kann man sie direkt nach dem Backen mit einem runden Ausstecher wieder in Form bringen. Dazu einen etwas größeren, runden Ausstecher auf bzw. um die Cookies herum platzieren und dann die Cookies darin leicht herumwirbeln, damit sie wieder eine schöne runde Form bekommen. Die Cookies so lange auf dem Blech abkühlen lassen, bis man sie bewegen kann, dann auf ein Kuchengitter setzen und komplett auskühlen lassen. Den Prozess mit verbliebenem Teig wiederholen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
(Fudgy) Red Bean Crinkle Cookies
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:10
- Total Time: 08:30
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Red Bean Crinkle Cookies are not only looking cute – they are also delicious. Who would have thought that of cookies with beans? ;)
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
1/2 cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract*
4.2 oz. (120g) sweetened red bean paste*
some red food color (optional)
1 3/4 cup (230g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
For the coating:
about 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
about 1 cup (130g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
1. Add butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Add the sweetened red bean paste and mix in. If you want to use food color, add several drops and mix until well distributed. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined – we normally do that with a rubber spatula only. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. Have two bowls ready – one with the sugar and one with the confectioners’ sugar for the coating. Divide the dough into about 22 pieces, with about 30g (1 oz.) each. Shape each piece of dough into a small ball and roll it first in the sugar, then in the confectioners’ sugar. You want the layer of confectioners’ sugar to be quite generous, or the cracks in the surface will not show after baking. Place the covered balls with enough space in between on the prepared baking sheet (we could fit max. 12 on a baking sheet). Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes – you want to see big cracks all over the cookies.
3. Take the cookies out of the oven – if the cookies have spread a lot, you can bring them back in shape right after baking with a round cookie cutter. Just swirl them lightly inside the cookie cutter to give them their round shape back. Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet until they can be moved (they are quite soft when warm). Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool down completely. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Notes
Happy Baking!
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