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 / INGREDIENTS
(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 cups (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
(about 22 cookies)
For the dough:
120g soft butter
150g sugar
1 egg (L)
1 tsp vanilla extract*
120g red bean paste*
some red food coloring (optional)
230g flour (Type 405)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
For the sheathing:
about 100g sugar
about 130g powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS / PREPARATION
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 this 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. Place the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and stir well. Next, add the bean paste and stir. If you want food coloring to give the cookies a more intense color, you should incorporate some of it into the mixture now. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, then add it to the bowl and mix everything until there is no more flour to be seen – a rubber spatula is sufficient here. Wrap the dough in cling film and place it in the fridge overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) top/bottom heat. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Prepare two small bowls with the sugar and powdered sugar. Divide the dough into about 22 pieces (30g each) and shape into balls. Roll these balls first in the sugar, then in the powdered sugar. You should be generous with the powdered sugar and apply a slightly thicker layer – this is the only way you will see the typical cracks on the surface of the cookies later. Then place the individual balls on the prepared tray with enough space between them (we have space for a maximum of 12 balls) and then bake the cookies for about 10 minutes – you should see cracks everywhere between the powdered sugar.
3. Take the cookies out of the oven – if they have spread a lot, you can shape them again with a round cookie cutter immediately after baking. To do this, place a slightly larger, round cookie cutter on or around the cookies and then gently swirl the cookies around so that they get a nice round shape again. Let the cookies cool on the tray until you can move them, then place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely. Repeat the process with any remaining dough.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Description
These Red Bean Crinkle Cookies are not just looking cute – they are also delicious. Who would have thought that of cookies with beans? 😉
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 cups (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
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 this 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.
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