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Turmeric Sugar Cookies
Popular on Food52
59 Reviews
Lynn C.
December 23, 2022
Long story about why I was looking for a cookie with turmeric but so happy I found this one. Love the color, inside & out, & they're delish. Only change was I made them smaller, about 25g each (& I did weigh them; I don't have cookie scoops). They still needed 11 minutes to bake, & they turned out plenty big, about 2-1/2" each.
Heather H.
December 24, 2019
Can cookie cutters be used for this dough recipe?
Emma L.
December 27, 2019
Hi Heather! My hunch is that the dough might be too soft—but you could certainly form it into blocks, wrap, refrigerate for a few hours, and see. If it's too soft at that point, no harm done! You can just let it soften up a bit and scoop from there.
SophieL
December 7, 2019
I made these cookies exactly as written and they're wonderful! My turmeric was a bit old so next time I'll add more and also make them smaller. I love the reviewer comments and am getting some great ideas for variations (Chinese five-spice? Wow!). This recipe's a keeper. Thanks!
goodgalsasha
May 2, 2019
love the flavour but could not get the cookies to spread as thinly as was shown in the video.
what could i have done wrong?
what could i have done wrong?
Emma L.
May 2, 2019
Hello! Did you use chilled butter or chill the dough at all? My first thought is that the butter and/or dough might have been too cold.
Miss B.
April 13, 2019
I picked up mostly on the taste of sugar and butter, but maybe my turmeric has losts its flavour. Still super tastey!
moody B.
February 11, 2019
I had a strange experience with these cookies! I followed the recipe exactly as written, but I refrigerated the dough for about 5 hours while I was out of the house. When I baked them up, they turned red inside! I'm not kidding, the cookies are golden yellow ish on the outside but the red inside is obvious, when bitten into they are deep red inside. Taste good if not a little... strange.
Kt4
February 11, 2019
Fascinating!
From schoolessons.com: Turmeric is an natural colour indicator because it changes its colour in acid medium as well as in base medium.
When turmeric is combined with any base liquid like it turns red in colour while when turmeric comes in contact with any substance like that of vinegar, that is acidic in nature, it turns yellow.
From schoolessons.com: Turmeric is an natural colour indicator because it changes its colour in acid medium as well as in base medium.
When turmeric is combined with any base liquid like it turns red in colour while when turmeric comes in contact with any substance like that of vinegar, that is acidic in nature, it turns yellow.
Anagha
December 4, 2019
Actually this is very common. Since Baking powder is acid base, when it touches turmeric it turns red. This chemistry fact is used to even scare people in villages in India. The con artist would dip the knfe in turmeric, and when he would cut the lime, it would turn red, he would scare the people that the goddess is mad at them hence this is happening : )
Dominique A.
January 29, 2019
I made half this recipe and added lemon zest. The texture is perfectly chewy with crisp edges. They're not too sweet and have a great nutty flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
Aster G.
January 5, 2019
Used King Arthur GF measure for measure flour and they turned out great, y’all! Chilled them for ~30 mins and they kept their shapes fairly well. They’re delicious and subtle and everything I hoped they’d be. Thanks for a great recipe, Emma!
judy
December 14, 2018
I love sugar cookies. I have an anise recipe much like this that I love because I Love licorice. I like that I can roll the dough into a log, wrap and put in "icebox" for icebox cookies. I have made versions with orange zest, pecans, brown sugar instead of white, adding chocolate, or candied citrus zest--or both!. I usually use 1/2 AP and 1/2 WW pastry flour. I tell myself it isomer nutritious as I eat another one! This weekends foray for the holidays is orange zest and chopped cranberries. I have several now in logs in the fridge ready to bake when family comes. Happy holidays, folks. I'll have to give turmeric a try. And what about a garam masala or Chinese 5 spice with a hit of chili? Hmmmm so many possibilities for a simple basic dough.
Laura R.
December 12, 2018
These cookies are delicious!! I made them for my dad who has rheumatoid arthritis. We try to get as much natural anti-inflammatories into him as we can. These cookies will do the trick. Not only were they simple to make but very tasty, too. These will definitely be a regular. Thanks for the great recipe!
Also, I followed the advice of another reviewer and refrigerated the dough longer than 10 minutes. Actually, I refrigerated them overnight. The dough was perfect to work with.
Also, I followed the advice of another reviewer and refrigerated the dough longer than 10 minutes. Actually, I refrigerated them overnight. The dough was perfect to work with.
Kt4
December 9, 2018
This sounds very interesting! I'm going to have to give them a try. Thinking I might divide the dough and also add all the Golden Milk seasonings (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, pinch black pepper) to half for comparison.
Emma L.
December 9, 2018
Ooh! That sounds like such a delicious comparison—if you try, please let me know how it goes.
Jenny
December 5, 2018
I made these exactly as written and they were great! Soft in the middle and just slightly crisp at the edges. The turmeric is indeed very subtle, but I like the mystery of it. I would never guess it was turmeric if I didn’t know. I think they’d be great as an ice cream sandwich!
Emma L.
December 6, 2018
So glad you enjoyed, Jenny! I also think they'd be great as an ice cream sandwich :)
Jennifer K.
December 2, 2018
Hey Emma! These are definitely our new house favorite! I've made them several times already.
I wanted to make these for my niece, but she needs gluten free ... can I substitute the AP flour with coconut or almond flour ... ooh, maybe oat four?
I wanted to make these for my niece, but she needs gluten free ... can I substitute the AP flour with coconut or almond flour ... ooh, maybe oat four?
Emma L.
December 3, 2018
Hi Jennifer! So happy to hear that your family's enjoying the cookies. With respect to adapting the recipe for your niece: I think your best bet would be an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. (I worry that using just one type of gluten-free flour, such as coconut or almond, would be too drastic a swap.) If you give it a try, I'd love to hear how it goes.
Jennifer K.
December 13, 2018
Okay, so I tried the gluten free version. The only substitute I made was all-purpose gluten free flour blend. The dough was even softer than the original, so keeping it chilled was key. Once the dough warmed up, it was too tacky to handle. Smaller balls were required ... my first pan melted into several large squares. ;-) The cookies came out flatter and little more delicate, but the taste was the same and just as good. Hopefully they will survive transport to my niece.
sqqqrly
December 30, 2022
You might try einkorn flour. Not totally gluten free but most that are gluten sensitive can tolerate einkorn. Einkorn is an ancient wheat.
https://jovialfoods.com/what-is-einkorn/
https://jovialfoods.com/what-is-einkorn/
sqqqrly
December 30, 2022
If interested, listen to the 'How I built this' podcast about Jovial. Very interesting. Einkorn is unchanged from what it was 20,000 years ago.
Ashley
November 17, 2018
I made a double batch of these for an early Thanksgiving treat. They are wonderful! I used a gluten free flour blend of sorghum, cornstarch, and tapioca, so I'm not if that influenced the fact that they spread A LOT. They're super thin and huge, but still chewy at the centers, with a crisp crust and edge. I added extra turmeric to the batter, and they're a delightful golden yellow, with an earthy, sweet flavor. So far it has just been myself and my mom who tried them, but we have been picking away at them all evening. These will become a regular in the cookie rotation.
Erin H.
October 29, 2018
These cookies definitely did not disappoint! I found the turmeric to be subtle, but it adds such great, unexpected note to the flavor. The texture was a perfect balance with the crunchy edges and soft middle. Mine didn’t crack, so I just pulled them when the edges started browning (10 minutes.)
The only thing I would do differently next time is lessen the sugar, as they are a tad too sweet for my preference. Otherwise, I love everything about this cookie!
The only thing I would do differently next time is lessen the sugar, as they are a tad too sweet for my preference. Otherwise, I love everything about this cookie!
Lisa
October 27, 2018
These are definitely different, but good for the adventurous one. I substituted half the butter for tahini and used all rice flour. The texture was great, chewy edges and soft-ish in the middle (I like it that way.) I can definitely taste the turmeric. I may make them again and decrease the turmeric slightly and add ground ginger.
Emma L.
October 28, 2018
Thanks for reporting back on these adaptations, Lisa! Love the idea of adding ground ginger.
Michelle C.
October 23, 2018
My last six are in the oven now. The aroma is delightful & the flavor equally so. I haven't experienced much tumeric but LOVE these (grownup) sugar cookies. I had to bake mine for 13 minutes & the results are crispy edges & chewy center. Yum. I also drop each blob directly into the shallow bowl of sugar crust. Then with finger tips, I sprinkle the mixture onto the blob then gently toss between both hands to form a ball. Note, I did end up with yellow finger tips. LOL. Thank you FOOD52 for this recipe that I'll be using for Christmas!
Emma L.
October 28, 2018
Thanks, Michelle! Means a lot to me that you'll repeat them for the holiday :)
Michelle C.
December 21, 2019
Season's Greetings Emma, I meant to reply last year...where did the time go? These yummy turmeric sugar cookies have become a must bake for the holidays! I add red & green sugar to the sugar crust mixture so my cookies are festively dressed! Thanks so much for this recipe. Enjoy the holidays.
Emma L.
January 6, 2020
"Where did the time go?" I wonder this a lot! So glad you're enjoying the recipe.
Jennifer U.
October 7, 2018
Great recipe! The Turmeric is not overwhelming and the color is nice. Outsides are crispy and inside is chewy just as the recipe promised. It's a keeper!
Ayesha
October 1, 2018
I just made these, and they're great! I have a few notes that may be helpful to others (like me) who are not professional bakers:
1. The dough was very wet for us, and we had to keep them in the freezer for about 30 minutes or so, otherwise our hands would be covered in very wet dough and no smooth ball would actually be formed. 10 minutes in the freezer wasn't enough. The dough being wet could be due to a variety of reasons: ambient temperature, humidity, our ingredients, etc but I'm only sharing so that if anyone else goes through the same thing all they need to do is chill it for longer (and don't add more flour).
2. Another comment recommended adding more turmeric. I think it depends on what you want. These were more on the subtle side, but I think the impact of turmeric goes beyond its spicy flavor- the turmeric adds warmth, a brightness, and in a way (a good way) sorts of cuts through the sweetness. We're Indian and we cook with turmeric a lot- I thought the amount of turmeric was just fine but my mom did think we should have added more. And I do want to make these again but with more turmeric! I think it's a matter of preference.
3. I was hesitant to make these because I was baking for kids and thought this recipe would be a bit too "grown up" for them, but they all loved it! I would definitely recommend this recipe to people who are hesitant to make something out of their comfort zone.
1. The dough was very wet for us, and we had to keep them in the freezer for about 30 minutes or so, otherwise our hands would be covered in very wet dough and no smooth ball would actually be formed. 10 minutes in the freezer wasn't enough. The dough being wet could be due to a variety of reasons: ambient temperature, humidity, our ingredients, etc but I'm only sharing so that if anyone else goes through the same thing all they need to do is chill it for longer (and don't add more flour).
2. Another comment recommended adding more turmeric. I think it depends on what you want. These were more on the subtle side, but I think the impact of turmeric goes beyond its spicy flavor- the turmeric adds warmth, a brightness, and in a way (a good way) sorts of cuts through the sweetness. We're Indian and we cook with turmeric a lot- I thought the amount of turmeric was just fine but my mom did think we should have added more. And I do want to make these again but with more turmeric! I think it's a matter of preference.
3. I was hesitant to make these because I was baking for kids and thought this recipe would be a bit too "grown up" for them, but they all loved it! I would definitely recommend this recipe to people who are hesitant to make something out of their comfort zone.
Emma L.
October 1, 2018
Hi Ayesha! So glad you and your family loved the cookies—and thanks so much for sharing this great feedback. Such a useful note about chilling vs. adding more flour...that's what I always say about pie dough, too!
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