---
title: "Chilean Luche Cookies — Savory-Sweet Seaweed Butter Cookies"
description: "Versión en Español. Chilean luche cookies are made by mixing 300 g of sifted flour with baking powder, 5 tablespoons of dried ground luche seaweed, sugar, and salt, working in 200 g of room-temperatur..."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-luche-seaweed-butter-cookies-recipe/
date: 2026-09-27
modified: 2026-09-27
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-luche-seaweed-butter-cookies-featured.jpg
categories: ["Desserts"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Luche Cookies — Savory-Sweet Seaweed Butter Cookies

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-galletas-de-luche/)

![Round Chilean butter cookies made with luche seaweed](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-luche-seaweed-butter-cookies-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean luche cookies*

Chilean luche cookies are made by mixing 300 g of sifted flour with baking powder, 5 tablespoons of dried ground luche seaweed, sugar, and salt, working in 200 g of room-temperature butter to a compact dough, shaping 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick rounds, and baking them at 180 C (356 F) for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. They take 30 minutes of preparation plus 12 minutes of baking and serve 6 people.

They are an innovative way to enjoy luche, an ancestral Mapuche food, giving this seaweed a new place in Chilean baking.

## How to Make Luche Cookies?

You can use fresh luche if you find it, or dried luche, which concentrates a wonderful flavor of the sea.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of luche cookies contains approximately 400 kcal, 4 g of protein, 24 g of fat (15 g saturated), 70 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of sugars, 60 mg of cholesterol, and 350 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

## Homemade Chilean Luche Cookies Recipe

**Preparation:** 30 minutes
**Cooking:** 12 minutes
**Servings:** 6 people

### Ingredients

- 300 g (2 1/2 cups) of all-purpose flour
- 200 g (7 oz) of butter, at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons of dried luche seaweed, ground
- 5 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder

### Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder, ground dried luche, sugar, and salt, and mix with your fingers. Add the room-temperature butter and stir with a wooden spoon until you get a compact, even dough.

![Sifted flour for the luche cookie dough](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sifted-flour-homemade-donuts.jpg)*Sifted flour*

1. Cover with a towel and rest for about 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 C (356 F) for at least 10 minutes. Moisten the dough with a few drops of warm water, turn it onto a clean surface, and divide it into pieces the size of the cookies you want.

![Chilean luche seaweed for the cookies](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/soaked-luche-seaweed.jpg)*Luche seaweed*

1. Roll each piece into a ball and press gently into a round about 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

![Room-temperature butter for the dough](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/softened-butter-mocha-buttercream.jpg)*Butter*

1. Bake on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool at room temperature and serve on their own or with tea or coffee.

## Additional Tips

### Add citrus zest

Finely grated lemon or orange zest softens the sea flavor and lifts the sweetness.

### Use cold butter for crisper cookies

Cold, cubed butter keeps the cookies from spreading and makes them crunchier.

### Grind the luche finely

A fine powder distributes evenly and avoids chewy bits of seaweed.

| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Luche | Nori | 1:1 | Milder, more familiar |
| Butter | Vegetable shortening | 1:1 | Vegan, less flavor |
| Sugar | Brown sugar | 1:1 | More caramel |
| All-purpose flour | Half whole wheat flour | 1:1 | More rustic |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. Is the luche flavor very strong?

No. Luche is a red seaweed with a milder sea flavor than cochayuyo; with butter and sugar it stays subtle and savory.

### 2. How long do luche cookies keep?

Up to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, once fully cooled.

### 3. Why did my cookies spread too much?

Butter that was too soft, too much baking powder, or dough that was not cold enough.

### 4. Can I use fresh luche?

Yes, rinse it well, chop it very finely, and reduce any added water.

## What Is Luche?

Luche is an edible red seaweed that grows on intertidal rocks along the Chilean coast, from the far north to Tierra del Fuego.

## Benefits of Luche

Luche is rich in iodine, which supports thyroid function, and contains a notable amount of protein, valued in vegetarian diets.

## Did You Know?

Luche is traditionally sold pressed into dried blocks in southern Chilean markets and is a key ingredient in Chiloé cooking.

## Recommended

- [Chilean Cochayuyo Crackers](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-cochayuyo-seaweed-crackers-recipe/)
- [Chilean Papas con Luche](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-papas-con-luche-seaweed-potato-mash-recipe/)
- [Chilean Pork and Luche Cazuela](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-pork-luche-seaweed-cazuela-recipe/)
- [Cat Tongue Cookies](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/cat-tongue-cookies-galletas-lengua-de-gato-recipe/)