Zucchini Cookies

A zucchini cookie in focus with additional cookies off to the side.

Zucchini Cookies are golden brown around the edges, tender in the center, packed with moist zucchini and studded with sweet chocolate chips. Flavored with brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, they’re so good you can’t have just one!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 27

Servings cookies

Calories 137kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large baking sheet
Parchment paper
Mixing Bowls
Electric hand or stand mixer
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

1¼ cups grated zucchini about half a pound/250g
1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
⅔ cup packed light brown sugar (147g)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats (112g)
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (135g)

Instructions

Wrap the zucchini in a double layer of paper towels and squeeze to remove moisture. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just incorporated.
Stir in the zucchini, oats, and chocolate just until evenly combined. Cover and chill the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop 1½ tablespoon balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Chill the remaining dough.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Continue rolling and baking with the remaining dough.

Notes

Grate the zucchini using a box grater or hand-held vegetable grater. Most food processor graters produce zucchini shreds that are too long and thick for these cookies.
Chill the cookie dough. The high moisture content of the grated zucchini needs to be absorbed into the cookie dough, and the butter will firm up again during the chilling process. If baked without chilling, the cookies will spread too much in the oven. Chill the dough covered for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days.
Change up the mix-ins. Semi-sweet chocolate chips give these easy zucchini cookies a comforting old-fashioned cookie feel, but you can also experiment with other mix-ins. Raisins, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, or cinnamon chips are all delicious options.

Nutrition