Zucchini cookies are a soft, cake-like cookie made with grated zucchini and hearty oats, giving them a moist texture and a warm, lightly spiced flavor. They’re a great way to use up extra zucchini while ending up with a cookie that’s more tender and cake-like than crisp — closer to a soft oatmeal cookie than a classic chocolate chip. They’re easy to throw together and make a great lunchbox or after-school snack.
Why Zucchini Works So Well in Cookies
Just like in zucchini bread, grated zucchini adds moisture to the dough as it bakes, keeping these cookies soft and tender rather than dry. Combined with oats and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, the zucchini disappears into the dough completely, leaving behind a soft, moist cookie with no detectable vegetable flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated zucchini (about ½ medium zucchini), excess moisture squeezed out
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or raisins (optional)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Equipment
- A box grater
- Two baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- A hand or stand mixer
- A cookie scoop or spoon
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the zucchini
Wash and trim the zucchini, then grate it using the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated zucchini on a clean kitchen towel or between paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible — this step keeps the cookies from turning out too wet or dense.
Step 2: Preheat the oven and prep the pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until well combined.
Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 5: Combine
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Fold in the squeezed, grated zucchini, along with the chocolate chips or raisins and nuts, if using.
Step 6: Scoop the dough
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Step 7: Bake
Bake for 11-14 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still look slightly soft — they’ll continue to firm up as they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Cookies
- Squeeze the zucchini thoroughly — too much extra moisture can make the cookies spread too much or turn out dense.
- Don’t overbake. These cookies are meant to be soft and slightly cake-like, so pull them while the centers still look a little underdone.
- Chill the dough for 20-30 minutes if it seems too soft to scoop, which can happen depending on how much moisture remains in the zucchini.
- Mix in different add-ins like dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, or shredded coconut for variety.
Storage
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. They also freeze well — freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze scooped, unbaked dough balls and bake straight from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.
Final Thoughts
Zucchini cookies are a simple, soft, oat-filled treat that puts extra zucchini to good use without anyone guessing there’s a vegetable hiding in the dough. They’re easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins and make a great snack to keep on hand throughout zucchini season.
