Zucchini Cookies

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These zucchini cookies have crispy edges & soft & chewy centers. They’re infused with vanilla & cinnamon and are easy to make – no chilling required! They are the best zucchini chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever taste! 

6 Zucchini Cookies with chocolate chips

I’m always creating new recipes to enjoy the abundance of fresh summer zucchini – and these Zucchini Cookies are one of our favorites (along with zucchini bars, zucchini bread & chocolate zucchini cake).

These zucchini oatmeal cookies are crispy on the outside with soft and gooey centers. They’re richly flavored with vanilla & cinnamon and packed with freshly shredded zucchini!

If that’s not enough to entice you to make them, this zucchini cookies recipe is easy – no chilling required!

a stack of 4 Zucchini Cookies

Zucchini Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead view of the ingredients in this Zucchini Cookies recipe
  • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
  • Salted butter. Unsalted butter is a good substitute.
  • Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, just be aware it will change the texture of the cookies.
  • Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste use dark brown sugar. 
  • Granulated Sugar. white sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar are all good choices.
  • Sea salt. I bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
  • Chocolate chips. Adding chocolate chips is optional, but of course recommended. You can use 1 cup of total of different mix-ins such as white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.
an oatmeal Zucchini Cookie with a bite taken out of it

How to Make Zucchini Cookies

Let’s walk through this zucchini cookies recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by shredding the zucchini. Then squeeze out the water with your hands. I often put the zucchini in a thin tea towel or heavy-duty paper towel and squeeze it out that way.

two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Cookies - shredding & wringing out zucchini

Next, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Then set it aside.

two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Cookies - combine the dry ingredients

Then, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, until light and fluffy (about 60 seconds)  

two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Cookies - beating butter and sugars together

Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds). 

two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Cookies - adding egg and vanilla

Then, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Cookies -  combining wet and dry ingredients

Slowly beat in the oatmeal on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Lastly, add the zucchini and chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.

two photos showing How to Make Zucchini Cookies - adding oatmeal, zucchini and chocolate chips

If you don’t prefer chocolate chips, you can add 1 cup of your favorite mix-ins! Here are some suggestions:

finished zucchini chocolate chip cookies dough

Bake

Once the dough is ready, use a 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out the dough for the zucchini cookies.

Then, roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the top is just set.

two photos showing zucchini cookies on a baking sheet before and after baking

Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

8 Zucchini Cookies on a wire cooling rack

Instead of baking, you can also freeze the zucchini cookie dough balls to bake them later.

  1. Place the measured and rolled cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm. 
  2. Once firm, transfer the dough balls to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
  3. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
  4. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions. 
6 baked Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Store Cookies

Store these oatmeal zucchini cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

a stack of 4 Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies - the top one has a bite taken out of it

Zucchini Cookies Recipe FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about these zucchini cookies! If you have other questions I did not address in this post, please leave a comment and I will answer them!

Can I use frozen zucchini?

Yes, I often freeze and shred zucchini in the summer to use all year long. to use frozen, shredded zucchini:
1. Thaw the zucchini in a colander in the sink to drain the water that’s released while thawing.
2. Use a tea towel to ring out any excess water.
3. Use the zucchini in this recipe.

How do you get water out of shredded zucchini?

1. Shred the zucchini.
2. Use a tea towel or heavy-duty paper towel and put the shredded zucchini inside.
3. Fold the towel over the zucchini and wring it out to squeeze out the water.
4. Repeat until the water is out!

Do you peel zucchini before shredding?

Nope! Wash and dry the zucchini thoroughly, then trim the ends and peel it with the skin on.

Are old fashioned oats and quick oats the same?

No! Old fashioned (or rolled) oats are whole-grain oat kernels that have been rolled flat. Quick-cooking oats are also rolled, but the oat kernel is cut into smaller pieces so it can cook faster. 

Can you use quick oats instead of old fashioned in oatmeal cookies?

Yes, you can, just be aware that it will change the texture of the cookies and they will be less chewy and more “fluffy” or cakey. 

2 Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies - one has a bite taken out of it.

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Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies

Laura
These zucchini cookies have crispy edges & soft & chewy centers. They’re infused with vanilla & cinnamon and are easy to make – no chilling required! They are the best zucchini chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever taste!
5 from 26 votes
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 cookies
Calories 209
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Shred zucchini, then squeeze out the water with your hands. I often put the zucchini in a thin tea towel or heavy-duty paper towel and squeeze it out that way.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, until light and fluffy (about 60 seconds)
  • Then, add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds).
  • Add dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
  • Slowly beat in the oatmeal on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Add zucchini and chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.
  • Use a 1 ½ to 2 TBS cookie scoop to measure out the dough.
  • Roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the top is just set.
  • Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Video

Notes

Using Frozen Zucchini
  1. Thaw the zucchini in a colander in the sink to drain the water that’s released while thawing.
  2. Use a tea towel to ring out any excess water.
  3. Use the zucchini in this recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
  • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
  • Salted butter. Unsalted butter is a good substitute.
  • Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, just be aware it will change the texture of the cookies.
  • Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste use dark brown sugar. 
  • Granulated Sugar. white sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar are all good choices.
  • Sea salt. I bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
  • Chocolate chips. Adding chocolate chips is optional, but of course recommended. You can use 1 cup of total of different mix-ins such as white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.
Freeze Cookie Dough
Instead of baking, you can also freeze the zucchini cookie dough balls to bake them later.
  1. Place the measured and rolled cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm. 
  2. Once firm, transfer the dough balls to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
  3. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
  4. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions. 
Store
Store these oatmeal zucchini cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 233IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 26 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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20 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are delicious. I did substitute half of the butter with applesauce and used less sugar and they were still plenty sweet.

  2. 5 stars
    ImI’m not much of a cookie baker but these turned out great! I added dried cranberries and extra cinnamon (because you can never have too much cinnamon!) and then followed the directions as stated. Going to try freezing the dough to use in the future!

  3. 5 stars
    These are so delicious! I left quite bit of moisture in the zucchini and they were sooooo soft!

  4. 5 stars
    I couldn’t review this fast enough! Holy hell, these are AMAZING and delicious!!!
    The instructions are perfection. I cannot say enough good things. (Eating them warm is heaven…) Pardon me while I go eat another one…

  5. 5 stars
    These were amazing, (almost) exactly as posted here, except I used vegetarian butter and maybe 1/4 cup less sugar, and also whole wheat pastry flour instead of white AP. I still give it 5 stars since I’m sure my changes didn’t change the flavor or texture, which were perfect! I don’t yet know how they keep, since we ate them all!