Zucchini Cookies
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My healthy zucchini cookies are soft and chewy, and they’ve quickly become my family’s favorite oatmeal cookie. They’re naturally sweetened and bake in 15 minutes!
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Adding zucchini to our favorite desserts is nothing new. I’ve been doing it for years, and I’ve mastered this art of deception.
Similar to my zucchini bars, I wanted to keep this zucchini cookie recipe simple and to the point, where you can ALMOST taste the zucchini, but not quite. Instead, the zucchini adds moisture and extra fiber. I experimented with butter and oil, but found that natural peanut or almond butter provided plenty of richness and binding power.
It’s made with four pantry staple ingredients and is healthy enough for breakfast (one of my go-tos!). These cookies are soft, chewy, and so easy to customize. I hope you’ll enjoy them!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Healthy, yet very tasty! My 4 1/2 year old grandson (who is very picky) approved of these.” – Cathie
Key ingredients
Here’s what goes into this zucchini cookie recipe, along with my kitchen notes from testing. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Rolled oats. AKA old-fashioned oats. I prefer these over regular flour since oats have more fiber and yield a chewy texture. Quick oats will also work, but the cookies will be softer.
- Peanut butter. To bind the dry ingredients and add richness. I like the flavor of peanut butter, but you could use almond butter or any nut or seed butter.
- Banana. Mashed banana keeps the cookies soft and adds sweetness. The riper the banana, the sweeter the cookies will be.
- Shredded zucchini. They should be finely grated with the excess moisture thoroughly squeezed out (I use a cheesecloth or a handful of paper towels).
- Mix-ins. I used chocolate chips to make zucchini chocolate chip cookies, but you could also use pecans, walnuts, raisins, you name it!
How to make zucchini oatmeal cookies
Step 1- Prep. Assemble the ingredients in bowls.
Step 2- Mix. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients until a dough forms.
Step 3- Shape and bake. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough balls onto the lined sheet. Top with additional mix-ins and bake until they’re slightly firm and golden on the edges.
Step 4- Cool. Let the cookies cool on wire racks before enjoying.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make sure the zucchini is VERY dry. It’s very important that you remove as much excess liquid as possible, or else the cookies will be too moist and fall apart.
- Adjust the sweetness. These cookies aren’t overly sweet and rely on the banana (and chocolate chips) for sweetness. If you prefer super-sweet cookies, I recommend adding 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup.
- Don’t have bananas? Use 1 ¼ cups of unsweetened applesauce.
- Avoid overbaking. These cookies can feel soft even when they’re done baking, but don’t worry; they will firm up as they cool.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover zucchini oatmeal cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Don’t keep them at room temperature or else they’ll spoil and soften in the middle.
To freeze: Place the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-4 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, I tested an oat-free version and had success with buckwheat flakes and quinoa flakes. These bake up just like rolled oats do.
In testing, I found that adding an egg gave a little stability, but not enough to warrant it as a main ingredient. If you’d like to add an egg, feel free to do so.
Zucchini Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats 180g, gluten free, if needed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter 125g, Can sub for any nut or seed butter of choice
- 1 1/4 cups banana 300g, mashed, approximately 2 1/2 large banana
- 1/4 cup zucchini 30g, shredded and moisture removed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use a cookie sheet. Shred the zucchini and squeeze out all the excess moisture using a paper towel or cheesecloth.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, peanut butter, mashed banana, and zucchini and mix well. If using chocolate chips, fold them through at the end.
- Form 16 balls of dough with the batter. Place the balls on the lined tray and press each one into a cookie shape. Top with extra chocolate chips and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden on the edges.
- Allow cooling on the tray for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Banana swap: Use equal parts unsweetened applesauce, but add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup for sweetness.
- General note on sweetness: This cookie recipe relies heavily on bananas for sweetness, but if you want a sweeter cookie, whisk in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge for up to one week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Hi there’s do you squeeze out the Zuchinni or just add it as is?
Hi Valerie- yes, please squeeze out the moisture 🙂
Should the zucchini be squeezed in cheesecloth first or used right from shredding?
I find for these cookies, the less liquid in the zucchini, the better they turn out to be. A cheesecloth or paper towel is fine to do so.
Could banana be equally substituted with applesauce?
Yes, it can Heather. I do recommend adding some maple syrup or brown sugar to replace the sweetness that the bananas would provide.
So good and easy
Thanks for the lovely review, Sandra!
I want to send a tin of these in overnight mail. Must they be refrigerated?
Hi Michelle- I wouldn’t recommend sending these by overnight mail unless frozen first- this way, if it’s slowly thawed overnight, it can then be refrigerated upon arrival 🙂
Wow these cookies are really from zucchini? So weird haha. But should be so healthy and delicious.
Very Tasty! A keeper recipe because it is healthy and tasty!
These zucchini cookies are such a guilt-free treat!
Healthy, yet very tasty! My 4 1/2 year old grandson (who is very picky) approved of these.
Thanks, Cathie!
Tried these just now and couldn’t believe how great they are! I added 1 tbl of maple syrup and roasted pumpkin seeds. Delicious! Will be making these on repeat!
You mentioned adding “extra” chocolate chips on top but they aren’t on the ingredient list to begin with. The picture does look like they are already in the mixture with a few added to the top. Can you confirm how many chips you mixed in? Thanks!
I added about 1/4 cup
my favorite cookies!
Peanut butter. Sorry
Can you use PB2 in place of peanut bnikkoutter?