Description
Delightfully soft and chewy zucchini cookies made with oats, warm spices, and your choice of chocolate chips or raisins. Perfect for a healthy twist on a classic dessert, these cookies combine the moisture of grated zucchini with wholesome ingredients for a delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup finely grated zucchini (about 1 medium, excess liquid squeezed out)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
Add-ins
- 1 cup chocolate chips or raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This helps create a tender texture in the cookies.
- Add Eggs and Zucchini: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Then stir in the finely grated zucchini, which has been squeezed to remove excess moisture to avoid sogginess.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet zucchini mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in Add-ins: Gently fold in the quick oats, chocolate chips or raisins, and chopped walnuts if using, evenly distributing the ingredients through the dough.
- Scoop Dough: Drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out excess water from the grated zucchini using a clean towel or paper towels to prevent soggy cookies.
- For a healthier version, you can substitute half of the butter with unsweetened applesauce.
- Choose between chocolate chips or raisins based on preference or dietary needs.
- Chopped walnuts add a nice crunch but can be omitted for nut-free versions.
