Zucchini Cookies are a healthy, tasty snack made with chocolate chips and oats. Enjoy them for breakfast or dessert with this simple recipe!
NOTE: This post was originally published in 2014. The photos and text were updated in 2018. The recipe stayed the same because we love it just the way it is!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
Zucchini chocolate chip cookies are always a hit at my house! My kids devour them which is surprising because some of them won’t touch zucchini!
- It’s a healthy cookie recipe! Don’t worry they still taste amazing!
- An easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.
- Readers LOVE this recipe! They say it’s easy and even better than sugar-loaded zucchini cookie recipes!
- You can add in extra things you like; walnuts, dried fruit, raisins, etc.
- Wondering what cookies freeze well? These ones are the BEST!
- They are the BEST zucchini breakfast cookies.
Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: The cookies are perfect for freezing! Bake and cool cookies. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes. Or, microwave for 20 seconds.
Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients:
I’m going to give you the list of ingredients, plus some suggestions for substituting. Be sure to check those out for gluten-free cookies.
- Zucchini – I like fresh, you can use frozen shredded zucchini too. Be sure to wring it out before using it.
- Vegetable Oil – Canola or melted coconut oil will work too. (I’ve never tried using coconut oil, but readers have and loved it)
- Egg
- Brown Sugar – Can use honey instead. Use 3 Tablespoons of honey. Squeeze zucchini to wring out a couple of Tablespoons of liquid. Since honey has water you’ll need to reduce the amount of liquid the zucchini adds to the recipe. You’ll also need to watch the cookies closely as they bake and may need to reduce the baking time.
- Oats – steel cut, quick cooking, or old fashioned.
- Flour – I use whole wheat. All-purpose, almond flour, or gluten-free flour are all great options too.
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg
- Extras – Chocolate chips, raisins, walnuts, dried fruit.
How to Make Zucchini Cookies:
There are quite a few steps, but I promise these zucchini cookies easy to make!
- Make oat flour in the blender or food processor. You can skip this step and just use oats instead for added texture.
- Mix egg, vanilla, and oil.
- Add brown sugar. Cream
- Add dry ingredients. Mix.
- Add extras (chocolate chips, nuts, etc) Mix.
- Add grated zucchini. Stir.
- Drop cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Bake. Cool.
Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: I love making oat flour for these cookies. Measure oats. Blend in a food processor or blender. Then use that amount of flour in the recipe.
How do I prepare zucchini for baking?
- Grating zucchini an easy way to prepare it for baking. You can grate it using the fine or more coarse side of the grater.
- Peeling zucchini before grating is optional. You can see the green peel in baked goods if you don’t grate it first. It doesn’t alter the taste at all.
- Some recipes require wringing grated zucchini before adding it to a recipe to eliminate some of the liquid. Check to see if the recipe instructs you to wring it or not. You need the moisture in this recipe.
- I almost always add zucchini as the last ingredient, then gently stir to combine. Adding it earlier in the recipe, then over mixing will wring the zucchini right in with the recipe and can produce extra liquid.
More Zucchini Recipes:
Zucchini Oat Cookies are one of our favorite ways to use zucchini from the garden. Here are a few other favorite zucchini recipes you’re going to love!
- Chocolate Zucchini Picnic Cake
- Zucchini Brownies
- Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
- Zucchini Texas Sheet Cake
- Zucchini Parmesan Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Easy Grilled Zucchini Foil Packets
- Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
I love it when you make my recipes and give me feedback! If you have a minute please comment below and leave a star ranking! Also, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook!
Zucchini Cookies Recipe:
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini grated
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups quick oats divided
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- If desired, blend one cup of oats and make oat flour. This isn't necessary, I like it better though.
- Mix together egg, oil and vanilla. Add brown sugar and mix again.
- Add blended and non blended quick oats, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to a mixing bowl. Mix together.
- Add flour mixture to egg mixture. Mix together until combined.
- Add chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix.
- Add zucchini and gently mix together.
- Drop 1½ inch cookie balls on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes.
Notes
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Cookies will keep for up to three days at room temperature or up to three months in the freezer.
- You can substitute raisins, dried cranberries, or other kinds of nuts for the walnuts. Or you can add more chocolate chips!
Lyf says
First recipe I tried a recipe from your site and I absolutely loved these! I reduced the sugar and oil to 1/4 to make them even healthier for breakfast and they still turned out well. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you loved them! I love how they are so yummy and still healthy for a cookie!
Annie says
I have made these THREE times so far. They are easy to make and simply SCRUMPTIOUS!! Try them! Very flavorful for a somewhat healthy cookie. Thanks, Amy❣️
Amy Engberson says
I can’t wait until I have zucchini growing in my garden so I can make these cookies again! I’m glad you loved them!
Nancy Collins says
I have a question. Could I substitute Extra Virgin olive oil or Canola oil for the vegetable oil? I don’t have any.
Amy Engberson says
Sure! Extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil will work just fine. Olive oil has a bit of a stronger flavor so it will definitely alter the flavor a little bit. I’d probably choose vegetable oil over olive oil. Let me know how it goes!
Nancy Collins says
The recipe calls for vegetable oil and that’s what I am trying to swap out. I have canola oil or coconut oil as well as the extra virgin olive oil. Can I use either one of those?
Amy Engberson says
Sorry! I thought you were asking me if you could use olive oil or vegetable oil. Canola oil is a wonderful swap for vegetable oil. I’ve used coconut oil in this recipe so I can’t say how it would work. Hope that helps!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! What a great way to use up a bunch of garden zucchini!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! I just made a batch of these cookies the other day and I forgot how much I like them! I”m glad you enjoyed them too!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a perfect healthy and versatile breakfast cookie!
Amy Engberson says
Cookies are the BEST, if they are healthy it’s even better! Glad you enjoyed them!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a versatile and healthy breakfast cookie!
Cindy Trevino says
I wasn’t sure I was going to like these when I tasted the dough but now I can’t wait to make a double batch to freeze. They are filling and delicious. I had two for breakfast each day this week as I returned to school and stayed full until lunch. I used walnuts, dried cranberries and walnuts. Yummy.
Amy Engberson says
Yes! The dough isn’t what you’d expect from traditional cookies! They really aren’t as sweet as regular cookies, but that’s what I love about them! They’re healthy, yet delicious! I can’t wait for you to get a batch in the freezer to enjoy later on!
Bonni says
These are great. I enjoyed them. I like that they don’t have a lot of sugar. I substituted the oil for coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I also made one batch and then doubled the next and added chopped apple, and dried cranberries. I also want to try it with grated carrots as well. Thanks
Amy Engberson says
Yum! Adding grated carrots sounds perfect! Most zucchini recipes have so much sugar, and I love that these don’t! Glad you enjoyed them!
Rachel W. says
Excellent! I substituted gluten free flour instead of wheat and coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. They turned out PERFECT. Delicious. Thank you.
Amy Engberson says
It’s good to know that gluten-free flour works in this recipe! I love substitutions in recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Jen says
HI! Any reason the actual recipe was removed from the page?! My daughter really liked this cookie, but it seems I can’t get the recipe any more and the video does not have the amounts. Thank you!
Amy Engberson says
Omg! I did some work on my site yesterday and somehow a handful of my recipes got lost! I had no idea this one was missing. Thanks for pointing it out! It’s back up! Would you mind rating these cookies? It helps other readers know how awesome they are!
Jen says
Of course! My daughter loves them, even without the chocolate chips (yes, she’s funny like that)! Thank you.
Amy Engberson says
Oh man! I’ve never tried them without chocolate chips because I’m addicted to chocolate! I should try them without one of these days though! Glad you loved them!
Keri says
Very good recipe. Subbed out some flour with vegan protein powder,used flax egg (who can find eggs at the grocery store right now? Not me!). I used applesauce instead of oil but they were a little dry so I ended up having to add a little over a tablespoon of oil.. Extra cinnamon is always a must! ❤ erythritol and Stevia instead of sugar. Yummy!!
Amy Engberson says
It sounds like you figured out how to make these cookies exactly what you wanted them to be! I love that!
Brenda Daun says
Question: wanting to bake these during quarantine, and was wondering if there’s anything I could use as an oats substitute?
Amy Engberson says
Great question! Here are a few options you could experiment with, although I haven’t tried these! Let me know if how they turn out if you try them!
1. Do you have any steam rolled oats or old fashioned oats? You could use those instead.
2. You could also try using a combination of add ins to equal 1 1/2 cups. For example, coconut + raisins or dried cranberries + crushed cornflakes cereal = 1 1/2 cups
3. I’m sure you could use all-purpose flour too. You’ll want to start with about a cup and add more as needed to get a soft cookie consistency. This Cookie dough isn’t stiff so don’t add too much!
Mary says
These were delicious!!!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! Cookies for breakfast are a favorite!
Ursula says
These were great! I added a banana to the recipe and as recommended I ground 1/2 cup of the oats. Great little grab and go snack for busy peeps.
Amy Engberson says
My boys would love the addition of banana! Great idea!
Trinity says
Thanks for sharing your recipe – they were just okay for me – too chewy of a texture for us. I did substitute apple sauce for the oil and used all regular flour – so maybe that is what changed them to be too rubbery/chewy for me. sorry.
Amy Engberson says
I’ve never tried substituting applesauce for the oil. Maybe that had something to do with it. They typically are a pretty cake-like cookie.
Cara Troutman says
These are fabulous. I made a double batch and they are so yummy; the whole family loved this special breakfast treat. I will try cutting back on the sugar a bit next time, since I think they would still be sweet enough for breakfast. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Amy Engberson says
Oh man! There is nothing quite like getting to have cookies for breakfast! Let me know how they turn out without adding as much sugar!