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!
y says
I think you might want to change your “About Amy Engberson” section to:
…I live on a dairy farm……
Kati says
I just tried these out with a few modifications and they turned out wonderfully! I will be posting a review (with a link to your site) on my blog – thestepfordhomesteader.wordpress.com. Please feel free to stop over and check out some of my recipes! I would love to hear your input!
Amy Engberson says
Kati, I’m headed to your blog right now! I love altering recipes so I can use what I already have in my pantry or refrigerator. That’s what you have to do when you live a million, okay not a million, miles from the grocery store! Enjoy!!
Katie says
thanks for sharing these are great.
I used coconut oil and half wheat half spelt flour.
I was out of walnuts so I used sunflower seeds. They turned out great!thank you!
Amy Engberson says
I love add ins, Katie! They make any cookie extra special and individualized to your particular tastes. Wheat flour is my favorite! Glad you enjoyed them!
Sara says
These sound wonderful. I am looking for ways to use my garden zucchini. One question. I only have white flour on hand, not wheat. Will it substitute okay? I don’t bake often and so wheat flour has never worked out for me because it gets bugs in it by the time I go to use it again.
Amy Engberson says
White flour should work just fine, Sara. It will change the texture of the cookies, but I think you will still love them! Good luck!
Michelle says
I’m so happy I came across this recipe! I’ve been blessed with LOTS of yellow squash and zucchini this season, so I was looking for directions on how to freeze it when I came across this recipe. We love zucchini bread, so I’m sure these will be great as well. I’m making them tonight! So much healthier than all the processed junk in the store. Thanks,
Amy Engberson says
I know lots of people freeze grated zucchini, but I prefer to just make bread and cookies and freeze those. It’s a life saver on those busy days to have something yummy stowed away in the freezer. Enjoy!
Mary B. says
These are delicious! Not overly sweet and not soggy – just a yummy little cookie! I used white whole wheat flour and coconut oil with great results. These would be great with raisins, too!
Amy Engberson says
Raisins would be yummy Mary! It’s good to know they can be made more healthy by switching a few ingredients. My zucchini are just coming on and I can’t wait to start turning them into desserts!
Chelsie says
When you freeze them, do you warm them back up? I’m wondering what you do after you take them out of the freezer…
Amy Engberson says
Chelsie, I take them out of the freezer and let them sit at room temperature until they thaw. It only takes a little bit for them to thaw. My kids usually gobble them up at this point but, it makes them seem a little more fresh if I microwave them for just a few seconds. Enjoy!
Molly says
Made these this morning with zucchini I wanted to use up! We only had white chocolate chips but they were still absolutely delicious. My toddler gives her seal of approval as well.
Amy Engberson says
Toddlers give the most honest feedback! I’m glad she loved them!
Myaa says
How many cookies is a serving? I only ask because I would willingly eat 10 in one sitting without remorse!
Amy Engberson says
Much to my detriment, I don’t worry about how many cookies are in a serving. This recipe makes about 20 cookies and I usually try to limit myself to about 2 cookies in one sitting! No remorse!!
Ola says
Aloha from Hawaii, Amy!
I grew Zucchini for years in Oregon and found that you don’t need to miss out on it during the winter months.
Simply grate your Zucchini, measure out the amount you want for your favorite recipes and freeze it in Zip Lock Bags. I use quart size for 2-cup recipes. Flatten the bags to get as much of the air out as possible and stack them like a pile of books in the freezer!
Be sure to label the amount on the bag so you know which recipe it is for.
I usually had all I needed to keep us in Zucchini Bread all winter.
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for the tip! I have tried freezing grated zucchini before. It works wonderfully and who could resist having zucchini available all year long? Sometimes I like to spend the whole day baking and freezing zucchini cookies and breads so I have a few ready to go treats in the freezer!
AKbird says
wonderful!! I love the tip about making partial oat flour. Much smoother batter. These are so tender and just the right amount of sweet. Thank you!!
Amy Engberson says
I’m beginning to get giddy about planting zucchini! These cookies are always a favorite during the plentiful zucchini season!
Christie Kozier says
A way to make these even healthier is to sub unsweetened applesauce for the oil. I do this in all my baking recipes and you don’t notice the flavor, just adds the moistness! 🙂
Amy Engberson says
Great idea Christie! I’m always looking for ways to make things a little healthier. That way I can eat more ice cream at night! Ha Ha!
Rosemary G. says
I made these for a priest friend of mine and he loves them. He says they are perfect for his diet and lifestyle and wouldn’t change a thing. I will be keeping him supplied with these gems from now on. Thanks so much!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad your friend loved them, Rosemary! I wish we could grow zucchini all year long!
Mandy says
these are wonderful!! I’ve been making a chocolate chip zucchini cookie for years, but these are healthier, and just as delicious! Perfect for an after school snack (or any other time for that matter). My kids just gobbled them up!! Totally freezing some dough for the winter months. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy Engberson says
Zucchini and chocolate were meant to be together! Mandy, let me know how freezing the dough works out for you. I always bake these cookies first then freeze them.
Janeth says
Hi!
I was wondering how long do these cookies last in the freezer? And how do you thaw them? I have never frozen cookies before☺
Amy Engberson says
I freeze these cookies for up to three months. I imagine they would last longer than that, but I haven’t tried it. My family lives a long ways from the grocery store so we end up eating a lot of food that has been frozen before. Maybe we are a little too used to it and don’t notice funny freezer tastes as much as other people do. Good luck with it!
Denise R. says
What a fun idea! I’m going to make these cookies tonight. I will report back 🙂
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you are trying these Denise! I bet you will like them!
Delisa says
These are very good. I added a small gala apple just because. My daughter and I couldn’t stop eating them.
Amy Engberson says
Great idea Delisa! I always love apples but this time of the year they are extra delicious! I love that they are pretty good for you too. That way you don’t have to feel guilty about eating too many of them!
cindy says
I cant wait to try these cookies! I’ve been looking for a good breakfast cookie too. I was wondering if you squeeze out some of the water from the zucchini?
Amy Engberson says
I loved these cookies because they truly taste like something you should eat for breakfast, not like dessert! I didn’t squeeze the water out of the zucchini. I grated the zucchini first and let it sit while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. As it sits some of the water from the zucchini puddles up around it. I didn’t add that water and they were still super moist. I hope you love them!
Emily says
I squeezed the water out because I used honey instead of sugar and you’re supposed to leave out some liquid. I squeezed too much though and they are a little dry, next time I won’t squeeze so hard!
Kristen Kemp says
Hi Emily!! How much honey did you use? I was going to sub maple syrup for the sugar. Thank you!!
Kaye says
I made these this morning and I like them!!! They may also be lunch and dinner cookies! : )
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for the feedback Kaye! Seriously, I had to put a note on these cookies so I could take pictures before my family devoured them! They really are delish!
Kelley says
These look awesome! My hubby is a big zucchini fan so I cant wait to whip these up! Pinned 🙂
Amy Engberson says
I can’t wait for you to make them Kelley! If you have zucchini, chances are you are looking for lots of ways to use them! I love it!
Elaine Duckett says
I can see why you needed to post a sticky note on the cookies, that is my girl. Maybe someday the boys will write on a sticky note telling you how awesome the cookies were.
They are going to love the handwritten note on the baggy more than the cookies, believe me.
Zuke cookies beat the heck out of eating breakfast at the cafeteria. Way to go Mom.