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!
Bonnie Emerick says
So is the oat flour substituted for the regular flour? It’s just not clear in your recipe. Thanks.
Amy Engberson says
Hi Bonnie! You may either use 1 1/2 cups of unblended oats, or you may blend one cups of oats and leave the other 1/2 cup unblended. In addition to the oats/oat flour you will need one cup of whole wheat flour. Hopefully that makes sense! These cookies are so delicious!
Dawn says
Ok I need to use up the frozen zucchini I have. Would you suggest using all liquid in the bag when thawed? Or to just remove the shredded zucchini and toss remaining liquid for use in these cookies?
Amy Engberson says
Hi Dawn! Great question! I’ve never actually made this recipe using frozen zucchini, but I would try draining the liquid before adding it to the recipe. I can’t wait for you to eat these cookies for breakfast!
Leesa says
I made these with a few changes based on ingredients I had but they are FANTASTIC!!!! I used chopped dates in place of the chocolate chips (not a chocolate fan for breakfast) and used chopped pecans. They are definitely going to be a regular breakfast treat!
Amy Engberson says
That’s a great idea! I bet dates would be fantastic and a little more breakfasty! Glad you enjoyed them!
Maryann says
Would I be able to sub summer squash for the zucchini? My summer squash plants have been going gang busters this year and I need more recipes to get through them all.
Amy Engberson says
Hi Maryann! I’ve never tried making these cookies with summer squash, but I think it would work just fine. I’d try using small, tender summer squash! Let me know how it goes! Enjoy!
Melissa says
I’d love to know how it turns out with summer squash too! I planted a million on accident this year! (Just didn’t think about how many seeds I’d put in until they were already in the ground, oops!)
Amy Engberson says
Yes! I want to know how it works out! I imagine it would be perfectly fine!
Melissa says
I tried it! They taste the same! I used small yellow squash, shredded, then chopped in my food processor. (Which is how I do the zucchini too.) Even my pickiest eater, who knew he was trying a new version of it, said it tasted the same. Yea! Something else to do with my million yellow squash!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for letting us know how it went! It’s good to know there’s another way to use up those summer squash!
Christina says
Dear Amy, many greetings from Germany! I have just tried and tasted your cookies and I LOVE THEM. They are so soft and semi-sweet but hyper-delicious. Really awesome. Actually, I wanted to keep them for my husband, but two are gone already… oops!
I only added a bit of milk because my batter was a little too thick to absorb all flour (could also depend on the German flour, maybe) and used almonds instead of walnuts. Guess they must be my dinner as well…
Best,
Christina
Amy Engberson says
Hi Christina! I’m glad you, and your husband, fell in love with these cookies! Of course I love overly sweet dessert cookies, but these are just right for breakfast! Enjoy!
sharon hargrave says
would it be possible to post nutrition info, serving size, calories, carbs protein?
Amy Engberson says
Hi Sharon! I’m in the process of switching recipe cards and the new one will include more information! Hopefully it will happen soon!
Gwen says
Making right now. I wish I knew if they could be made in to bars instead.
Amy Engberson says
Hi Gwen! I haven’t ever tried making these cookies into bars before. I’m guessing it would work just fine though, although you will have to increase the bake time! Let me know how it goes!
Lisa says
AMAZING!!!!
Mike says
I am excited to try this recipe! But I notice that it’s meant to be a heavier chewy cookie. I prefer my cookies to be a little crunchy or on the firmside. How would you suggest trying to achieve that with this recipe?
Amy Engberson says
This cookie is a cake like cookie. Zucchini usually makes baked goods extra soft so I really don’t think they would make a very good crunchy cookie. They are worth it though!
Joal Mayer says
What is the cooking time? The top of the recipe states 30 minutes. The directions state 13-14 minutes?
Do the cookies flatten out ar they cook or did you flatten them after you rolled the dough into balls?
Amy Engberson says
It is 13-14 minutes per batch, which usually takes about 30 minutes total for me! Yes they do flatten a little as they cook but they are still a puffy cookie!
Zoe says
Just baked these last night and they got a big tick of approval from hubby this morning! Thanks for the delish recipe.
Amy Engberson says
You just can’t beat cookies for breakfast! Happy Fall!
J Smaus says
Just had to write and say thank you for this recipe! Today we made it in my FACS class, and we were all very pleasantly surprised with the great flavor. Healthy and tasty – awesome. Even had one student that does not eat fruits or vegetables try them and ate 2!!! That is success!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for taking the time to let me know how they turned out for you! My middle child doesn’t eat any green veggies…well, unless they are hidden in cookies! These cookies are not overly sweet yet they still satisfy me! Glad you enjoyed them!
Gail says
I don’t have a comment, but a question.
Can you use Olive Oil?
Amy Engberson says
Yes! I don’t think it would be a problem at all to substitue olive oil! Happy baking!
Joan McVeigh says
Can I substitute white flour for WW since I don’t have it available right now?
Amy Engberson says
Yes, you can substitute white flour for wheat flour although it will change the texture just a bit. They should still turn out great!
Laura says
Is wheat flour different that whole wheat flour?
Amy Engberson says
Hi Laura! I probably need to change that to read “Whole Wheat Flour”. Whole wheat is made from wheat and all purpose flour is even actually made using wheat. It has gone through more processing so more of the wheat kernel is sifted out. I’ll go edit that to eliminate confusion. Thanks!
Melissa says
I made this for my family; everyone gobbled them up! My three boys – 6, 4, and 1.5 – would eat an entire batch for one breakfast, if I’d let them!
Out of healthiness curiosity, I compared them to a zucchini chocolate chip muffin recipe. I didn’t do out all the math, but I am pretty sure these are healthier, and just as delicious (if not more!).
Amy Engberson says
Hi Melissa! You are so lucky to have three boys! That’s what I have and I wouldn’t trade it for the world! And of course boys love to eat cookies and get extra giddy when they get cookies for breakfast! I haven’t ever compared these cookies to a muffin, but from now on I’ll feel good about eating cookies! Glad you enjoyed them!
Bev says
I I loved the first batch. Unfortunately, I had to buy my zucchini. I can’t get out and it is at least two weeks before I place another order to be delivered, so my girlfriend picked up some zucchini for my next batch – a double batch. I am 78 and disabled. Even though, I still like to cook once in awhile. My neighbor and friend across the street is my age. She is from Iran. We like to share our cooking and I am looking forward to introducing her to your cookies.
Amy Engberson says
Hi Bev! I’m so happy you enjoyed making these cookies and how fun that you have a friend to share them with! Hopefully I’m still able to cook and bake when I am your your age! Have a great day!
Katelyn says
I made these and they turned out great, thanks for the recipe! I substituted the chocolate with raisins to make them a bit more healthy. What a great way to us up garden zucchini.
Amy Engberson says
Yay! I’m glad you loved them! Substituting raisins is a great idea! Sounds yummy!
Debby Harper says
They sound awesome. I have to omit the brown sugar but normal for me.
Melissa says
Yum! This recipe’s a keeper! Thanks for sharing ^_^