This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.
Zucchini Cookies are a surprising way to use up your summer zucchini harvest! These sweet cookies are a bit cakey and infused with plenty of lemon for a bright citrus flavor.
I cannot garden to save my life. Seriously, I kill mint. Those of you who garden know that mint is often deemed “unkillable,” if that’s even a word.
Mint is definitely not unkillable. I‘ve killed it – several times.
But for some reason I always think my black thumb will turn a pretty shade of green every single spring – that I’ll miraculously transform into some kind of amazing farmer.
Well, folks that doesn’t happen – ever.
So despite my best efforts year after year, I’m pretty much gardenless and have to rely on veggies from our friends or the farmers market.
Thankfully, I still always end up with plenty of zucchini because it seems to grow like mint for everyone but me.
ZUCCHINI IN COOKIES? REALLY?
Yes, really.
Look, if you’ve had your friends drop bags of zucchini on your porch ding-dong-ditch-style, you know that you’ll do anything creative to use it up.
After making Lemon Zucchini Bread, Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Lemon Zucchini Cake, Zucchini Bread Pancakes and Chocolate Zucchini Cake, I wondered if it was possible to put zucchini in cookies.
I’ve got news, folks. You can!
Just like with any other baked good made with zucchini, let me go on record as saying that the zucchini flavor in these cookies is subtle and sweet. Delectable even.
And because we love lemon and zucchini together, they’re infused with a bit of lemon zest and drizzled with a lemon glaze.
These cookies are a little bit cakey, a little bit chewy from the raisins, and bursting with sunny citrus flavors. I think you’ll love them!
HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI COOKIES
The ingredients for these Zucchini Cookies are pretty similar to what you might use to make zucchini bread or zucchini muffins:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Finely shredded zucchini
- Finely grated lemon zest
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Raisins
Start by beating the butter and sugar together with a stand mixer until light and fluffy, then add the egg, zucchini, lemon zest, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients until just combined, then fold in the raisins.
To make sure the cookies are perfectly round, we’ll bake them in a whoopie pie pan. Grease the pan and drop the dough into the center of each well with a medium cookie scoop.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Once the cookies have cooled on a wire rack, drizzle them with the lemon glaze.
DO I HAVE TO USE A WHOOPIE PIE PAN?
If you don’t have a whoopie pie pan, you can bake them on a regular parchment-lined baking sheet instead. The shape just won’t be as perfect!
Drop the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet with a medium cookie scoop. Make sure to leave a few inches of space between the cookies as they will spread quite a bit.
CAN YOU FREEZE THESE COOKIES?
Just like your favorite zucchini breads and muffins, Zucchini Cookies freeze really well.
I like to freeze cookies in airtight containers with a layer of parchment paper or waxed paper between each layer of cookies. This keeps the cookies from sticking together once they freeze, so you can grab as few or as many cookies as you want at a time.
Zucchini Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup finely shredded zucchini
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup raisins
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a whoopie pie pan with nonstick cooking spray or line a regular baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, zucchini and lemon zest and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in raisins.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoons) to drop dough into the center of each whoopee pie well or simply drop them directly onto the prepared cookie sheet. If you are using a cookie sheet, be sure to leave a few inches between each cookie.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
- Make the glaze by mixing together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Drizzle the glaze over cooled cookies.
Notes
- If you are using a regular a regular sheet, your cookies will be a bit thinner than the ones pictured above.
- Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Recipe adapted from allrecipes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum! these sound relaly good!
Those perfectly round cookies look…well…perfect!! I made some zucchini coookies last year but I’m digging the lemon zest and glaze you used in yours.
Your recipe has elevated zucchini to dessert status, bravo! And a perfect excuse to purchase a new baking pan, ha! Thanks for sharing this appealing way to use extra zucchini.
They look really great and I bet they taste even better.
Will try them asap.
thanks for sharing the recipe.
I have a bunch of zucchini that I need to use up, I’m definitely going to give these a try. Love the lemon glaze that goes with them!
After making some whole-wheat banana pancakes, I was inspired to make zucchini pancakes. Haven’t quite nailed it yet, but let me know if you ever figure it out because they’d be sooo good. I just KNOW it.
Yummy! Never thought to put zucchini in a cookie!
I’ve killed my mint two years in a row now!! I feel your pain! I keep attempting a window-sill garden though, since I don’t have a back yard. I so desperately want a garden!
The zucchini at my farmer’s market this year have been HUGE. I love making zucchini bread and muffins, but am always on the lookout for new ways to use zucchini. These cookies look so cute. I am going to have to try them out!
Cheers!
These sound so yummy and a perfect way to use up some zucchini! You really should try growing some. It is very easy. I also have a black thumb and my family makes fun of me about killing plants. (Yes, I have even killed something that my mom said could not be killed!) But the zucchini has thrived in our garden! We like to make chocolate zucchini bread and zucchini fritters. SO yummy! I have also shredded some and frozen it in 2 cup batches to use during the winter for baked goodies.
Awesome! I’m on a zucchini kick lately:
http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2011/08/whole-wheat-zucchini-pancakes
http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2011/08/zucchini-brownies
These look magical.