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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.
Could these be made in a mini muffin pan to keep there uniformity? Just curious, as no whopp!ie pan!
Hello! I haven’t attempted this recipe in a mini muffin pan, so I am not sure of the result. I might try a standard or jumbo muffin pan, or you can bake them on a regular cookie sheet if you don’t care about them being identical. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how they turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Soooo good. Could not find a whoopie pie pan so I bought a muffin top pan. Increased the cooking time to 13 min. Perfect! Ty so much!
Thanks so much, Indigo!
These cookies are nice and moist. However, in my opinion, they were a little blah tasting. I even added extra zest and 1 T. lemon juice. It did not say to flatten the cookie dough but after my “test” cookie, which was a little doughie after 10 minutes, I started flattening them. Much better. I also added 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans. The next time my friend gifts me with more zucchini I will make these again – and add even more zest. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Kerry,
Thanks for the updates. I appreciate you stopping by.
-Jamie
Just wanted to let you know that I made these zucchini cookies this past weekend exactly as you instructed with no modifications. They were good enough that my husband (who is extremely picky with food) approved them, too. =) Thank you!
Miriam-
Yay! So glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks so much for stopping by and reporting back on your experience with it. Have a great day!
-Jamie
I used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 AP. I also used 1/2 brown sugar, 1/4 white sugar and 1/4 Truvia. Subbed raisins for 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots ( because that’s what I had) and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. The cookie is soft and lightly sweet, and the lemon icing is the perfect topper with the right amount acidity. Great recipe!
Hi! I just saw these on the Sweet Swiper as well, and STILL have zucchini so I can’t wait to make them :) Sending along my recipe for Chocolate Muffins with Hidden Zucchini in case you still have some gargantuan squash as well!
http://allergyfreecookery.blogspot.com/2011/09/chocolate-muffins-with-hidden-veggies.html
I just saw these on The Sweet Swiper and they sound incredible. I love the combination of zucchini and lemon.
Just pinned these to try as soon as I grate the giant zucchinis I was also gifted! Hooray for gardener friends :) I make zucchini muffins and loaf, double chocolate zucchini cake, banana zucchini flaxseed muffins, grilled zucchini with pesto and olive oil…and there is ALWAYS more zucchini :)
This recipe looks awesome! I’ve always had an aversion to veggies, but hiding them in cookies is a great way to serve them! They look so pretty too. The whoopie pie pan was a good call.
Haha! I love it…. You killed mint… Way to go! Im only saying that cuz I’ve done it too….;-)
Love the pictures.