Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft Homemade Cookies

Enjoy a fresh twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies with the addition of shredded zucchini and warm cinnamon spice. These cookies bake up in just a few minutes, and the result is soft, cake-like cookies that melt in your mouth!

You can shred the zucchini fresh using homegrown or store-bought zucchini. You can also thaw out a bag of that frozen shredded zucchini you saved during those busy summer months, making this a great, versatile recipe you can enjoy all year long.

These cookies are definitely not what I would consider to be “healthy” per se. (I mean, come on, they are still cookies!) However, the addition of the zucchini provides extra vitamin C & K, magnesium, potassium, folate, and fiber. So I consider that a win-win in my book!

Of course, you can make zucchini bread, brownies, muffins, and the assorted recipes that prompt you to cook with zucchini, but cookies are another great recipe to have in your arsenal. Add in some cinnamon, and you have the perfect to say goodbye to summer and hello to the cooler weather of fall!

How To Make Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients  

• Zucchini – You can use freshly shredded or frozen, already-shredded zucchini. If using frozen, thaw it out first. Remove a bit of the liquid that appears but not all. Do not peel the zucchini before shredding.
• Butter – Either salted or unsalted butter works in this recipe. If using unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon. I normally use salted butter when cooking because that’s what we most often have on hand. The butter needs to be melted and cooled to room temperature.
• Sugar – Use granulated sugar for the cookie recipe. You can also experiment with swapping out some of the sugar for brown sugar.
• Eggs – If possible to help all of the ingredients meld together nicely, use eggs that are at room temperature.
• Flour – Any type of all-purpose flour works here. My go-to brand is King Arthur Unbleanched All-Purpose Flour.
• Baking Soda – The baking soda is the rising agent and what helps give the cookies their puffier appearance. (And not wind up looking like pancakes!)
• Salt – In cookie recipes, the salt helps to balance out the sweet ingredients. If using unsalted butter, up the salt a little bit.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon is such a wonderful warm spice that pairs so nicely with zucchini recipes.
• Chocolate Chips – It wouldn’t be a chocolate chip cookie without the addition of chocolate chips! I normally use semi-sweet chips when making cookies, but you can also use milk chocolate if you prefer a super sweet treat!

Instructions For Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Start by preheating your oven to 375º Fahrenheit. In addition, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (I love using this unbleached variety. You can find it online or in most grocery stores nowadays – Product Link: Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper.)

You are going to need at least one baking sheet for these cookies. Since the recipe makes 5 dozen, I like to alternate using two. That way, while one is in the oven cooking, the other gets a chance to cool off before adding more dough. It just helps speed up the baking process.

Prepare The Zucchini

If you are using fresh zucchini, wash and dry it completely. Cut off the blossom and stem ends. Then shred it using a grater or a food processor. If your zucchini is over 2-3 inches wide, remove the spongy middle and any large seeds before shredding. (I like to use my foldable grater for smaller recipes like this. It can be a pain to wash all the parts of the food processor. Product Link: OXO Good Grips Multi Grater.)

Do not peel the zucchini before shredding. The peel is full of vitamins and antioxidants, as well as plenty of fiber. Just give the fruit a good scrub and dry before using.

Once the zucchini is shredded, set it aside. There’s no need for draining or removing any excess water. You actually need the liquid to help moisten the batter.

If you are using previously frozen zucchini, allow it to thaw out fully. There will be quite a bit of liquid after thawing. Place the thawed zucchini in a strainer and allow most of the excess liquid to drain out. Do not squeeze it through because you still want some of the moisture in there for the cookie batter.

Prepare The Dough

In a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. This can sometimes take a few minutes. It can be very tiring to do by hand, which is why I suggest using a stand mixer or hand mixer if possible.

Next, add in the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition until the batter is nice and smooth. If using farm-fresh eggs, the batter should turn a beautiful creamy yellow color.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and eggs. Again, this might be a bit tough to do by hand but not impossible. The batter will seem extremely dry and crumbly at this point; That is normal!

Once the dry ingredients are mixed in, add the shredded zucchini. The mixture should start to moisten thanks to the liquid in the zucchini. If it seems overly wet, sprinkle in a bit more flour.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips, reserving about 1/4 cup to add to the tops of the cookies after baking. Adding the chips to the top after baking will give them a bakery fresh look, but this is totally optional. If you don’t want to do this, then add all the chips into the batter.

Bake and Enjoy

Using a 1.5 Tablespoon scoop, drop the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Space the cookies at least 2 inches apart. (This is the cookie scoop I use and love. I also have the 3 tablespoon size for making muffins. Product Link: PrepSolutions Measuring Scoop)

The zucchini chocolate chip cookies will spread slightly when baking, but this will vary depending on how runny your batter is. If you want to reduce this somewhat, allow the batter to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before scooping.

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. The cookies will be soft after cooling and have a slight cake-like consistency.

The batter can be frozen prior to baking. Flash-freeze the scooped cookies on a baking sheet, then place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag for storing. Use and bake the frozen cookies within 8 to 12 months. Bake them directly from frozen, but add a few additional minutes to the time. Enjoy!

Other Cookie Recipes

Up for some other recipes to satisfy that sweet tooth? Try your hand at a few of my other homemade cookie recipes:

• Grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies
• M&M Cookies With Chocolate Chips
• Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
• Dandelion Shortbread Cookies
• Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies With Brown Butter
• Old Fashion Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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