Oatmeal zucchini cookies are chewy, homemade cookies filled with oats, cozy cinnamon, and shredded zucchini. They're great for after school snacking or your next holiday cookie tray!
Why you'll love this recipe
Flavor/texture: Chewy, buttery, and sweet oatmeal cookies with a warm cinnamon flavor.
Yield: 32 cookies
Can I taste the zucchini? No, zucchini has a mild flavor that's undetectable in baked goods.
What does zucchini add to cookies? It adds moisture and structure, which replaces some of the butter and egg in this recipe.
Similar to: Zucchini Cookies and Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter - Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter (omit the salt listed in the recipe).
- Sugars - I used a combination of granulated and brown sugars in this recipe for a chewy texture with crisp edges.
- Egg - Adds structure and moisture.
- Vanilla extract - Adds depth of flavor to the cookies.
- Zucchini - You'll need about 1 cup of finely shredded zucchini (measured including the liquid) for this recipe. This equals about 135 grams before squeezing the liquid out, and about 70 grams after squeezing the liquid out. I recommend using finely shredded zucchini because it melds seamlessly into the dough when baked.
- Flour - Adds structure and balances with the wet ingredients. I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, so I can't say how your cookies would turn out using an alternative. Baking is an exact science so instead of potentially wasting ingredients, I'd suggest searching for a recipe that's written using the ingredients you have on hand.
- Leavening - Baking soda is needed for this recipe to provide the proper lift.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cookies without making them "salty".
- Spices - Cinnamon adds cozy, lightly spiced flavor.
- Oats - I recommend using old fashioned oats for a chewy, substantial texture. Quick cooking oats can work but are thinner, powdery, and tend to bake into the dough more than old fashioned oats. I don't recommend steel cut oats because they're a bit too thick and sturdy for a quick baking recipe like cookies.
How to make oatmeal cookies
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a hand mixer until creamed and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to remove clumps. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix to combine. Last, add in shredded zucchini (excess liquid squeezed out) and stir to incorporate.
- Use a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop to portion dough onto a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake until lightly browned across the tops and cookies look set.
Tips and tricks
Use room temperature ingredients - They cream together seamlessly to make an even, consistent dough. Place your butter and egg on the counter top about an hour before beginning. Cold ingredients can leave lumps in the dough that bake up inconsistently. Melted butter can make your dough spread too much in the oven, which is why we're using room temperature instead.
Properly measure your flour - This is the most common issue I see in baking. Scooping flour directly from a bin with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe. I highly recommend measuring your flour by weight (this is the only method I use) or using the spoon and level method (gently spoon flour into the measuring cup then level off with a knife) instead.
Use parchment paper - Line your baking sheet with parchment or a reusable silicone mat. Grease on the baking sheet can cause your cookies to spread more than desired.
Squeeze the liquid from your zucchini - Extra liquid can cause your cookies to spread more in the oven or puff up and get cakey/gummy from the excess liquid. Be sure to squeeze the excess liquid out before adding it to the dough.
Storage
Oatmeal zucchini cookies will keep for 4 to 5 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
Cookie dough and baked cookies can both be frozen for up to three months in a freezer safe container. To thaw, transfer dough to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, or bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time. To thaw frozen cookies, transfer to the counter top and allow to come to room temperature for about 1 hour.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, feel free to add 1 cup of chopped walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips to your oatmeal cookie dough if desired.
No. Zucchini has a mild, neutral flavor that can't be detected in baked goods. Make sure you're using zucchini, not other green vegetables (like cucumber) that do have a strong flavor. Not sure which one you have on hand? Check out my post - Zucchini vs cucumber - what's the difference?
Yes, for this recipe you need to squeeze the liquid from your shredded zucchini before adding it to the dough.
Healthy is a relative term that can mean different things from one person to the next. I would not consider these cookies "healthy" by any means. They're made with flour, sugar, and butter, just like a regular oatmeal cookie. The addition of zucchini allows us to reduce the amount of butter and egg slightly, but not so much that I'd consider them a healthy option. I recommend enjoying your oatmeal cookies just like any other dessert!
This can happen if the wet ingredients are reduced or the dry ingredients are increased due to mis-measuring (this commonly happens when packing flour into measuring cups). I always recommend using a kitchen scale for precise results. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method to gently spoon flour into a measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife.
📖 Recipe
Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (160 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (135 g) finely shredded zucchini, measure before squeezing liquid out
- 3 cups (240 g) old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. With a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat until creamed and fluffy, about a minute. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about a minute.
- In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add to butter mixture and stir to combine (do not overmix).
- After measuring zucchini, wrap in a few layers of paper towel or a kitchen towel, then squeeze firmly over the kitchen sink to remove excess moisture. Do not skip this step, excess moisture will make your cookies cakey and/or soggy.
- Add shredded zucchini and oats to dough and stir to incorporate.
- Scoop dough using a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls. Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned and set across the tops. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- How to measure zucchini: Measure 1 cup (135 grams) of finely grated zucchini, then squeeze liquid out (about 70 grams) before adding to the dough.
- Leftovers: Baked cookies will keep for up to 5 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. Cookies (and dough) can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- Mix-ins: Feel free to add 1 cup of mix-ins to your dough, like chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, or raisins.
The taste is great did not flatten down like the picture!
Hi Debbie! If your cookies aren't spreading in the oven, it sounds like too much flour was added to the dough. Did you weigh your flour with a scale or use a measuring cup to scoop from a bin?