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Zucchini Cookies

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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.

Two white plates on a marble countertop, each holding two zucchini cookies

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.

Ingredients for zucchini cookies arranged on a marble countertop

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.

Spatula about to fold raisins into the dough for zucchini 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!

Spatula stirring together zucchini cookie dough in a metal mixing bowl on a marble countertop

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
Zucchini cookie dough in a whoopie pie pan, ready to bake

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.

freshly glazed zucchini cookies on a wire rack over a piece of parchment paper. A bowl of glaze and unglazed cookies are next to the rack

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.

Close-up of freshly glazed zucchini cookies set on a wire cooling rack

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. 

Glazed zucchini cookies set on a wire rack on a marble countertop

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.

Two zucchini cookies stacked on a white plate. A bite has been taken out of the top cookie
Two zucchini cookies stacked on a white plate. A bite has been taken out of the top cookie

Zucchini Cookies

Yield: 24-30 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

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.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 1/2 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
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup raisins

For the Lemon Glaze

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a whoopie pie pan with nonstick cooking spray or line a regular baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
  6. 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 Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving Calories 137Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 18mgSodium 104mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 1gSugar 15gProtein 2g

Did you make this recipe?

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Susan

Thursday 23rd of September 2021

So easy and yummy. Just a hint of lemon in the cakelike cookie. Thank you for sharing your recipe. We have so much zucchini in our garden. I’ve already canned zucchini relish and given so much away. Will definitely make these again.

Jamie

Thursday 23rd of September 2021

So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Susan! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback! -Jamie

Brenda

Monday 6th of September 2021

Can almond flour be used instead of all purpose flour?

Jamie

Thursday 23rd of September 2021

Hi Brenda- I don't think the consistency will be the same. If you give it a try, let me know. -Jamie

Jlbvk

Friday 6th of August 2021

Could a person use a donut pan? Thanks!

Jamie

Friday 13th of August 2021

I think that would work, the baking time may vary a bit though. Enjoy!

Daniel West

Monday 8th of October 2018

Could these be made in a mini muffin pan to keep there uniformity? Just curious, as no whopp!ie pan!

Jamie

Tuesday 6th of November 2018

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

Indigo

Sunday 23rd of August 2015

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!

Jamie

Tuesday 25th of August 2015

Thanks so much, Indigo!

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