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Zucchini Bread Cookies — Chewy Snacks for Lunchboxes and After-School Pinterest recipe pin

Chewy Zucchini Bread Cookies

Soft, chewy cookies that capture the flavor of zucchini bread in an easy, portable cookie—moist interior, slight crisp edges, and everyday pantry ingredients.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil canola or vegetable
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini squeezed dry (about 1 medium zucchini)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips or raisins optional
Optional toppings
  • Coarse sugar for sprinkling optional

Equipment

  • 1 Standard rimmed sheet pan (half-sheet)
  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Box grater
  • 1 Cookie scoop or tablespoon

Method
 

Prepare the zucchini
  1. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, place in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture until you have about 1/2 to 3/4 cup drained zucchini.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl whisk the egg, melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine and fold
  1. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in the drained zucchini and pecans or chocolate chips if using; dough should be thick and scoopable.
Portion and chill
  1. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart, then chill the tray for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F.
Bake
  1. Bake chilled cookies at 350°F for 10–13 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly glossy; cool on the sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Cooling and storage
  1. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.

Notes

Make sure to squeeze as much water from the zucchini as possible to avoid soggy centers; chill scooped dough for 20 minutes to reduce spread. For a dairy-free option use all oil and a plant-based butter substitute. To freeze raw dough, freeze scoops on a sheet before transferring to a bag and bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.