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Zucchini Cookies

If you have ever experienced and overabundance of courgettes/zucchini/summer squash in either your garden or refrigerator, you are not alone.

I don’t try to grow it anymore for two reasons. The first is that it takes over the garden and results in an unbelievable number of squash. The second is that my garden is already overtaken with cucumbers and I don’t have any more room. I buy it, though. I love zucchini because it tastes great, is versatile and is usually both plentiful and inexpensive. I have used it in cornbread and to make oven-fried zucchini sticks, and there are even blogs named after it. From time to time, I am struck by the desire to do something different with my squash and will toss some into a cake or bread, both of which work beautifully – but cookies?Zucchini works as well in cookies as it does in cakes. Don’t worry – the cookies don’t taste like zucchini, even though you will be able to see little specks of green in them. It gives the finished product a moistness that is uncharacteristic of most cookies. It also makes them fairly cakelike, much like a muffin top, so this recipe is probably not for you if you only like crunchy cookies!

The cookies are easy to make and use up about 1 medium sized zucchini. Though cakelike, they are not dry and they keep well in an airtight container. I like the fairly mild spicing that the cookies have, but you could certainly add in a bit of freshly grated nutmeg or more allspice, if you like. I prefer raisins to chocolate chips in these cookies, but if you need to have your chocolate fix, simply substitute an equal amount of semisweet chips.

Zucchini Cookies
1 medium zucchini (with skin)
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 t cinnamon

1/4 t allspice

1/2 tsp salt
1 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Finely grate the zucchini and, using several paper towels, squeeze as much moisture as possible out of it. You should have approximately 1 cup of zucchini. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg, then zucchini, and gradually beat in the flour mixture. When the cookie dough has just come together, stir in the raisins.
Scoop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Cookies will spread, so leave at least 1 1/2 inches between scoops.
Bake for 13-15 minutes at 350F, until light golden at edges, but not browned all over (which could cause them to be too dry).
Cool on baking sheet for about 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Serving suggestion: Sandwiching these with vanilla ice cream or cream cheese frosting is definitely going to convert even the cakey-cookie haters, not to mention it’s a good way to sneak some zucchini into a non-zucchini lover’s diet!

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14 Comments
  • wilsonian
    June 26, 2006

    I have a similar recipe I’ve been using for years, which calls for walnuts instead of raisins. I’ve substituted pecans for the walnuts, if that’s what I have on hand. I’ve also swapped out the zucchini with great results (although it doesn’t help reduce the zucchini population), using pumpkin (or any kind of left-over cooked squash) or applesauce.

    Think it’s time to make this again!

  • Sara
    June 26, 2006

    These sound really really great. Thanks for sharing.

  • Acme Instant Food
    June 26, 2006

    As I type, a zucchini the size of Pittsburg sits in my refrigerator awaiting a recipe. My Dad’s garden is full of them and he handed this to my the other day.

    Fortunately, I love zucchini. Baked, fried, sauteed, stuffed, diced, grilled…okay, you get the idea. I will give this recipe a try! Thanks for the post.

  • emily
    June 26, 2006

    lol…I grew up in the country and it was a running joke at our church that people didn’t lock their doors because of stealing,they locked them to keep my mom from giving them more squash and zucchini.

  • Joe
    June 26, 2006

    Love zucchini cookies! I made a lemon one with dried cranberries last year that were pretty good. I can’t wait till we move and I can start stockin’ the freezer again!

  • jenjen
    June 27, 2006

    Oh nic, you are the best, I have had a zucchini cookie recipe for a while now and have been somewhat hesitant in trying it, but looking at your cookies, I think I will definitely give it a go.

  • Annie
    June 27, 2006

    I love your idea of making ice cream sandwiches out of these cookies. It’s true that some of us like crunchy cookies but with ice cream in the middle, soft would work perfectly.

  • Jessica
    June 27, 2006

    Neat! I really like adding zucchini to pancake batter, which I posted about on my blog.

  • J
    June 28, 2006

    hi nic, your culinary imagination and creativity never ceases to floor me 😉 zucchini cake, yes i’ve heard of, but zucchini cookies? this, i must print-and-keep…thanks for sharing the recipe

  • the baker
    July 4, 2006

    whoa, zucchini cookies! funky… this I must try some day. I never thought of eating ‘vegetable cookies’ until now.

  • amy
    July 8, 2006

    thanks for the recipe. my sister and i have a monthly cookie exchange and i’ve been looking for something vegetably to send to her after her brussel sprouts cookies a few months back.

  • Hannah
    August 20, 2007

    this recipe looks absolutely fantastic,we currently have a 3lb. zucchini awaiting several fates as a lasagna, cake, and will probably have enough left over to try this. I love your site, thanks for all the wonderful recipes and tips.

  • Rose-Ellen
    June 29, 2014

    I made your zucchini cookie recipe and honestly, the taste was very bland and did not enjoy it at all. But your double chocolate zucchini bread is another story – out of this world delicious.

  • […] I had way too much leftover zucchini from making a curry dish several days ago, and I hate tossing food. So of course the natural course of action was to a) freeze the zucchini and b) search for a recipe that would consume this excess. Which is how I discovered this recipe for http://bakingbites.com/2006/06/zucchini-cookies/. […]

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