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Soft-Baked Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These soft-baked zucchini chocolate chip cookies are incredibly moist, tender, and completely unrecognizable as anything containing vegetables. A quick and easy recipe that uses up garden zucchini in a delicious way, perfect for sneaking more greens into your family’s snacks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 cup (about 150g) grated zucchini, squeezed dry
  • 1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. Prepare the zucchini: Wash and trim the stem end. Grate on the large holes of a box grater to get about 1 packed cup. Place in a clean kitchen towel, gather corners, and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove excess moisture but leave slightly damp.
  3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Scrape down sides halfway through.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla: Beat in egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Don’t overmix.
  5. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing on low speed or folding with a spatula until just combined. Stop when a few streaks of flour remain.
  7. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips: Add squeezed zucchini and chocolate chips (and nuts if using). Fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed. Dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
  8. Scoop the cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use a #40 cookie scoop or two spoons.
  9. Bake: Place one sheet at a time on the middle rack. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers look just set and slightly underdone.
  10. Cool properly: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t skip squeezing the zucchini—excess water will make cookies flat and gummy. Room temperature ingredients are important for proper creaming. Watch bake time closely; ovens vary. For best texture, let cookies cool completely before storing. These cookies taste even better the next day as flavors meld. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; place a slice of bread in the container to maintain moisture. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or freeze unbaked dough balls.

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini cookies, chocolate chip cookies, soft-baked cookies, healthy cookies, vegetable cookies, summer dessert, easy cookie recipe

Find it online: https://lyrafeast.com/soft-baked-zucchini-chocolate-chip-cookies-easy-healthy-recipe/