These zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are extra soft with chewy centers and crisp edges. Loaded with chocolate chips, each cookie is flavored with brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon. Best part of all? You can’t taste the vegetable hiding inside.
Zucchini bread & oatmeal chocolate chip cookies: two worlds beautifully collide! Consider these zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies the mandatory solution to a surplus of fresh zucchini. Over the past several years, I’ve tried throwing zucchini into plenty of cookie recipes and this one is the best version I know!
Each Cookie Is:
- Soft with slightly crisp edges
- Flavored with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar
- Moist, tender, and very chewy
- Loaded with whole oats and plenty of chocolate chips
- Delicious in a totally unforgettable way (like any good version of chocolate chip cookies should be!)
Plus, should any cookies survive after a few days, they freeze and thaw like a dream. Also important to note: you cannot taste the zucchini. Vegetables have never been so sneaky.
#1 Success Tip: Blot the Zucchini
Have you ever made my brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies? In that recipe, we blot the pumpkin to rid excess moisture. The purpose of this is to reduce the amount of liquid in the cookie dough. Too much liquid = excess spreading and/or a cakey cookie. We’re applying the same technique here. Shred the zucchini using a box grater, then lightly blot it with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. No need to squeeze out all the moisture; gently blotting is plenty.
You need 1 cup of shredded, lightly blotted zucchini.
Pro Tip: Shred extra to make zucchini cake!
Overview: How to Make Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies
After you blot the zucchini, prepare the cookie dough. The full written recipe is below, but let me walk you through the steps so I can answer any possible questions.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. This includes oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Beat the wet ingredients together. Cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in 1 egg, then a little maple syrup and vanilla. The maple syrup adds flavor, but it also helps the cookies spread out and crisps up the edges. You can use honey instead or you can leave it out completely. (Though I highly recommend its addition!)
- Combine the dry ingredients, zucchini, and the wet ingredients.
- Beat in the chocolate chips.
- Chill the cookie dough. Important step! The cookies will over-spread otherwise.
- Scoop & bake. I always use a cookie scoop when I make oatmeal cookies. Oatmeal cookie dough is pretty sticky and textured, so a cookie scoop is helpful. The medium size is perfect because each dough ball should be around 1.5 Tablespoons of dough.
Other Add-Ins
Though I typically use semi-sweet in these zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you can use milk chocolate or white chocolate chips instead. Or try mini chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. For something different, try peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or even raisins, chopped pecans, or walnuts. Some may think it’s blasphemy to replace chocolate with raisins but I’m ALL FOR IT. If you love oatmeal raisin cookies, you should definitely try raisins here or even 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 raisins!
One last tip: This recipe calls for room temperature butter. Remember that room temperature butter is imperative in the creaming step. If butter is too cold or if it’s melted in the slightest, it won’t properly aerate with the granulated and brown sugars in step 3. As a result, the cookies won’t hold their shape and will likely over-spread. Room temperature butter is cool to the touch and about 65°F (18°C), which might be colder than your kitchen. If you’d like to read further, I have an in-depth post about room temperature butter.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Zucchini Bread & Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Zucchini Casserole
- Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Fritters (a favorite!)
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are extra soft with chewy centers and crisp edges. You can’t taste the vegetable hiding inside! Chill the dough for at least 2 hours before baking.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) shredded & blotted zucchini (see step 1)
- 2 cups (170g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed dark or light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Lightly blot the shredded zucchini with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. No need to squeeze out all the moisture; gently blotting is plenty. You need 1 cup (140g) of shredded, lightly blotted zucchini. Set aside until step 4. (Or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. It can be cold when you add it to the dough.)
- Whisk the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix on high until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and the zucchini to the wet ingredients, then mix on low speed until combined. With the mixer still running on low speed, beat in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop or roll cookie dough, a heaping 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie (I like to use this medium cookie scoop), and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft. For crispier edges, bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops– this is only for looks! Cookies are extra soft out of the oven, but become chewier as they cool.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked cookies freeze well up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well – up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here’s how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Zucchini: I do not peel the zucchini before shredding, but you certainly can if you’d like.
- Oats: For these oatmeal cookies, I use and recommend old-fashioned whole oats, not quick or instant oats. Whole oats provide the ultimate hearty, chewy, and thick texture.
- Maple Syrup: The maple syrup adds flavor, but it also helps the cookies spread out and crisps up the edges. You can use honey instead or even molasses for a strong flavor—or you can leave it out completely. (Though I highly recommend its addition!)
Keywords: zucchini, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies
I would have to say these cookies are really good, tho i did add a cup of chopped walnuts. they were a hit in our home,
Would it be feasible to remove the granulated sugar from the recipe? I still want them sweet so the kids will eat them; could I substitute honey for the granulated sugar?
Hi Lisa, Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended. We have not tested these with any sugar alternatives but let us know if you try anything.
I had to use frozen shredded zucchini when I made these cookies. I squeezed out the extra water and the mix was thick, but it baked into a yummy, chewy cookie! My now favorite recipe.
★★★★★
I love this recipe!
It’s similar to another recipe I love to make. The all recipes oatmeal cookies ix, I like it because it is such a large volume of oats and very little flour and sugar. I think zucchini can be added to that recipe as well, how much zucchini would you recommend starting out with adding or how do adapt the recipe to include zucchini?
Thank you
Hi Aliza! It would take some testing to add zucchini to another oatmeal cookie recipe – you can use this recipe as a guide. Let us know what you try!
These are really tasty. Can’t even tell there’s a veggie in them which can be a positive if you have Littles. We’ve found they take longer to bake but that could be our oven. *_* Overall yummy & a great way to use some zucchini from our garden.
★★★★
These are fabulous! I half the sugar and keep the maple syrup and they are great ! Better for snacks and lunches but still have that chocolate zucchini sweet combo I love at this time of year.
★★★★★
This recipe was a fail for me. I always weight ingredients when baking and followed the recipe exactly but the first tray of cookies was flat. I added a 1/4 cup of flour so they wouldn’t spread and they baked up ok after that. (But are pretty mediocre as far as cookies go) I’m sure the zucchini and the water variation is causing the issues… maybe it just doesn’t belong in cookies =) The zucchini coffee cake recipe on this site was perfect.
★★★
Another fantastic recipe! I have so much zucchini to use so I experimented and added 1/3 cup of cocoa to the flour mixture and 1/4 cup ground flaxseed. I didn’t blot my zucchini as I thought the extra moisture would be better with the cocoa addition. Turned out great and my daughter can’t get enough! Love when the kids get extra veggies and fiber in their treats! When is the next cookbook coming out?
★★★★★
My husband doesn’t like oatmeal cookies, but he said these were probably the best cookie I’ve ever baked him! My dad loved them to!
★★★★★
Delicious cookies!! Easy recipe to follow. I was hoping to freeze some but they aren’t going to last that long!!
★★★★★
I don’t like as much oats in mine so I put in 1 cup of oats and 2 cups of flour and found that I did not need to refrigerate it at all I just prepared it and put it in the oven turned out really good so if you don’t like a cookie that is so chewy and more like a chocolate chip cookie this is a perfect way to do it my mother-in-law is very particular in what she likes and she thought they were very good I thought they were delicious and a good way to use up my zucchini in my garden I know the recipe said not to freeze them but I am going to since it made so many because I did a double batch Yum! Yum!
Can this be baked into bars instead of cookies?
You can definitely use this cookie dough for cookie bars. We’re unsure of the exact bake time.
Could you use whole wheat flour instead of regular flour?
Hi Debbie, the cookies will be drier with white whole wheat flour. You could try half white whole wheat and half all purpose – let us know what you try!
I loved this recipe. I have a ton of zucchini and it was great to make something delicious. I will make these cookies all summer long. The cookies are soft and you can’t taste the zucchini.
★★★★★
Cookies came out great. I left them in 17 minutes and the were golden and crispy on the edges and with moist centers. I may put raisins instead of chocolate chips next times My husband suggested half and half raisins/chocolate chips.
I tried 12 on one cookie sheet and they all touched. I just put 9 – 10 on the other two sheets and they were fine—all separately formed.
Is there a high altitude adjustment for this recipe? I followed it to a T and my cookies end up getting burnt on the bottom and still had raw centers. I turned the oven temp down to 325 for the second batch but then the cookies spread out very thin and we’re quite crunchy. Flavor was really good though! We’re at 4800 feet.
Hi Abigail, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Can’t wait to try! I have a ton of zucchini! I was wondering can you freeze the dough like normal chocolate chip cookies? I do frozen meals for my in laws as a Christmas gift and would love to freeze the dough into balls so they can have cookies whenever they like.
Hi Wendy! Yes, absolutely – see recipe notes for freezing instructions.
I make these every summer with our garden zucchini and they’re always so good!
★★★★★
Can you use quick oats with this recipe?
Hi Jamie, For these oatmeal cookies, we use and recommend old-fashioned whole oats, not quick or instant oats. Whole oats provide the ultimate hearty, chewy, and thick texture. Quick oats could leave the cookies tasting a bit dry and powdery.
I’m sure real butter is best, but would these be okay made with margarine?
Hi Julie, for best results, flavor and texture, we do recommend sticking with butter.
My husband was trying to cut down on cholesteral, so I started going half and half–half butter and half margarine (or plant butter as it says on the package). I’ve done this with a few of Sally’s recipes, although not this one in particular, and have had very good results.
I have made a few of your recipes like the flat bread ,garlic knots,banana peanut butter cookies,honey oats bread and they all turned out so well.The whole family loved it .I knew nothing about baking before this. So thankful to you.
Would request for more eggless recipes as there are many vegetarian people in the family.and more whole wheat recipes.thanking you again.please continue with the good work.
Hi Parijat, thank you so much for giving our recipes a try. We’re thrilled your family loves them! You can find all of our egg free recipes here. Hope you find a few new recipes to enjoy.
Can you substitute to it with gluten free flour?
Hi Daisy, we haven’t tested these cookies with gluten free flour so we’re unsure of the results.
Loved these! Yes the batter is wet. I let mine sit overnight in fridge due to time constraints then only brought it to room temp for max 30 minutes and scooped with a small ice cream scoop. Yes they spread out a bit but not bad. Definitely more of a cake type cookie. I actually added 1/4 cup hemp hearts for protein and half chocolate chips half butterscotch. My toddler and husband who hates oatmeal loved them. I probably wouldn’t use pre-shredded frozen zucchini-might be too much moisture but these are great!
★★★★★
When I use frozen zucchini for baking I add finely shredded carrots to the batter. It soaks up the extra moisture. I use 1cup carrot to 3cups shredded zucchini. It does not alter the flavor.
I veganized this recipe using dairy free chips, 2Tbs ground flax +6Tbs warm water for the butter, and used egg replacer from Bob’s Red MIlls for the egg, and it’s a wonderful cookie. Also doesn’t need the refrigeration time, since there’s no butter to harden back up again. Thanks for an easily transformed recipe that is lower in fat, cholesterol and vegan. Will make again this week when family come in.
★★★★★
What are the macros? Looks delicious
Hi Amy, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I calculated it and it’s around 115 cal per cookie. For 2 dozen.
I tried this recipe with my Zucchini from our garden as we had many. Definitely 5+ Stars from the entire family, including two young kids. Will be making this one again!!
★★★★★