Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies
A quick & easy recipe for Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies to help use up summer zucchini from the garden!
Soft and slightly reminiscent of banana bread in texture, these Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies are a quick way to use up zucchini. Why they remind me of banana bread specifically, I can’t really say, but it’s the thought the popped into my head each time I grabbed one of these little cookies. If you make them and agree (or think I’m outta my mind!), feel free to leave me a (nice) comment 🙂
These cookies only have a 1/4 cup of brown sugar added, plus the natural sweetness of the applesauce, so they aren’t very sweet. If you want to eat a cookie for breakfast, this is the one to have! Not too sweet, a source of fiber, and a blend of quality carbohydrates and protein. If I was having one of these Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies for breakfast, I’d pair it with an over-easy egg, Greek yogurt, or a small bowl of cottage cheese topped with fruit. What would you eat with this cookie for breakfast?
Using Zucchini in Baking
Shredding zucchini to use in baking is a great way to keep baked goods moist and add in a veggie. The mild flavor of zucchini makes it really easy to add into baked goods without changing the flavor.
Since the zucchini is contributing to the liquid content, that means the amount of other liquids like oils, butter, milk, etc. may be reduced, and therefore overall fat content, but this will vary from recipe to recipe. The only other liquid sources in this recipe are the egg and applesauce, making this cookie recipe low in fat.
For a little crunch and a touch of color, I mixed in pepitas. I keep pepitas on hand for mixing into baked goods, topping oatmeal, yogurt, and salads, and any other way I can find to use them! Seeds, like pepitas, are a good way to boost fiber, healthy fats, and magnesium and I rave about them in my book all about foods to help improve sleep.
Alright friends, it’s time to grate the zucchini and start those ovens! Let’s make those Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies so we can say we ate cookies for breakfast 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup quick-cook oats
- 2 tablespoons raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
- 2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, pepitas, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix together until combined and make a well in the center. Set aside.
- 3. In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded zucchini, applesauce, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla.
- 4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, scoop out the mixture and place onto baking sheet. The cookies do not need to be formed with your hands. Bake in oven for 12-14 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and allow to cool on a cooling rack before storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Want more cookies? Try one of these recipes!
Brown Sugar-Cinnamon PB Cookies
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I baked this recipe today. My only changes were to add 1 Tbs. Bob’s Red Mill milk powder and 1 Tbs. flax meal. I used a 1/4 cup scoop and got 12 cookies. These are more like little cakes. They are good as a low fat, not overly sweet treat, but next time I would double the cinnamon and add 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. I might also replace the pumpkin seed with walnuts.