These Chocolate Zucchini Cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream! The best combinations rich and fudgy cookies are filled with melted chocolate, zucchini (you can’t even taste) and sweet chocolate chips all rolled up into a delectable bite size cookie.
This is an incredibly simple dessert to make that’s both easy to hold and irresistibly delicious!
Being in the kitchen my whole life I can say these zucchini brownie like cookies are always a winning dessert. It’s the perfect way to use some fresh zucchini– I mean what’s not to love? And while there’s nothing wrong with the good ol’ classic, there’s something special about dressing them up to create the ultimate decadent sweet treat. It’s the only way!
Chocolate Zucchini Cookies are a fun twist on the traditional chocolate cookie. Those decadent chocolate zucchini cookies are like bitesize pieces of gooey goodness. You can’t resist that chocolate flavor and moist texture. The soft cookie makes this finished product one of my favorite easy recipes to make that will turn any celebration into a bit more sophisticated affair!
These homemade chocolate zucchini cookies are tasty and beautiful enough to serve at holiday family get-togethers, elegant enough for a special occasion, or is sweet enough to finish off an at-home date night for two!
chocolate zucchini cookie ingredients
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- cocoa powder
- salt
- chocolate chip
- zucchini
Brown sugar: Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar. In this recipe, I prefer the deeper, richer caramel flavors of dark, but if you prefer the sweeter tastes of light brown or that’s all you have on hand, use that instead!
Pure vanilla extract: Using a high-quality pure vanilla extract gives a subtle rich sweet flavor while also bringing out the flavors of the other ingredients in the batter.
Cocoa powder: Be sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe. By using unsweetened it allows you to control the amount of sugar in the final product.
how to make chocolate zucchini cookies
STEP ONE: Melt ½ cup butter and ½ cup chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in 20 second increments, stirring after each round in the microwave. Remove from the heat, pour melted butter into a large bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
STEP TWO: Using electric mixer on low speed mix the ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the 2 large eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the 1 tsp vanilla.
STEP THREE: Gently fold in the dry ingredients ¾ cup flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder and ½ tsp salt into wet ingredients. Stir in remainder of chocolate chips (½ cup).
STEP FOUR: Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for just 20 minutes up to 2 hours.
STEP FIVE: Roll or scoop the dough into balls, 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. I recommend a medium cookie scoop. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and baking time is 12-13 minutes or until the crispy edges and crackly tops appear.
STEP SIX: Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
how to store
Store leftover chocolate zucchini cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
can i freeze these chocolate zucchini cookies?
Baked or unbaked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Cookies won’t spread as much if dough balls were frozen, so about halfway through bake-time, gently press down on the baking cookies with a spoon to help get them to spread.
how do you get the water out of zucchini?
Zucchini needs to be drained after shredding it to use in baking. It has a lot of excess moisture in it, so if you don’t drain it a bit, you can end up with too much liquid in your baked goods.
After grating the zucchini, put it in a bowl with paper towel or clean kitchen towel and let the liquid drain while you’re prepping the rest of your recipe. Pressing on the shredded zucchini with a spoon will help to squeeze out some of the excess liquid.
faq
what makes cookies soft and moist: Double Your Yolks: This recipe calls for 2 eggs but you can try leaving out the white of each egg, which tends to dry out when baked, and replacing it with an additional yolk. FYI egg yolks have more fat than egg whites, helping to keep your cookies moist and soft.
do you peel zucchini: Yes, it’s tempting to remove the zucchini’s skin, but DON’T. Zucchini melts into the cookies, so peeling is just won’t help. Do grate the zucchini – Zucchini in the cookies is great but I don’t want to see it.
bbqbakers tips and tricks
- To make these gluten-free use your favorite gluten-free 1:1 flour in place of the all-purpose
- Feel free to use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chips or white chocolate chips for added zing
- Chill for a total of 1 hour. If chilling for longer, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
Next time you are looking for zucchini recipes try these zucchini chocolate chip cookies it’s a sweet way to beat that sweet tooth while eating a healthy vegetable and a terrific way to treat your family and friends to on Valentine’s Day, or Sunday afternoon snack!
more easy desserts to try
- Copycat Starbucks Oat Fudge Bars
- Apple Crisp Squares
- Strawberry Rhubarb Squares
- Black Forest Brownie Bars
- Gingerbread Squares
- Mint chocolate Cookies
- Cookies and Cream Bars
Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet, milk or dark… you choose
- 1 cup zucchini heaping cup, shredded
Instructions
- Using electric mixer with whisk attachment mix the ¼ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar into the cooled butter mixture. Add the 2 large eggs, one at a time, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the 1 tsp vanilla.
- Gently fold in the ¾ cup flour, ½ cup cocoa powder and ½ tsp salt. Stir in chocolate chips (½ cup) and 1 heaping cup of shredded zucchini.
- Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll or scoop the dough into balls, 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. I recommend a medium cookie scoop. Place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 12-13 minutes or until the edges appear set.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- These cookies will stay fresh for up to 1 week in an airtight container… try not to eat them all on the first day!
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Chilling for longer can create thicker cookies. If chilling for longer than 2 hours, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
- Freezing Instructions: Baked or unbaked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Cookies won’t spread as much if dough balls were frozen, so about halfway through bake-time, gently press down on the baking cookies with a spoon to help get them to spread.
- Why I like to chill these cookies – Simply put this chocolate dough is thick and a little sticky when you chill for up to an hour they are easier to form a perfect ball!
Nutrition
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