Vegan Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
on Jun 17, 2021, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Soft and chewy Vegan Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies that are perfect for a healthier dessert. Easy to make in one bowl with just 8 ingredients!
These cookies feature wholesome ingredients like rolled oats and oat flour, they have no added oil and are made with less sugar than a classic oatmeal cookies.
We love adding zucchini to sweet recipes like these easy oatmeal cookies, it has the perfect mild taste and soft texture. Whole Wheat Vegan Zucchini Bread, Healthy Zucchini Brownies Recipe and Chocolate Zucchini Bread are all delicious too.
Carrot works well for this use too, you can try it in Vegan Carrot Zucchini Muffins or Carrot Cake Banana Bread or even add some to this recipe.
You could also add shredded zucchini to these Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies, which are made with just banana, oats and nut butter with no added sugar, or these 3-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies made with just maple syrup, oats and nut butter.
Ingredients
- Zucchini: Use fresh zucchini. Do no need to strain it to remove excess moisture. Just finely grate and add right to the cookie dough.
- Peanut Butter: If you need a peanut-free recipe, swap this for almond butter or any other nut or seed butter. If you need a nut-free recipe, you can use sunflower seed butter or tahini. Note that sunflower seed butter will react with the baking soda and may turn the cookies green!
- Sweetener: Coconut sugar, cane sugar, white sugar or dark brown sugar or light brown sugar all work here.
- Oat Flour: Use store-bought or make your own by blending oats into a fine consistency. You can use quick oats, instant oats or rolled oats to make oat flour. You can substitute all purpose flour or whole wheat flour.
- Oats: Rolled oats or large-flake oats are best for texture.
- Plant-Based Milk: Almond or cashew milk work well for their neutral flavour but any kind of plant-based milk works, such as soy milk, oat milk, etc.
- Chocolate Chips: For a vegan recipe, use dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life or Camino brands. Dark chocolate chunks or morsels would also work well. If you prefer, for a healthier option you swap the chocolate chips for raisins or walnuts.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Before You Start: Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1: Stir together the oat flour, oats, baking soda and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients: grated zucchini, nut butter, milk, vanilla and chocolate chips. Fold everything together until it forms a thick dough. It might seem dry at first but keep mixing until everything is moist.
Place the batter in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. This will make it easier to roll into balls.
Step 4: Use a cookie scoop or roll the batter into 12 equal-sized balls and place on the sheet pan. Press each ball down a little with your palm.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown around the edges. Cool and enjoy!
Storing
- Let cool completely before storing.
- Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Up to 1 week in a sealed container.
- Freezer: Up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.
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Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour, 120 g
- 1/2 cup rolled oats, 50 g
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, coconut sugar or cane sugar (50 g)
- 1/4 cup plant-based milk, 50 mL
- 1 cup grated zucchini, 150 g
- 1/4 cup peanut butter, 60 g
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, 80 g
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 10 mL
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oat flour, rolled oats, baking soda, cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Finely grate zucchini with a box grater then add the shredded zucchini, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and chocolate chips. Fold together until a dough forms. It might appear dry at first but keep stirring until all the dry ingredients are wetted.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This will make it easier to form the cookies.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown around the edges. Cool at room temperature before handling to allow them to firm up.
Video
Notes
- For a lower-sugar, healthier alternative to chocolate chips, try different add-ins like walnuts, raisins or pecans.
- Let cool completely then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
Very yummy!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them!
Really yum. I didn’t have any chocolate chips so used sultanas instead.
These are so good, love how healthy they are. The kids loved them and they disappeared quickly! Def will make again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the review.
Can you use a GF flour like King Arthur brand or does it have to be oat flour?
I think that should be fine but I haven’t tested it so I can’t guarantee! Let me know if you try it.
Superb. Utterly delicious. Perfection. Hard to believe such humble ingredients make such perfect cookes. Thanks.
Well I’m so glad you think so! Thank you for the kind review.
One of the few zucchini things that passed the toddler test! I credit the oats & nut butter for disguising the texture. Thank you!
So glad! Thanks for letting me know!
These are so yummy, quick, and satisfy a sweet tooth without guilt! I’ve made these twice, opted not to refrigerate the dough the second time, and simply spooned out on the cookie sheet. Even faster to the tummy! Delicious!
So very glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Do you need to squeeze any moisture out of the zucchini, or leave it as is?
No, leave it as is. Thanks!