The softest, chewiest oatmeal cookies, with a touch of spice, laced with melty nuggets of semi-sweet chocolate, and ultra-moist from grated zucchini. These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies are irresistible. They’re super quick & easy to prep too!
Yeesh, I actually forgot how many zucchini recipes I made this season. I knew I’d prepared a bunch, but I thought it was 3 or 4, not 7. Yeah, it’s 7.
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies were an accidental bonus zucchini recipe. I kept ending up with odd increments of grated zucchini, and in an effort to use every scrap, I made zucchini recipes until I was finally plumb out of zucchini altogether.
Although I made these last of my zucchini line-up, these are not the last zucchini recipe I’m sharing this summer. I have a few others. These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies are just what I’m in the mood to share next.
Why? I’m craving them! Desperately! They’re incredible. I want a batch of these ASAP. Fortunately, they’re not difficult, and they come together pretty quickly. I could start these right this second, and be eating them in like 30 minutes, hot from the oven.
Except that I don’t have zucchini. I really hate going to the grocery store, and I was just there yesterday, but I’m tempted to make a special trip for zucchini because I want these cookies so badly. Better still, maybe I can get my S.O. to stop for zucchini. He’s a good grocery gopher.
These are special. These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies are seriously special.
Softest oatmeal cookie ever. Not a crispy cookie at all, but rather, the world’s most soft oatmeal cookie. As soft as they are, they’re not cakey though, they’re more chewy! I’m not big on cakey cookies. Surely that’s the oatmeal coming through on texture. The zucchini too, of course, and the zucchini is bringing home some major moistness in these cookies.
A touch of cinnamon adds spice, and a touch of cocoa powder for an extra boost of chocolate, but the semi-sweet chocolate chips really shine in these cookies. Big gobs of melty semi-sweet chocolate.
I really am going to the grocery store for zucchini now because I’m dying for a few of these chocolate-vegetable cookies. You’ll be amazed at how delicious a vegetable cookie can be when it’s these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies.
A few other zucchini recipes I’ve shared since last summer are this Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread, these Death by Chocolate Zucchini Brownies, this Chocolate Zucchini Coffee Cake, this Orange Zucchini Bread, this Zucchini Banana Bread with Streusel Topping, and these Blueberry Zucchini Bread Pancakes.
Sooooo many delicious ways to use up zucchini!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted, slightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together quick oats, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- In a small bowl, whisk together butter, egg, and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, along with zucchini and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Stir until incorporated - batter will be thick and quite heavy.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonful (golf ball-sized) onto parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheets, and flatten slightly.
- Press 4-5 additional chocolate chips on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until centers appear set and edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from heat, and allow to cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
Adapted from How Sweet Eats.
So fun to see this recipe, I once had a recipe that was very close to this, mine used butterscotch chips, either way, they are really good! Thx!
Oatmeal Scotchies are one of my all-time favorite cookies!! I’ve never made them with zucchini, but now I’m thinking I should. I love that idea!
These are wonderful ❤️ I must confess though, I didn’t have quite enough zuchinni this time. Lol, & added in part of a baked sweet potato & a small banana as substitutes. It worked. Looking forward to making them again. I’ll be more prepared. 😀
Oh, I love that idea! I bet that was really delicious too. The main thing is the extra moisture, so those are excellent substitutes. Thanks for sharing your feedback!! 🙂
This looks so good! What a great way to use up zuchini on something sweet!
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
I freeze them for school lunches throughout the year. My daughter loves them
Very easy recipe to follow and delicious. Love that it’s not overly sweet and uses up those extra zucchini.
Did you squeeze the zucchini, or leave it wet?
I leave it wet! I don’t squeeze it!
That said, if for some reason you feel your zucchini is more wet than usual, it wouldn’t hurt to pat dry, but I really never do! 🙂
Cookies were amazing!! Replaced the brown sugar with swerve and I used sugar free chocolate chips. This will definitely be my go to recipe!
Yay! So happy you liked these. Thank you for sharing your feedback and substitutions!! 🙂
Dear lord woman what have you done? I CAN’T STOP EATING THEM. “But they’re healthy Julie, they have zucchini in it. Plus oatmeal. It’s GOOD for you. Eat three more.”
Even better warm! Love!
Have you ever used carrots instead of zucchini?
I haven’t but I think that would be absolutely delicious, and would work just as well!
Is the cocoa powder necessary? I don’t want them to be chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Just curious if they can work without that. I might make these for an upcoming camping trip. Thanks!
It’s not necessary, but even with the cocoa powder, they aren’t chocolate chocolate chip cookies. They’re not overwhelmingly over-chocolate-y. Without the cocoa, the base could even be a tiny bit bland, so I do recommend keeping it in, but I understand not wanting a “chocolate” cookie!
Thanks! I will trust the process and try it with for this first attempt. Thanks for posting!
So I ended up doubling the recipe, and I did 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 butterscotch chips. I will say that they don’t spread out much at all, so you can put a lot on a tray which is nice, and they taste great. The cocoa definitely made my cookies look chocolate, but they don’t taste overly chocolate. Definitely a good recipe and easy to put together.
I love that idea — 1/2 butterscotch chips is a fantastic idea! Thank you for sharing that! So happy you enjoyed these. 🙂
Turned out perfectly! Added a bit more chips than it called for, but that’s expected right? Also chilled the batter for 15 min prior to baking.
Haha! Yep, that’s expected!! Extra chips is never a bad thing. I hope they turned out well for you!
Great flavor!
Thank you!
Have you tried these with raisins? My hubby loves oatmeal raisin cookies. I was thinking I might give it a try.
That sounds like an amazing idea. I haven’t tried it, but I can’t imagine they wouldn’t turn out really well! I love that idea.
Have you ever used almond flour instead or coconut flour
No, I haven’t tried that! I’m sorry!
@Sharon I read the comments in hopes that someone had tried this recipe with almond flour….. Were you brave enough to try it? I’m debating!
I’m sorry that I can’t be more help! I just have not baked a lot with almond flour, and I understand it’s a whole different animal…
These cookies were delicious! Wondering how they hold up frozen? Wonderful recipe!
I’ve been trying to have my family eat healthier and these cookies are one of my successes! They are so light and delicious. It’s not an overwhelming chocolate cookie. The chocolate chips add the little bit of chocolate flavour that’s needed. You can’t taste the zucchini in it either. I substituted white flour for whole wheat flour. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
These are excellent! Not a heavy cookie. They are soft and chocolaty and you’ll definitely want more than one!