From the roundup: 24 Zucchini Cookies Recipes Easy Enough for Any Home Baker
Day-old zucchini miso brown sugar cookies are genuinely better than they are on baking day, which makes them one of the few cookies I actually plan to make the night before. The miso and brown sugar deepen overnight and the centers, which feel almost underdone when they first come off the pan, settle into a soft, fudgy chew by morning. Squeeze the grated zucchini until your hands ache, because any extra moisture will make the dough spread too thin and the edges go crispy before the centers have a chance to set. I pack the leftovers straight into a zip bag on the counter and they hold for two days without drying out.
How this one came together
We had two zucchini on the counter that needed to be used, and I did not want to make another savory dinner with them. I had been meaning to try tahini in a cookie for a while, and this was the push. The first batch I made, I skipped the step of squeezing the zucchini properly because I was rushing, and the cookies spread into flat, greasy discs. The second batch, I took the extra two minutes to wring them out in a kitchen towel until almost no liquid came out, and the texture was completely different. Lesson learned the slightly embarrassing way.
My older kids were skeptical about the zucchini part, but once they saw the flaky salt on top they were interested enough to try one. Nobody asked what was in them after that.
Why you will love this
- Tahini replaces butter entirely, so these are naturally dairy-free without any special substitutions
- The flaky sea salt on top is not optional decoration, it balances the brown sugar and makes the cookie taste more complex
- One small zucchini is all you need, a good use for that single leftover one sitting on the counter
- They hold up at room temperature for 3 days without drying out, which makes them practical for lunchboxes or a cookie tin
- The flavor actually improves overnight as the sesame settles in, so making them ahead works in your favor
Tips for success
- Squeeze the grated zucchini until it feels nearly dry, not just damp. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and wring firmly over the sink. Skipping this step is the most common reason these cookies spread and turn greasy.
- Stir the tahini from the bottom of the jar before measuring. Separated tahini, where the oil is sitting on top and the paste is stiff underneath, will throw off the dough consistency and make it either too loose or too dense.
- The dough is stickier than butter-based cookie dough and that is correct. Flatten each ball slightly before baking so they spread evenly, but do not try to smooth them out completely. A little rough edge is fine.
- Pull the cookies at 10 to 12 minutes when the tops look dry but the centers still look underdone. They finish setting on the hot pan during the 5-minute rest. Overbaking them even slightly makes them dry rather than chewy.
If your cookies spread too much
- The most likely cause is zucchini that was not squeezed dry enough. Even a little extra moisture changes the dough significantly.
- Tahini that was not fully stirred is the second culprit. Oil-heavy tahini makes the dough too loose before it even hits the oven.
- If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the scooped dough for 20 minutes before baking. Cold dough holds its shape better.
- Check that your baking soda is fresh. Old leavening causes flat, dense cookies across the board.
Substitutions
Sunflower seed butter works in place of tahini if sesame is a concern at school or for an allergy. The flavor will be milder but the texture holds up the same way. Packed light brown sugar substitutes for coconut sugar at a 1-to-1 ratio with no other adjustments needed. For a gluten-free version, a certified 1-to-1 baking flour blend works here.
To make these egg-free, a flax egg works well: stir 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for 5 minutes before adding it in. The cookies will be slightly more tender and a little less glossy on top, but they bake up fine.
Make-ahead and storage
The dough can be scooped into balls and refrigerated on a parchment-lined tray for up to 24 hours before baking. Chilling actually helps the cookies hold their shape a little better. Bake straight from the fridge, no need to bring them to room temperature first, though they may need a minute or two longer.
Cooled cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days. They freeze well layered between parchment in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 20 minutes. The texture after freezing is still soft, not crumbly.
Zucchini Miso Brown Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Grate the zucchini on the fine holes of a box grater. Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over the sink, removing as much liquid as possible. You want the zucchini to feel nearly dry to the touch. Set it aside.
- Before measuring your tahini, open the jar and stir it thoroughly from the bottom up until the oil and paste are fully blended. Separated tahini will make the dough too greasy or too stiff. Measure out 1/2 cup of the well-stirred tahini into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla to the tahini. Whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth and a little glossy, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the squeezed zucchini using a rubber spatula.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon on top of the wet mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms and no dry streaks remain. The dough will be stickier than a standard butter cookie dough, and that is normal.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball slightly with your fingers or the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look dry but the centers still appear soft. They will firm up as they cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Cool completely before storing or serving. The sesame flavor deepens a bit as the cookies sit, so they are actually even better the next day.
Notes
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