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Zucchini Ginger Molasses Cookies, zucchini cookies recipes easy
Brittany Stage

Zucchini Ginger Molasses Cookies

These soft, chewy spice cookies combine fresh ginger, cinnamon, and rich molasses with shredded zucchini for a cookie that stays moist longer than a traditional molasses drop. Rolling each ball in sugar before baking gives a lightly crisp, crinkled edge.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 130
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup zucchini finely shredded, squeezed very dry, then measured
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper optional, adds warmth
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger peeled and finely grated on a microplane
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses dark or light, not blackstrap

Equipment

  • box grater
  • clean kitchen towel or paper towels
  • stand mixer or hand mixer
  • large mixing bowl
  • baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • small bowl for rolling sugar
  • cookie scoop

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Shred the zucchini on the fine holes of a box grater. Wrap the shreds in a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then measure 1 cup of the dry shreds. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  5. Add the egg, molasses, and fresh ginger to the butter mixture. Beat on medium until fully combined and smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture may look slightly curdled at first. Keep beating and it will come together.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the squeezed zucchini with a spatula until evenly distributed. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky.
  7. Pour about 1/3 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and roll each one in the sugar until fully coated. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges look set and the tops have crinkled. The centers will still look slightly underdone, and that is exactly right. They firm up as they cool.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They taste great warm but are even better the next day after the spices have deepened.

Notes

Fresh grated ginger is key here. It has a brighter, sharper bite than ground ginger. If all you have is ground ginger, use 1 teaspoon in place of the 1 tablespoon fresh. Do not skip squeezing the zucchini dry or the dough will be too wet to roll into clean balls.