From the roundup: 24 Zucchini Cookies Recipes Easy Enough for Any Home Baker
These zucchini lavender shortbread cookies started as a way to use up the zucchini that kept piling up on my counter in July. I was skeptical, honestly. But squeezing the zucchini bone dry before adding it to the dough is the move that makes everything work. You get a soft, lemon-forward cookie that holds together cleanly and doesn’t taste like a vegetable at all.
The whole thing takes about 30 minutes from bowl to wire rack. Prep is 20 minutes, bake time is 11, and then you drizzle the glaze while the cookies are still warm so it sets into that thin crackly coating as they cool. No chilling the dough, no rolling, no cutter required. Tablespoon scoops, a gentle flatten with your palm, and you’re done.
I’ve made these for a neighborhood potluck and for a Tuesday afternoon when my kids needed a snack. They work for both. The lavender keeps it subtle and floral without tasting like soap, and the lemon glaze is what ties the whole cookie together.
Why you will love this
- One bowl and no mixer required if you use a wooden spoon and softened butter
- The lemon glaze sets firm enough that you can stack cookies after about 15 minutes without them sticking
- Shredded zucchini keeps the texture soft for several days without making the cookies wet or dense
- No dough chilling means you go from mixing to the oven in under 25 minutes
- Makes 24 cookies, which is actually enough to share and still have some left
Tips for success
- Squeeze the zucchini harder than you think you need to. I wrap it in a kitchen towel and twist until nothing drips. Wet zucchini will make the dough sticky and the cookies spread unevenly.
- Pull the cookies at 10 to 11 minutes even if the centers look barely set. They firm up on the pan during the 3-minute rest. I overbaked my first batch by 2 minutes and lost that soft center completely.
- The glaze should be thin but not watery. If it runs straight off the spoon like water, add another tablespoon of sifted powdered sugar. If it sits in a thick clump, add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time.
- Use culinary-grade dried lavender, not the kind sold for sachets or potpourri. Decorative lavender can have oils or additives that taste bitter when baked.
Common questions about this recipe
- Can I taste the zucchini? No. Once it’s squeezed dry and baked in, it disappears into the texture. It just keeps the cookies from drying out.
- Can I skip the lavender? Yes. The cookies still work as straight lemon shortbread cookies without it.
- Why do I flatten the dough balls? These cookies don’t spread much on their own, so a gentle press gives you that classic shortbread shape instead of a round puff.
- Can I double the batch? Yes, and the dough holds in the fridge for up to 24 hours if you want to bake in two rounds.
Substitutions
Lemon zest can be swapped for orange or lime zest if that’s what you have. Orange gives a softer, sweeter flavor. Lime makes it a little sharper. For a dairy-free version, a neutral coconut oil works in place of butter, but the texture comes out slightly more crisp and less tender. A 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works here without any other changes to the recipe.
If you’d rather skip the glaze, a light dusting of powdered sugar over warm cookies is a simpler finish. It won’t have the crackly coating, but it still looks nice and the cookies taste great either way.
Make-ahead and storage
You can shred and squeeze the zucchini up to a day ahead. Store it in a paper towel-lined bowl in the fridge until you’re ready to mix the dough. The mixed dough can also be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before scooping and baking. Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, with parchment between layers if you’re stacking, for up to 3 days.
To freeze, skip the glaze and freeze the baked cookies in a zip bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then make a fresh batch of glaze and drizzle before serving. The glaze does not freeze well on the cookie.
Zucchini Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Shred the zucchini on the fine side of a box grater. Pile the shredded zucchini into a clean kitchen towel, wrap it up tightly, and squeeze out as much moisture as you can over the sink. You want it as dry as possible. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with a wooden spoon or hand mixer for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale and creamy. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Add the dried zucchini to the butter mixture and stir it in. Then sprinkle in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until a soft dough forms. It will look a little shaggy at first but will come together after about 20 strokes. Do not overmix.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand. They will not spread much on their own.
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes until the edges are just set and the bottoms are lightly golden. The centers may still look barely done, but they will firm up as they cool. Do not overbake or they will lose their soft texture.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Make the glaze while they are still slightly warm.
- Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and optional lemon zest in a small bowl until smooth. It should be thin enough to drizzle but not completely watery. If it is too thick, add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the warm cookies. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes until the glaze sets into a thin crackly coating before stacking or storing.
Notes
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