From the roundup: 24 Zucchini Cookies Recipes Easy Enough for Any Home Baker
A leftover zucchini mocha sandwich cookie pulled straight from the fridge the next day is honestly the better version, because the coffee buttercream firms up and the chocolate cookie gets a little denser and more brownie-like overnight. I started making these when I had two overgrown zucchini on the counter and a jar of espresso powder that needed a purpose beyond morning coffee, and now they show up every time I want a real project with a payoff worth the effort. The dough comes together in about fifteen minutes, the cookies look underdone when they come off the sheet, and you have to let them sit the full five minutes or they fall apart when you try to sandwich them. One batch gives you eleven sandwiches, which means there are always a few left to wrap up and pack into a lunch bag the next morning.
Where this recipe came from
My neighbor dropped off two enormous zucchini at the end of last summer and I had already made three loaves of zucchini bread that week. I wanted something my kids would actually eat without me explaining what was in it, so I started with a double chocolate drop cookie and added the espresso powder mostly out of curiosity. The first batch came out so fudgy and dark that my oldest thought they were brownies cut into rounds. Nobody asked about the zucchini.
The sandwich part came later. I had leftover coffee buttercream from another project in the fridge and pressed it between two cooled cookies on a whim. My husband ate three of them standing at the counter before dinner, which I took as a sign to write the recipe down properly.
Why you will love this
- One bowl for the cookie dough, no mixer required, just a whisk and a rubber spatula.
- The espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor without making these taste like coffee at all.
- Squeezing the moisture out of the zucchini is the one non-negotiable step, and it takes about 60 seconds.
- The centers stay soft and fudgy even on day two, which makes them actually better as a sandwich after the filling sets.
- A batch of 22 cookies gives you 11 sandwiches, which is a real quantity for a cookie tray or a bake sale box.
Tips for success
- Squeeze the zucchini hard. Wrap it in a kitchen towel and wring it like you mean it. The towel should be visibly damp and the zucchini should feel almost dry. I skipped this once and the dough was soupy and the cookies never set in the middle.
- Pull the cookies at 10 to 12 minutes when the edges look set but the centers still look soft and underdone. They will continue to firm on the hot pan. Overbaked cookies crack when you press them together.
- Let the cookies cool completely before filling. Warm cookies will melt the buttercream and the sandwiches will slide apart. I usually bake the cookies the night before and fill them the next morning.
- If your cocoa powder has visible lumps, sift it before whisking with the other dry ingredients. Lumpy cocoa leaves dark specks that do not fully incorporate and can make the texture uneven.
Common questions about this recipe
- Can I taste the zucchini? No. Once it is squeezed dry and baked into a dark chocolate dough, there is no detectable flavor or texture from it.
- Do I need espresso powder? It is worth having. At one teaspoon it does not add coffee flavor, it just makes the cocoa taste stronger. Finely ground instant coffee works as a substitute in the same amount.
- Can I make just the cookies without the sandwich filling? Yes, they are a complete cookie on their own. Dense, chocolatey, and soft in the center.
Substitutions
Natural cocoa powder works in place of Dutch process cocoa. The cookies will be slightly lighter in color and the chocolate flavor will be a little sharper, but the texture stays the same. Dark chocolate chips can replace semi-sweet chips if you want more intensity. For a gluten-free version, a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend works here without any other adjustments.
For the filling, if you want to skip the coffee buttercream, a plain vanilla buttercream or even a chocolate cream cheese frosting works. Use about one tablespoon of brewed espresso in place of milk in any buttercream recipe to get the mocha flavor without buying additional ingredients.
Make-ahead and storage
The cookie dough can be scooped into balls and frozen on a parchment-lined tray, then transferred to a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. Cooled, unfilled cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The texture is noticeably better on day two once the centers fully set.
Filled sandwich cookies are best stored in the refrigerator if the kitchen is warm, since the buttercream can soften. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving so the filling loosens up. To freeze filled sandwiches, layer them between sheets of parchment in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Zucchini Mocha Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard until most of the liquid is gone. The zucchini should feel close to dry and the towel will be very damp. Skipping this step leads to dough that is too wet and cookies that do not bake through properly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. If your cocoa has any lumps, sift it first so it blends smoothly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture looks smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add both eggs and the vanilla and whisk vigorously for another 30 seconds until glossy.
- Stir in the squeezed zucchini with a rubber spatula. Add the dry ingredients and fold until just combined and no dry streaks remain. The dough will be thick and dark.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. The dough is scoopable but slightly sticky, which is normal.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set and the tops should appear just barely dry, but the centers will still look underdone and soft. That is correct. Pull them from the oven at that point.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 full minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They need this time to firm up or they will fall apart. Once fully cooled, the centers will be dense, fudgy, and soft in the best possible way.
Notes
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