From the roundup: 24 Zucchini Cookies Recipes Easy Enough for Any Home Baker
These zucchini pumpkin spice cookies came out of a very specific problem: a bowl of shredded zucchini sitting in the fridge and a can of pumpkin puree I had opened for something else. Together they make a cookie that is genuinely soft through the middle, not in a raw-dough way but in a bakery-muffin-top way. The maple glaze takes about four minutes to whisk together and makes them look like you put in a lot more effort than you did.
Active time is right around 20 minutes, mostly spent shredding and squeezing the zucchini and beating the butter. The oven does the rest in 12 to 14 minutes. Plan for at least 20 minutes of cooling time before you glaze them, so factor that in if you are making these before a school pickup or a party.
One thing worth knowing up front: moisture control matters here. Both zucchini and pumpkin carry a lot of water, and if you skip the squeezing and blotting steps, the dough gets too wet and the cookies spread flat instead of puffing up. It is a two-minute step that makes a real difference.
How this recipe actually happened
My neighbor dropped off a giant zucchini from her garden in late August, right when I was already thinking about fall baking. I had half a can of pumpkin puree in the fridge from a batch of muffins the week before, and I did not want to open a new one just for that. So I shredded the zucchini, blotted the pumpkin, and crossed my fingers. The first batch puffed up perfectly and my pickiest kid ate three before I had even finished glazing the rest.
I have made them five or six times since then. They are the cookie I bring when someone asks me to bring something for a fall potluck and I do not have a lot of time. They look a little fancy with the glaze drizzle but the whole thing is done in under an hour, including cooling.
Why you will love this
- Two moisture-rich ingredients make the texture genuinely soft without any cream cheese or pudding mix tricks.
- One spice blend covers all the flavor, so no measuring out five separate jars.
- The cookies puff rather than spread, so you get a consistent shape without chilling the dough first.
- The maple glaze sets firm enough that you can stack the cookies with parchment between layers after about 10 minutes.
- A solid way to use up garden zucchini when you are tired of zucchini bread.
Tips for success
- Squeeze the zucchini really dry before measuring. I wrap the shreds in a clean dish towel and twist hard over the sink. If you measure first and then squeeze, you will end up short on zucchini. Shred, squeeze, then measure the 3/4 cup.
- Blot the pumpkin puree on both sides with paper towels, even if it does not look that wet. Wet pumpkin is the most common reason these cookies spread flat instead of puffing.
- Pull the cookies at 12 to 14 minutes when the tops look set and dry. The centers will still look slightly soft and that is correct. They firm up on the rack. I overbaked my first batch by two minutes and they turned cakey and dry instead of soft.
- Let the cookies cool completely before glazing. If they are even a little warm, the glaze runs off and pools on the parchment instead of setting on top.
Common questions about this recipe
- Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of puree? No. Pie filling already has sugar and spices added, and it will throw off the balance of the whole cookie.
- My dough looks broken or curdled after adding the pumpkin. Is that okay? Yes. The recipe notes this. Once you add the flour and fold in the zucchini, it comes together fine.
- Can I skip the glaze? The cookies are mild but pleasant without it. They taste more like a spiced zucchini cookie and less like a fall dessert. The glaze adds the sweetness that pulls everything together.
- Do these taste like zucchini? Not really. The zucchini disappears into the texture. It just keeps the cookie soft.
Substitutions
Butternut squash puree works in place of pumpkin puree in the same amount, just blot it the same way. If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon each of ground ginger and cloves. For the glaze, pure maple syrup gives the best flavor, but honey is a workable swap if that is what you have. The glaze consistency will be slightly different with honey, a little thicker, so you may need an extra teaspoon of milk.
I have not tested these with a gluten-free flour blend, so I cannot speak to that swap. If dairy is an issue, a neutral plant-based butter works for the cookie dough, though I would stick with cow’s milk in the glaze for the cleanest flavor.
Make-ahead and storage
You can shred and squeeze the zucchini and blot the pumpkin puree the night before, then store both covered in the refrigerator. The next day the dough comes together quickly. Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, with a sheet of parchment between layers if you are stacking them. They keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and the glaze holds up fine.
To freeze, leave the cookies unglazed and freeze them in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a zip bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and drizzle the glaze fresh before serving. Freezing already-glazed cookies works in a pinch but the glaze can get a little sticky after thawing.
Zucchini Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shred the zucchini on the fine side of a box grater. Squeeze the shreds in a clean kitchen towel over the sink until very dry, then measure 3/4 cup. Spread the pumpkin puree onto a few layers of paper towels and blot the top with more paper towels to absorb extra moisture. Set both aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until combined.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy and pale. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds until smooth.
- Add the blotted pumpkin puree to the butter mixture and stir until combined. It may look a little broken at this point. That is fine.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Fold in the squeezed zucchini. The dough will be soft and scoopable rather than stiff.
- Use a cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon to drop mounds of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. These cookies puff rather than spread, so no need to flatten them.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops look set and dry and the edges are just barely pulling away from the parchment. Do not overbake. The centers should still look slightly soft. They will set completely as they cool.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before glazing, at least 20 minutes.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until the glaze runs off a spoon in a slow, steady ribbon. Drizzle over the cooled cookies with a fork or spoon. Let the glaze set for about 10 minutes before stacking or serving.
Notes
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