These zucchini breakfast cookies are my favorite make-ahead breakfast or snack for summer and back-to-school season! They’re the perfect way to use up all the zucchini from my garden, plus I love that I’m getting some fiber and other nutrients. And they’re such a yummy treat thanks to the chocolate chips. These healthy cookies have often saved me, as an easy grab-and-go snack as I head out the door for school drop offs or to one of my boys’ cross country or track meets.
Recipe Highlights
These chewy zucchini breakfast cookies are loved by both my kids and my husband, too. Here are just a few reasons why:
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- It takes me just 10 minutes of prep time, and a full batch is ready in less than 30 minutes
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- They’re great for meal prep and to keep on hand for easy breakfast additions, afternoon snacks, or to pack in lunch boxes when school is in session
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- I love healthy zucchini recipes, and these cookies fit the bill. They’re a great source of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, meaning they keep me full and satisfied until my next meal
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- The recipe utilizes simple ingredients like all-purpose flour (I use gluten-free 1:1 flour), rolled oats, baking soda, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and applesauce, all of which I almost always have on hand
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- All I have to do is combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the wet ingredients, portion with a cookie scoop, and bake, making this breakfast cookie recipe virtually foolproof. Even the kids like to get involved!
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- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free-friendly, these cookies are easy to adapt and adjust with simple swaps and add-ins like certified gluten-free oats, mashed bananas for the applesauce, and pecans or almonds for the walnuts
Ingredient Highlight: Zucchini
I don’t know about you, but every spring and summer I seem to have more zucchini than I know what to do with. I’m not complaining, though. This versatile fruit (yes, it’s a fruit!) is not only tasty and easy to use in recipes like our zucchini fritters, zucchini bread, and these zucchini oatmeal cookies, but zucchini is also full of health benefits, too. For example, zucchini:
- Is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
- Is rich in potassium, magnesium, and folate.
- Contains soluble and insoluble fiber to support healthy digestion.
- Is a great low-carb alternative that may help regulate glucose levels.
How To Best Prep Your Zucchini
For this recipe, I use a box grater to create shredded zucchini. This allows for easy mixing and ensures I get nutrients in every bite. Plus, the fine texture of grated zucchini blends easily with the rest of the ingredients, and it takes on the sweet flavor of the applesauce and chocolate chips. So, my little ones don’t even realize they’re eating veggies!
I also like to squeeze out any excess moisture to prevent the cookies from becoming soggy. I usually use a cheesecloth, wrapping it around the zucchini shreds and squeezing, but clean paper towels also work.
How To Serve
I typically just grab a cookie or two to enjoy as a breakfast or snack on the go. Sometimes, I like to add a banana berry smoothie, too. However, if you have a little extra time or want to serve these cookies as part of a heartier meal, they pair well with nutritious options like fruit cups, scrambled eggs, yogurt or chia pudding parfaits, and breakfast sausage.
Make Them Dairy Free
I need to avoid dairy, so I’m always creating dairy-free recipes. This breakfast cookie recipe doesn’t call for any butter or yogurt. And to ensure they’re 100% dairy free, use dairy free chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life, or dairy-free dark chocolate morsels.
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Zucchini Breakfast Cookies Recipe
These breakfast cookies are a substantial and delicious addition to breakfast. Great for grab-and-go, they’re a favorite way to incorporate zucchini and other nutritious ingredients in cookie form!
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free, if needed)
- ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup ground flax meal
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips (use dairy-free if needed)
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts (may sub chopped or sliced almonds)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, flax meal, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Stir together, then add the shredded zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts; gently fold them into the batter.
- Scoop the batter into 12 large mounds (about ¼ cup each) on a prepared baking sheet, shaping the dough into round shapes and flatten each one slightly.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes or until bottoms are light brown and centers are set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Notes
For gluten-free flour, I like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: Per cookie
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 6 g
- (Sat Fat: 1 g)
- Sodium: 224 mg
- Carbohydrate: 35 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 13 g)
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg
Dietary
How To Store
Store these healthy breakfast cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Or, freeze them for up to 3 months. To prevent them from clumping together, I like to flash-freeze them before storing them.
To do so, let your cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Then, arrange them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer the cookies to a sealable bag, and freeze them until you’re ready to serve. Thaw your frozen zucchini breakfast cookies in the fridge overnight or at room temperature, and they’ll taste as good as new!
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These sound delicious is there anything I can substitute for the oats? I can’t have oats. Thanks!
Hi Cheryl, we have not tested this, but you could use sliced roasted tiger nuts in place of the oats.
Flax allergy sufferer here. What can I sub in?
Hi Tammy, to replace the flax meal, you could use an equal amount of hemp hearts or chia seeds (we’ve used both in breakfast cookies)
Could you add protein powder to this recipe? If so, what do you recommend?
Hi Liz, if you’d like to add protein powder, we suggest reducing the flour by 1/4 to 1/2 cup, and then adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of protein powder.
These sound great. I’m wondering if you could use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.
Hi Linda, yes you could use coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar.
Haven’t made just yet, but I’m wondering if I could substitute a flavorless oil or melted butter for the applesauce? I find that recipes that use applesauce instead of oil end up with very rubbery/chewy and not very satisfying cookies.
Hi Angie, yes you could use oil or melted butter in place of the applesauce. We suggest going down to 1/3 cup.