Whip up a batch of these Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies to tuck into lunch boxes or for a quick and healthy breakfast on the go. They are quick and easy to make and come out soft, lightly sweetened and delicious!
Healthy zucchini cookies
Raise your hand if you’re always looking for easy and healthy snack options for the kids… That don’t come out of a package. But these Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies? They are really saving my butt this summer, with three hungry kids to feed.
- The cookie dough is so incredibly easy to make – just throw everything into a bowl and stir until fully mixed. Even my toddler can help with this recipe!
- The cookies are full of healthy ingredients like oats, zucchini and applesauce. They are sweetened with honey and do not taste overly sweet – although you are welcome to add a few tablespoons of sugar to the recipe if you prefer a sweeter breakfast cookie.
- The soft texture of the cookies makes them perfect for younger children, too. They are not crunchy, more like a cross between a soft oatmeal cookie and a muffin top. My children (aged 2, 4 and 6) all go crazy for them! I do chop the walnuts very finely when I give the cookies to my youngest, though.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Oats: Yes, I know it’s a lot of different oat types… But the cookies do really get the best texture from using both old fashioned and rolled (or quick-cooking) oats.
- If you only have old fashioned oats on hand, I highly recommend to slowly pulse some of them 3-5 times in a food processor to create your own 1.5 cups of “quick cooking oats”.
- If you only have quick cooking oats on hand, you will need to add around ¼ – ⅓ cup extra to the dough, otherwise it will come out too wet.
- The oat flour is made by simply blending oats into a powder – use a high-power blender, a food processor or even a strong immersion blender for this. You can also purchase oat flour at some stores. Feel free to use whole wheat flour instead if you prefer.
- Ground flax: I highly recommend sticking to ground golden flax for the best taste/texture. Chia seeds work, too.
- Honey: I recommend a mild, runny honey for best results.
- Walnuts: Feel free to leave out the nuts, or substitute chopped pecans if you prefer.
How to make zucchini breakfast cookies
Start by shredding and squeezing the zucchini. You may be wondering if it’s necessary to really squeeze it…
Fellow moms in the thick of the early years: I know every little step can feel like an overwhelming mountain. But yes, you have to squeeze the excess water out of the shredded zucchini, or you’ll end up with soggy cookies.
How to shred and squeeze zucchini:
shred zucchini place in clean towel squeeze extra liquid measure after squeezing
Then, stir all ingredients together, scoop 2-tablespoon sized cookies on a lined cookie sheet and lightly flatten/shape them into rounds about ½ – ⅔ inches thick and 2 – 2.5 inches in diameter.
combine dry ingredients place wet ingredients on top combine into cookie dough and scoop cookies flatten and shape with back of spoon
Bake at 360°F for 12-14 minutes, until tops look dry. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe tips
- if you don’t have any oat flour and don’t want to bother with making your own, you can use regular whole wheat flour instead
- instead of the zucchini, you can use grated apple or carrot. Add 1 extra tablespoon of oil if using carrots.
- try adding mini chocolate chips in place of the nuts for an extra treat!
Storage tips
On the counter: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
In the freezer: Place the cookies in a freezer friendly bag or container, label with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months). To defrost, remove the cookies from the container and place on a rack on the counter for 1-2 hours.
My favorite kitchen tools
(These are affiliate links and I earn a commission for purchases made after clicking through.)
Box grater: My Microplane box grater makes it super easy to shred any fruit and veggies in seconds – one of my most loved kitchen tools.See which one I have here on Amazon!
Silicone baking mats: I’ve been using Silpat mats for years now (and I still have the same ones after over 4 years!) and love them because I don’t need to use a new sheet or baking parchment every time I bake something. Click here to order Silpat mats on Amazon – just make sure you’re picking the right size!
Cookie scoop: I love using a cookie scoop for even and mess-free cookies! I have a cookie scoop similar to this one on Amazon!
Watch the recipe video
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies
Recipe details
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup oat flour OR whole wheat flour OR ground grain of your choice
- ¼ cup ground golden flax OR chia seeds
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- 4 tablespoons oil OR melted butter OR melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded zucchini excess moisture squeezed out (measured after squeezing)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 360°F. Line two cookie sheets.
- Make cookie dough: Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add all wet ingredients on top and stir together until cookie dough forms.
- Shape cookies: Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon sized cookies, place spaced 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheets. Slightly flatten and shape cookies into rounds about ½ – ⅔ inches thick and 2 – 2½ inches in diameter (they will not change during baking).
- Bake: Bake cookies, one batch at a time, for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Do not skip squeezing the zucchini, else your cookies will turn out too soggy.
- If you only have old fashioned oats on hand, I highly recommend to slowly pulse some of them 3-5 times in a food processor to create your own 1.5 cups of “quick cooking oats”.
- If you only have quick cooking oats on hand, you will need to add around ¼ – ⅓ cup extra to the dough, otherwise it will come out too wet.
- The oat flour is made by simply blending oats into a powder – use a high-power blender, a food processor or even a strong immersion blender for this. You can also purchase oat flour at some stores. Feel free to use whole wheat flour instead if you prefer.
- This recipe is lightly sweet. For sweeter cookies, add 4-6 tablespoons granulated sugar or light brown sugar.
- If cookies need to be gluten free for dietary reasons, please check all of your ingredients to ensure they are certified gluten free – especially your oats! (do not use whole wheat flour as a substitute if gluten free)
Nutrition
More recipe information
Recipe first published on 07/13/2019. Updated with new photos, better text and slight improvements to recipe on 06/07/2021.
Josie E says
I’m not one to return to a recipe…because they are not normally this good…. And WOW! These cookies are amazing!! Thank you so much.
Brie says
Delicious and can feel very good about eating!
Katie-Lynn says
I love reading how customizable these cookies are. I am allergic to egg and normally sub with flax egg or applesauce but not sure where to go with it since those are both already in the cookie. Has anyone made these and substituted the egg?
Nora says
Katie-Lynn, I’m fairly sure some readers have made these without the egg. Personally, I would just add a flax egg in addition to the flax in the recipe. Or try chia, if you have that. Hope this helps!
Ami says
Made these today and they are delicious!
Kori says
I added dried cranberries and they added a nice layer of flavor!
Kristi says
These were delicious!! I’m glad I didn’t read about adding extra sweetness until after I had already made them. I LOVE sweet things so I probably would have done it without having tasted the original recipe first. They don’t need the extra sugar, and that way, when I eat 4 of them in a sitting, I can feel a bit less guilty 😜. The only “change” I made (not really a change since the recipe does call for an oil) was to use extra light olive oil. Yay- another way to use up my garden’s zucchini!
Tammy says
I made these tonight and they are good.
they’re cookie-ish. all the healthy flavors of a granola bar with a cookie texture. they’re hearty, they “stick to your ribs” like a big bowl of oatmeal. perfect for a grab and go breakfast or afternoon snack.
I made a couple adjustments after reading through the comments.
1- I added about 1/4 C brown sugar. not enough to make it sweet as a traditionsl cookie, but sweeter than the original recipe. if you like honey or maple syrup I think that would work too but i wanted a more neutral flavored sweetness. I might try using chopped dates next time instead of the brown sugar.
2- i added about 1/3 C craisins. they added a pop of random sweetness which was nice.
the batter was initially wetter than I expected. but the oats absorbed the liquid and they cooked and set perfectly.
Paula says
I made these and added dried cranberries to some and mini chocolate chips to others. I also had to use part maple syrup because my honey had crystallized. They turned out very good though and I feel they are a healthy, yet tasty snack for breakfast or any time of the day! Thank you for a great recipe!?
Nora says
That sounds delicious, Paula!
Oksana says
What can I substitute for the applesauce?
Nora says
Mashed banana works just fine, Oksana!
Heather Witt says
Sooo… I TOTALLY missed the flour… I though, gee, this is a bit runny so added some to my last bit. But they are still really good!
Nora says
This has definitely happened to me before, Heather! Glad you managed to save them in the end!
Jessica says
Thanks for the great recipe! Have you ever froze it?
Nora says
Yes I have, Jessica – they freeze great for up to 3 months in freezer bags or freezer-friendly containers. I usually flash-freeze on a baking sheet until the cookies are solid, then transfer them to a bag or container – that way they don’t freeze together and can be taken out/defrosted individually. To defrost I usually just place them on a cooling rack on the counter for a few hours (the rack allows for any moisture from defrosting to escape, vs yielding gummy/soggy cookie bottoms). You can also warm them in the microwave. Hope this helps!
Leslie Pennington says
How well do these hold up for travel? I’m gluten intolerant and on a medical weight loss program so looking for something like this that would work.
Nora says
They hold up great for travel, Leslie! My kids take them with them in their lunch box all the time, and we’ve brought them on a road trip before.
Kelly Tinder says
Are there any substitutes for the oil/butter? I don’t like to use either if possible. Thx!
Nora says
Kelly, I know some readers have used applesauce and liked it as a substitute. It does yield more of a muffin-top texture though, but the flavor is supposedly still great.
Teesa says
Can I substitute maple syrup for the honey?
Nora says
Yes, absolutely!
Jaimie says
Solid recipe – quick – and easy!
Didn’t have whole wheat flour so did 3/4 white flour
Dusted 1/4tsp of brown sugar on top with a dark chocolate chip in the middle for some extra sweetness. So I took the healthy level down a notch haha
Nora says
Sounds great with the slightly reduced healthfulness, Jaimie 😉
Karen says
Yummy! Now, I normally dislike when people list all the changes they made, but—-
I had no vanilla, so I subbed orange zest, and I added coconut and cranberries. Sooooo good,
Nora says
Sounds fantastic, Karen!
Paulette Joan Adams says
Are these Gluten Free ?
Nora says
I’m not a medical professional and this is not medical advice, it’s only knowledge I’ve gathered from teaching home economics with celiac children in my groups.
The recipe can be made without glutenous ingredients for gluten-avoiding people who tolerate oats. I know not everybody who relies on a gluten free diet tolerates oats, but if you do and choose certified gluten free oats (AND make sure all of the other ingredients you’re adding are also gluten-free; eg use only certified gluten-free oats and gf flour, NOT wheat flour), the cookies would then not contain any ingredients with gluten. But it’s your responsibility to know what you tolerate, and to make sure you are not adding ingredients containing gluten (oats specifically must be labelled gluten free because regular oats can be contaminated with gluten due to the location where they are grown and where they are processed).
If you want to surprise someone who relies on a gluten-free diet with cookies, I would strongly recommend to ask about their specific needs first, and if they have a specific medical indication I would probably not risk it and instead bring the recipe and bake together with them because they know best how to keep themselves safe. Hope this helps!
Cari says
Mine came out too dry, too bland, not yummy. Needed much cinnamon, fat, salt, and sweet bits. Wish I’d made traditional oatmeal raisin cookies
Nora says
Just venturing a guess here, Cari, but if you wanted the taste of traditional oatmeal raising cookies… Maybe a healthy breakfast cookie wasn’t the right choice?
Vickie says
Love these cookies! I made a few tweaks to fit my preferences. Cookies and fruit and I have breakfast! Thanks for the recipe!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Vickie!
Claudia Jimenez says
Just made these cookies. They are delicious! I added semisweet chocolate chips to add a little more sweetness and turned our delish.
Thanks for the recipe.
Nora says
I love the addition of chocolate chips, Claudia!
Andrew Brown says
Delicious.t
Nora says
I’m so glad, Andrew!
Gayle says
Honestly I absolutely love these cookies for breakfast. They are filling, and I doubled the recipe and frozen them. Tastes great with my morning coffee!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Gayle!