Zucchini cookies are cookies that contain shredded zucchini in addition to traditional cookie ingredients such as sugar, butter, flour and chocolate chips. People make zucchini cookies for a variety of reasons, such as their need to use up excess zucchini, they like the taste, or they like to add a healthy ingredient to their cookies. Zucchini cookies generally bake up as more of a cake-like cookie than a crispy one, in part because of the moisture content in the shredded zucchini.
A variety of ingredients are used in zucchini cookies. Although the base cookie recipe usually is a chocolate chip cookie recipe, it is not necessary for chocolate to be added to the cookies. In addition to the sugar, butter, flour, eggs and baking powder that might make up a basic cookie recipe, cinnamon, shredded zucchini and chocolate chips are often added to zucchini cookie recipes. The zucchini adds a delicately sweet flavor to the cookie and is balanced well by the chocolate and cinnamon.
One common problem with zucchini cookies is that zucchini has a high moisture content, meaning that it has the potential to create an undesirable cookie. To avoid a slimy cookie, bakers can place the shredded zucchini pieces into a strainer suspended over a bowl for 30 minutes. This allows moisture to drain from the zucchini. To draw more water out of the vegetable, bakers might choose to mix the zucchini with a bit of sugar. This also helps further sweeten the zucchini.
Many people find that zucchini cookies taste good at a variety of temperatures. Fresh from the oven, the cookies have a crispy outside and a soft and warm inside with melted chocolate chips. At room temperature, these cookies are tasty as well, because the flavors have had a chance to meld. Many people think that these cookies also are good frozen, meaning individuals can bake a large batch of cookies to use up the zucchini on hand and freeze the cookies for later use.
Other ingredients, such as oatmeal or nuts, might be added to zucchini cookies to create a different texture. If oatmeal is added to the cookies, it should be uncooked and added sparingly. Too many oats might overpower the texture and taste of the cookies. A variety of nuts can be added to the recipe, but many people find that walnuts or pecans bring out the best texture and flavor in zucchini cookies.