Coconut Zucchini Cookies

Every summer, my parents plant a huge garden that produces way more vegetables than our family could possibly eat. They always give as many away of the extras as they can, but there comes a point when there are just too. many. squash. What's a person to do? Sure, you could make zucchini bread. But let's be honest: zucchini bread is just cake that we pretend is good for us. So why not use your zucchini to make cookies that you can pretend are good for you! 

These cookies are soft, chewy, and delicious. The coconut/chocolate chip flavor combo is absolutely mouthwatering. I dare you to eat just one. And, as an added bonus, it's a sneaky way to get your kids to eat something green! I've had self-proclaimed zucchini haters eat these cookies and love them, so they're sure to be a hit. 

Start by gathering your ingredients. This recipe only has a couple of items that might not be in your typical pantry: flaked coconut, coconut oil, and zucchini (obviously). If you don't have coconut oil, don't sweat it. You can substitute regular vegetable or canola oil and your cookies will still turn out beautifully, although the coconut flavor won't be as strong. Pro tip: if you do substitute vegetable oil, try adding cinnamon and white chocolate chips to the dough to spice things up a bit. Yum. 

Start by adding the flour, baking, soda, and salt to a small bowl. Either sift or use a whisk to combine. Set it aside for now; we'll get back to it once all of the wet ingredients come together. 

Prep your coconut oil by measuring it out into a microwave safe bowl, heating it until it melts (my microwave usually does it in about 30 seconds or less), and then cooling it to room temperature. Don't worry, it'll stay liquid. Then in a large bowl, mix together the sugars and the coconut oil. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. The dough will be very wet at this point. 

Now it gets magical. Add in that beautiful green goodness and stir until well combined. 

Slowly add in the dry ingredients that you mixed earlier (I told you we wouldn't forget about them!) and stir until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Your batter will still be pretty wet, but we're not done yet. 

It's time for the finishing touches. Stir in the oats, coconut, and chocolate chips until well combined. Now that looks more like cookie dough. If you feel the need to dig into it with a spoon at this point, well...I won't tell if you won't. 

Scoop out the dough using a 1-1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop (or just use a round 1 Tbsp measure) onto a cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 350° F oven for 10-12 minutes. They should be just starting to turn golden brown at the edges. 

After you take them out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack right away and let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container or tupperware for up to a few days or freeze for later. These cookies freeze beautifully and are almost more delicious straight from the freezer, so I highly recommend making a double batch and freezing the extras if you've got lots of zucchini to spare. 

Coconut Zucchini Cookies
Source: Two Peas & Their Pod                              Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup of flour (either all-purpose or white wheat)
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
4 Tbsp of coconut oil (melted then cooled to room temperature) OR vegetable oil
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 cup of grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
2 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of sweetened coconut flakes
3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Add the flour, baking, soda, and salt to a small bowl. Either sift or use a whisk to combine. Set aside for now. 

In a large bowl, mix together the sugars and the oil. Then add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the grated zucchini and stir until combined. 

Slowly add the dry ingredients you mixed earlier to the wet ingredients. Stir until just incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.  Then add the rolled oats, coconut, and chocolate chips, stirring just until evenly combined. 

Scoop out the cookie dough using a 1-1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop or a round 1 Tbsp measure onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 350° F oven for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are just starting to turn golden brown at the edges. Transfer immediately to a wire rack to cool. 

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container or tupperware up to a few days or freeze for later. 

Have you tried these cookies? Let me know what you think in the comment section below! Or you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or by email.