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Soft-Baked Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

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These soft-baked zucchini cookies with cream cheese frosting are thick, pillowy, and secretly full of vegetables. The tangy cream cheese frosting balances the warm cinnamon and brown sugar perfectly, making them a crowd-pleaser that disappears fast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. Wash the zucchini and trim off the ends. Using a box grater, shred the zucchini until you have about 1 ½ cups loosely packed. Place the shredded zucchini in the center of a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and twist tightly over the sink. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, packed light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  5. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
  6. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the squeezed, shredded zucchini into the cookie dough until evenly distributed.
  8. Using a cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon, drop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops look set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter together with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  11. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Start mixing on low speed, then increase to medium and beat until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
  12. Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on top of each one. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

Do not skip squeezing the zucchini dry, as excess moisture will make the cookies flat and soggy. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Let cookies cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Can be frozen frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini cookies, soft-baked cookies, cream cheese frosting, vegetable dessert, easy cookie recipe, zucchini dessert, hidden vegetable cookies

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