Walnut Zucchini Cookies: A healthier Cookie Alternative
Our family loves to eat cookies! These walnut zucchini cookies are a healthier cookie alternative. This recipe substitutes white sugar, which is void of nutritional value, with coconut palm sugar to provide a hint of butterscotch or caramel flavors, along with either applesauce or ripe bananas for extra sweetness and moistness.
To make this recipe vegan, you may substitute the two eggs for flax egg, an extra medium banana, or 1/2 cup extra applesauce. To make a flax egg mixture, stir two tablespoons of ground flax seed with five tablespoons of water. Once combined, let the mixture sit for five minutes before adding to rest of the ingredients. Although my husband and I are not vegan, we occasionally like to explore healthier vegan options.
I used certified gluten free oat flour to make this recipe gluten free. I added both walnuts and chocolate chips to this zucchini cookies recipe for added texture and sweetness. I hope your family enjoys this healthier cookie alternative as much as our family.
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped zucchini (patted dry)
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce OR 2 ripe bananas
- 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs (see substitutions above)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups quick oats
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup flour (I used oat flour)
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Mix the zucchini, sugar, applesauce, melted coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix the oats, flour, flax seed, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Slowly combine the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Scoop the cookies onto a baking sheet, (I always line my sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup), about 2-3 tablespoons. Flatten the cookie into the shape you desire them to be.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a rack before eating or storing. The cookies will last for three days in room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, and two months in the freezer. This recipe will yield about two dozen cookies.