Sweet and tender, these Keto Zucchini Cookies are packed full of pecans and chocolate chips. Grain free and sugar free, it’s a healthy snack posing as a decadent dessert! This post is sponsored by ChocZero.
If keto zucchini bread and keto oatmeal cookies had a baby, it would look like these Keto Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies.
Just picture it. Tender keto cookies with an oatmeal-like consistency, studded with sugar free chocolate chips and… zucchini? I know it sounds out of place but trust me, it’s not. Not in the least!
And since we’re on a roll with keto zucchini recipes lately, I figured why not add some cookies to that list?
These are such a fun twist on classic keto chocolate chip cookies. You’ve got to try them!
Zucchini in cookies?
I think we’ve already established that zucchini is one of the most versatile keto ingredients. It’s great in savory recipes, of course, but it’s often used in baked goods as well.
So why not in cookies? I confess, such a thing wouldn’t have occurred to me without stumbling upon these cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction. And then it all fell into place for me. It made perfect sense!
Many recipes I consulted were oatmeal based. Since I already have the best keto oatmeal cookie recipe, and I’ve adapted it for keto butterscotch bars and keto pumpkin bars, why not use it for keto zucchini cookies too?
And of course I had to stir in plenty of keto friendly chocolate chips from ChocZero. They are the proverbial icing on the cake (or the chocolate on the cookie!).
How to make keto zucchini cookies
These cookies are a great way to shake up your keto cookie routine. They’re easy to make but they do take a bit of advance prep. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Prep the zucchini. As with most baked goods that include zucchini, you need to shred it, salt it, and drain it first. Let it drain for about an hour, then press out as much liquid as possible.
- Make the keto “oatmeal”. My trick for getting an oatmeal like texture is to grind shredded coconut and sliced almonds until they resemble oats. Works like a charm!
- Whisk the dry ingredients together. This includes the oatmeal, some additional almond flour and coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat the butter and sweetener. I really like Swerve Brown here as it gives it more of a zucchini bread/oatmeal cookie flavor. But granular would be fine too.
- Beat in the remaining ingredients. Add the egg first, as well as some vanilla extract, then beat in the squeezed zucchini. Finally add the dry ingredients.
- Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
- Shape the cookies by hand. Roll them into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter and place on the cookie sheet.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can replace the flaked coconut with another cup of sliced almonds. However, the coconut flour is pretty critical for the consistency of these bars. You will need to find another very dry, absorbent flour if you want to replace it.
Any granular sweetener will work, but please note that sweeteners like allulose and BochaSweet will make the cookies very soft and cake-like. I prefer erythritol based sweeteners in cookies.
Absolutely! Swap out the butter for some coconut oil or another dairy free butter replacement, and they will still be delicious.
We liked them so much that we didn’t even try to freeze any, but they should freeze nicely. Store them in a covered container in the freezer for up to two months.
That’s entirely up to you! They don’t add to the structure or consistency of the cookies, so if you don’t like them, feel free to leave them out.
These keto zucchini chocolate chip cookies are so tasty, you might be tempted to eat them for breakfast. You know I did! Delicious with a smear of peanut butter or my homemade Keto Nutella.
More delicious keto cookie recipes
- Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
- Dairy Free Keto Oreos
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Keto Thin Mints
- Chewy Ginger Cookies
Keto Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 medium-small zucchini about 175g
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup Swerve Brown lightly packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Finely grate the zucchini and place in a sieve in the sink. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, tossing to combine. Let drain 1 hour, then squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Combine the coconut and sliced almonds in a food processor and process until they resemble oat flakes. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and remaining salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, then beat in the squeezed zucchini.
- Add the flour mixture and beat until the dough comes together. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans by hand.
- Roll into 18 balls, each about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Set on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press down with the palm of your hand to 1 inch thick. They will spread a bit as they bake.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. They will still be very soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool completely on the pan.
Adrienne says
I thought they came out really good, but mine have a cooling aftertaste. Other than that, they’re an awesome cookie!
Shana says
I’m not sure why but my cookies never spread out during the baking. They were still really thick even after I pressed them down. Maybe too much zucchini? I didn’t weigh it but it was a medium size one:(. I also did half brown swerve and half regular swerve since I tan out of brown but didn’t think that would effect the consistency. Overall they still taste amazing!
Carolyn says
The sweetener wouldn’t affect it so I guess it’s the zucchini. Hard to say for sure.
Dawn Ballachino says
That was supposed to be a 5 star review!
Carolyn says
No worries, I will remove the rating on your other comment. I can’t change it to 5 stars, I can only remove it altogether. Thanks for letting me know!
Dawn Ballachino says
These cookies are insanely good!! These are a new staple! I followed the recipe except for cutting the portion size and cooking time a bit. Perfectly delicate and hearty at the same time! There’s not one thing I feel deprived of with a keto/low-carb lifestyle! Thank you!!
Amber says
These are ridiculously good! Every recipe i have made so far has been excellent! Can’t wait for next recipe!
Sylvia S. says
Hi Carolyn – These cookies are so delicious! Followed the recipe exactly and added chocolate chips on top of the cookies at the last two minutes of baking. They are crumbly but that’s what a plate is for. I will definitely make these on a regular basis. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Marilyn Caple says
Hello Carolyn—I have my zucchini draining for these amazing cookies…but now I am realizing that I only have shredded coconut—no flaked. Do you think I can use it with the sliced almonds? Maybe pulse the nuts in the food processor and then stir together with the shredded coconut? What do you think? These cookies sound amazing!!
Carolyn says
I would pulse the nuts and stir in the coconut.
Mary says
Can these be made dairy free by using avocado oil or coconut oil for the butter? Thank you.
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not… don’t do a liquid oil, it should be one that’s more solid like coconut oil. But they may not spread as well.
Diane Duft says
Is it baking powder, or baking soda
Carolyn says
Baking soda.
Martine says
Made this. The cookies are very good.
How would you store them to minimize the softening that occurs after they have sat around for a day or two,
Carolyn says
Since they contain zucchini, I don’t think you can avoid that but you can always re-warm them gently in the oven to make them less soft.
Stacey Gray says
Could we use pecan flour in place of almond flour?
Carolyn says
Absolutely! They will be darker and possibly more coarse because pecan flour includes the skins and is never quite as fine as almond.
Shirley says
these cookies sound delicious. I was wondering if you could tell us about how much squeezed zucchini you ended up with. Was it a cup or more??
Carolyn says
Honestly, I didn’t measure it. Just get it well squeezed and drained.
Shirley says
Thanks, but since I grow my own zucchini, I have no idea how much they weigh, so I don’t know whether I should use a half a cup of squeezed zucchini or 2 cups. I was hoping you could give me a general idea. I wasnt looking for an exact measure.
Carolyn says
A kitchen scale is a super useful and not very expensive investment. 🙂
Lily says
Can walnuts be used instead of almonds for the “oatmeal”
Carolyn says
You can try but they aren’t thinly sliced so I am not sure they will have the same oatmeal-esque consistency.
Martine says
Looking forward to trying this. There are these zucchini cookies that are sold at a nearby bakery which I like with coffee for breakfast. I hope these will be a good substitute.
I’ll report back once I make them.
BTW, you really should try to switch to using a scale for cooking. It’s soooo much easier. And it gives you so much confidence that you are following the recipe correctly. I just love it. And of course, most bloggers put both measures in their recipe so no one loses.
Carolyn says
My recipe actually includes metric conversion at the bottom of the ingredient list. Please look again.
Liz says
Move over zucchini bread! These are the perfect summer cookie!!!
Kim Beaulieu says
I cannot believe I have never thought of using zucchini in cookies. That’s such a great addition to a healthier cookie option. Love these!
Pamela says
In your notes you say to process shredded oatmeal, but in the ingredients you list flaked. I know from your other “oatmeal” recipes that it is flaked, but I thought you may want to change that. The Bob’s Ted Mill shredded coconut is vastly different from flaked.
Thanks for another great recipe coming our way!
Carolyn says
Follow the recipe, it’s pretty clear. I will go fix that…
Lisa Riedl says
Perfect way to use the bumper crop of zucchini in my garden!
Debra says
How important is the 2 tbsp coconut flour? I would love to make these today, but don’t have the coconut flour on hand. Can I substitute for anything else?
Carolyn says
Please read the FAQ section as I addressed that already.
Mary says
The ingredients say baking soda, the directions say baking powder. Just want to make sure I use the correct one. Can’t wait to make these!!! Thanks
Carolyn says
Thanks for the catch! it’s definitely soda!