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Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a great way to use fresh zucchini! Pillow-soft cookies filled with zucchini and cinnamon and topped with whipped cream cheese frosting and a dusting of nutmeg…this is one really delicious cookie!

Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Since we have an abundance of zucchini right now I decided to make a special treat with them and whip up a batch of Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting. They are so good! Very easy to make with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, these cookies might just be your new favorite.

Don’t miss these other great recipes that use zucchini: Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries | Cranberry Lemon Zucchini Bread | Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make the Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the printable recipe card):

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Ginger
  • Unsalted butter – these cookies need very little salt, so unsalted butter is best for the cookies. If you would rather use salted butter, just cut the added salt down to 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar
  • Egg
  • Vanilla extract
  • Fresh zucchini
  • Cream cheese – use full-fat cream cheese for the best results. For a lower fat alternative, try Neufchatel cheese which is very similar to cream cheese but contains less fat.
  • Powdered sugar
ingredients to make Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

How to Make Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

  • I started by grating my zucchini so it would be ready when I needed to add it to the cookie batter. Use the fine side of the grater for smaller pieces of zucchini.
grating zucchini to make cookies
  • Next, whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside. Add the butter and sugars to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract just until combined, then add half of the flour mixture and stir well.
  • Gently mix in the zucchini just until incorporated, then stir in the remaining flour mixture.
whipping zucchini into cookie batter
  • The batter will be soft and easy to scoop with a cookie scoop.
zucchini cookie batter
  • Scoop the batter onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Leave at least 2-3 inches between each cookie because they will spread a lot!
  • Bake the cookies at 375ºF for 10-12 minutes until set. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
freshly baked cookies on a wire cooling rack
  • In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated.
  • Frost the completely cooled cookies with the cream cheese icing.
frosting cookies with cream cheese icing
  • Dust the top of each cookie with a very small amount of ground nutmeg, or a nice sprinkle of ground cinnamon. In this case I used ground cinnamon and therefore was able to add a little more to the top of each cookie than I would have if I was using nutmeg which tends to have a stronger flavor.
Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting on a wire cooling rack

How to Store Leftovers

Keep the leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may want to place waxed paper or parchment paper between the layers so the cookies don’t stick together. The cookies will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days.

These cookies can also be frozen in zip top freezer bags for up to three months.

Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

More Recipes You’ll Love!

5 from 17 votes

Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Zucchini Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are a great way to use fresh zucchini! Pillow-soft cookies filled with zucchini and cinnamon and topped with whipped cream cheese frosting and a dusting of nutmeg–this is one really delicious cookie!
Servings: 16
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 32 minutes

Ingredients
  

Cookies

Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 375F.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well.
  • With an electric mixer on low speed, mix half of the dry ingredient mixture into the batter. Fold in the zucchini, then blend in the remaining dry ingredients.
  • Scoop the batter onto cookie sheets covered with waxed paper or lined with a silicon baking mat. Leave 2-3 inches between each cookie as they will spread.
  • Bake the cookies at 375F for 10-12 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Frost the cookies generously with the cream cheese frosting. Add a very light sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 143mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 538IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

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