Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies (gluten-free, refined sugar-free, oil-free, dairy-free option, vegan option)

These Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies are filled with plenty of good-for-you ingredients to start your day with, like oats, nuts, zucchini, and flax seed. Made to taste like Zucchini Bread, these cookies also have cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and some chocolate chips! 🙂

You’re probably here because you have extra zucchini, huh?

Either that or it just feels good to have a vegetable in your breakfast – and hey, what the heck, why not have some chocolate in there too for balance? 🙂

I’m WITH YOU. If I can squeeze some veggies in my breakfast I’m one happy gal, and I’m even happier if chocolate is involved. Both? YES, I’M SO THERE.

I had some extra zucchini AND I had a hankering for breakfast cookies recently. Add two and two together, and you get these beautiful Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies. I actually made these last year and almost totally forgot about them (whaaaat?!)… it’s been a busy year!

So, here I am now, ready in full force with the recipe for these healthy Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies. Gluten-free, refined sugar-free (sweetened naturally with honey instead of sugar), with a dairy-free option… and chocolate chips (if you desire!) these cookies are the real deal.

In case you’re wondering: My 3 year old got about half way through one when he realized there were “green things” in it. After telling him what the heck they were, he moved right along and finished his cookie.. and then asked for another.

I’m just saying – cookies for breakfast are breakfast magic to kids. Whether there’s “green things” in them or not! 😉

Now, onto the important questions:

Zucchini: To squeeze or not to squeeze?

Squeeze that zucchini, friends, to get the excess moisture out of it. It’s more reliable to use the same amount of liquids in a recipe, and remove most of the moisture in the zucchini, so I like to squeeze it out.

I put my zucchini in between two paper towels, or in a clean dish towel, and just lightly squeeze it. You don’t need to go crazy here, just get a majority of the moisture out. If you’re using paper towels, you may wanna squeeze it over the sink!

What’s the best nut butter to use in this recipe?

I recommend almond or cashew butters because they are the most “neutral” (aka boring) tasting nut butters. Peanut Butter will clearly give you an edge of peanut (hey, sounds tasty!).

Cashew butter is really the most neutral, but I tend to have more almond butter in my pantry so that’s what I use most. No need to get complicated here. You’ll want a nut butter that’s not too oily and drippy – if you have a really drippy nut butter then you may need to add a little more oat flour.

On the flip side, if your nut butter is really thick your cookie batter may be hard to stir, but your breakfast cookies will be just fine.

“Do I have to use ….?”

• Chocolate Chips? Nope, but I would recommend them 🙂 bonus points if you use dark chocolate chips (my fave!). You can also use dairy-free chocolate chips too!
• Nuts? No, but they do provide extra bulk and health benefits, so I do recommend them.
• Flax seed? Nope. You can use chia seed instead, if you prefer it, or you can just omit them from the recipe entirely. You can also reduce the amount from 1/4 cup to 2 tbsp.
• Oat flour? You can use all-purpose flour instead (gluten-free or not). Oat flour is not a must have, it’s just my preferred flour of choice.
• Egg? You can sub a flax egg to make these breakfast cookies vegan too! This will produce a little bit more of a soft cookie, though.

I like this breakfast cookie recipe because it’s loaded with fiber from the oats, flax seed and nuts – my favorite additions for one loaded, healthy cookie. With extra cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg and chocolate chips, these Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies are flat out delicious.

I hope you and your family enjoy these Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies as much as my family does. I mean, a cookie for breakfast?! The best! 🙂

Want other healthy, gluten-free breakfast cookie ideas? Check out my Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cookies (double the sweetness!), Peanut Butter Coconut Breakfast Cookies (sweet and salty!), or Chocolate Peppermint Breakfast Cookies (minty and sweet!).

5 from 4 votes

Print

Zucchini Bread Breakfast Cookies (gluten-free, refined sugar-free, oil-free, dairy-free option, vegan option)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

 

Servings: 15 cookies

Calories: 96 kcal

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup oat flour (certified gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup oats (certified gluten-free)
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup almond butter or cashew butter
• 3 tbsp honey (maple syrup, if vegan)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg (flax egg, if vegan)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free, if vegan or needed)
• 3/4 cup shredded zucchini (squeezed to remove excess water)

Instructions

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 375 and line a pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and stir them together (oat flour, oats, flax seed, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt).

3. In a small mixing bowl, add your wet ingredients and whisk them together till completely combined (nut butter, honey, vanilla, egg).

4. Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and stir them together till well combined. Add your zucchini and chocolate chips, and gently fold them into your cookie batter.

5. Scoop your cookies onto your pan, evenly spread apart, and then flatten the tops of each cookie gently (these cookies don't spread much). You can add a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie too if you'd like!

6. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or till the tops and edges of the cookies are set.

7. After cooling for about 15 minutes on the pan, remove the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely. Devour!

Recipe Notes

Store these cookies in the fridge and they will last about a week.