Hidden Veggie Cookies (Vegan, Allergy Friendly)
These hidden veggie cookies are a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet! Not to mention, they are delicious!
Now I know you might be reading this and thinking, “Ew, vegetable cookies?”. Well, actually, adding vegetables to sweet dishes is not that uncommon! I’m sure you’ve heard about carrot cake, zucchini bread, or sweet potato brownies. This recipe takes that concept to a whole new level: it features THREE hidden veggies and a whole lot of flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These hidden veggie cookies are deliciously thick and fudgy. Trust me, once you try them, you’ll be making these all the time!
- If you’re looking for a way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, this recipe is a great place to start.
- I think we have all been in a situation when we have some leftover zucchini, and a half a bag bag of spinach starting to wilt. Don’t let your veggies go to waste! Make these hidden veggie cookies instead.
- While the premise of this recipe sounds… unusual, the ingredient list is full of affordable produce and common pantry items.
- These cookies are like chocolate brownies, but in cookie form. Complete with chocolate chips, and way more healthy than regular brownies!
- These cookies are nut-free, soy-free, and can be adapted to be gluten-free!
How to Make This Recipe
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients: zucchini, carrot, spinach, apple sauce, flax egg and maple syrup. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, oats, salt and baking soda. Mix the wet with the dry until you have a batter with consistent texture all the way through. Carefully fold in the chocolate chips.
Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, create 8-10 even cookies on your baking sheet. These will not spread far, so make sure you press them down into a flat cookie shape before placing the baking sheet in the oven.
Bake for 12 minutes, until your cookies are slightly firm. Remove from the oven, and allow to set for at least 10 minutes before eating.
Hack It!
- Would this work with gluten-free flour? You best alternative is oat flour! It will help you create the same fudgy texture without the overly starchy aftertaste.
- If you don’t have any carrots left, another great vegetable to incorporate into these cookies are beets. Make sure to use cooked beets to keep the texture soft and fudgy.
- As a Canadian, I always give preference to maple syrup as my sweetener of choice. However, feel free to substitute it for date syrup or agave.
- You can customize your hidden veggie cookies by topping them with nuts, seeds, or freeze-dried berries.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies
- Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese
- Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Brownies
When I started my journey as a plant-based blogger, my main goal was to help people eat more plants! Since then, I have created hundreds of recipes. Thanks to the positive response from the plant-based community, I have been able to bring you the PlantYou Planner: a digital meal planner platform that allows you to take control of your weekly menu. All of the recipes are simple, beginner-friendly, and compliant with WFPB lifestyle. In addition to the whooping 600+ recipes in the planner, you can enjoy 140+ recipes in the PlantYou Cookbook! Plant-based living has never been easier!
The Recipe: Hidden Veggie Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ medium zucchini, finely grated
- ½ carrot, finely grated
- 1 cup spinach, finely diced
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds, mixed with 2 tbsp water to create a "flax egg"
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, vegan
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients: zucchini, carrot, spinach, apple sauce, flax egg and maple syrup. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, oats, salt and baking soda. Mix the wet with the dry until you have a batter with consistent texture all the way through. Carefully fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, create 8-10 even cookies on your baking sheet. These will not spread far, so make sure you press them down into a flat cookie shape before placing the baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until your cookies are slightly firm. Remove from the oven, and allow to set for at least 10 minutes before eating.
How much zucchini (cups) is 3/4 of a medium zucchini?
It would be around 1 cup!