March 12, 2010 | Desserts
Sometimes I get great ideas that somehow just don’t work out the way I planned. My savory dishes usually work out great – I might need to add a little of this or a pinch of that, reduce it a bit, thin it out, or season it. But usually the dishes turn out tasty. Not so with baking – you can’t just wing it, or as I did in this recipe, adjust 10 different things from another recipe, and expect it to turn out perfect on the first try. I wasn’t going to post this recipe, but then I figured some of you more accomplished bakers might steer me in the right direction for a future batch.
I started with a recipe from the new farm cookbook I worked on. I’m on a mission to use up what’s left in my freezer from the farm before the next harvest starts, and I found several bags of shredded frozen zucchini that were calling for something different than my traditional zucchini bread. Problem is, I’m still trying to lose a few pounds before heading off to binge on Italian food for 3 weeks, so I decided to adjust the recipe. Light butter instead of full fat butter. Whole wheat flour for most of the white flour. Splenda to replace 2/3 of the sugar. Some diced prunes instead of the specified raisins. And a little whole oats…well, I can’t recall why I put them in there.
I mixed everyting together and achieved something of a cross between the consistency of cookie dough and zucchini bread, so then got the hair-brained idea to spread it out on a silicone baking mat to make a giant cookie that I would slice into bars. Well, it cooked, I was able to cut the large square (with a pizza cutter), and they actually taste pretty darn good. But they have a bit of an odd texture, most likely from the combination of whole wheat flour, not enough fat, and little “melting” action from real sugar. So here’s your chance – remake my recipe, keeping it healthy please, and tell me what you would do differently. My waistline and I both thank you.
Zucchini Cookies
Makes about 2-3 dozen1 cup Splenda
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light butter
2 large eggs
1-2 cups shredded zucchini*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup diced dried plums (prunes)
1/2 cup whole oatsCombine butter, Splenda and sugar just until smooth, beat in the eggs, and then add vanilla extract and zucchini*. Combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then add slowly to wet ingredients until mixed together. Add chocolate chips, plums, and oats and continue to stir together until well combined. Spread evenly onto a silicone baking liner and bake at 375 degrees for 12-18 minutes, until cookies seem cooked, but not overly dark. Let cool before cutting into squares with a pizza cutter or knife.
*I actually used zucchini that was shredded and then thawed out. The original quantity was about 3-4 cups of shredded zucchini, but after thawing and squeezing out the excess liquid (essential) it measured about 1 cup. I’m not sure how the moisture content of freshly grated zucchini would affect the outcome.
I know excatly what you are talking about! I have a freezer full of goodness that I have to use up before I can plant anything! (I don’t think that’s going to happen seeming I just planted peas) Anyway, I do have some grated zucchini that I need to use up and this looks like a great way to do it! Thanks. BTW I have a fantastic light recipe for a double chocolate zucchini cake at http://danazia.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/zillions-and-zillions-of-zucchini-revisited/
what i like about italian food is the tomato sauce and pasta;”`