There is a lady at my church who knows exactly how to beat cancer.
She is dealing with her second round of cancer right now and, humanly speaking, it is a miracle she is still alive. While I don’t know her well, I feel honoured to know her at all, and hope if I ever face similar circumstances I cope with even half the grace she does.
Every time she physically can be, she is at church or Bible Study with a ready smile for others, dressed impeccably in beautiful bright colours, open, honest, and hopeful. Cancer may have taken her voice, her hair, her energy, and much else, but it has not dampened her light and her will to live. That, to me, is what beating cancer is all about.
But what does this sweet lady have to do with these cookies?
Well, she and her husband planted a garden and, as any gardener of zucchini will tell you, when those things get out of hand they are overwhelming, even when you don’t have cancer to fight at the same time. They were pawning these curly beauties off on anyone who would take them, and my mother-in-law brought enough home to share. They swear these are zucchini, but I’ve never seen a zucchini that looked like these!
Well, what to do with these mysterious squashes (squashi? just squash?) Obviously your first thought would be cookies, right? Oh good, mine too.
My mom passed on a recipe I make every year for Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake that is one of my absolute favourite cakes, but I can’t really eat a whole cake by myself allll the time, so a cookie sized portion seemed like a really good idea.
These are a more cakey cookie than some of my usual super-chewy faves, but they are still soft and moist, and super chocolatey. This is a great way to use up a bit of zucchini besides the usual muffins and loaves and savoury dishes. I liked these best cold, so I recommend storing them in the fridge or freezer. My kids ate these happily even when they noticed the zucchini, so if you think you can taste it I promise you can’t! Every bit of vegetables in a day counts, right?
Have a great weekend, friends!
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp butter (1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp), melted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup shredded zucchini
- ¾ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a second bowl, beat melted butter with cocoa and sugars (it will be quite grainy). Add yogurt and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Mix in dry ingredients just until combined, then stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Drop by tablespoon-sized balls onto prepared baking sheet, flattening balls slightly with damp hands as they don't spread much during baking. Bake for 10 mins, until just set. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Store in airtight container.
I love a cookie that I can feel good about eating! I’m putting this recipe in a safe place for next zucchini season!
Indeed, what a wonderful brave woman – hoping her all the best!
These cookies look amazing, I love seeing those colored specks in the cookies from the zucchini.
These sound SO wonderful and what a great use of zucchini. And sending all the best vibes for the woman fighting cancer at your church – she sounds like such an inspiration!
Chocolate zucchini cake is one of my favorites, so I’m sure that I would have no problem polishing off a batch of these cookies!
Sounds like a brave, wonderful lady. :)