Double Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

I remember the days when your status in school was solidified or broken by what you pulled out of your lunchbox at noon. Dunkaroos and homemade crisp rice treats would give you an automatic 1Up in your particular clique, Arrowroots, bananas or - gasp - nothing for dessert found you at the bottom of the totem pole. My sister and I were relatively lucky in this respect, our (storebought) chocolate chip cookies earning us "middle of the road" status. But nothing was more coveted than brownies. Particularly, the two-bite morsels of fudgy goodness that were carefully doled out by parents in ones and twos, ensuring the bag would last the week.

It wasn't until highschool (when I had my own money) that Two Bite Brownies graced my plate (or palate... I doubt they ever made it to a plate) with any regularity. But the allure of the thick cookie-brownie amalgams was, and still is, strong. Since then, I've made my fair share of brownies (from cakey to fudgy) but still prefer the range of texture "brownie cookies" bring. The ones I'm sharing today are decadently fudgy and rich, with a hint of crispness on the bottom and on the craggy tops. They'd be a hit in anyone's lunchbox... kids' or parents'. But the best part? They're healthy too.

Now, now, don't look away. Come on... these chocolate-packed things are all sorts of delicious! You can make them and mow down the whole batch guilt ridden if you prefer, but for the rest of you I'll go into a bit more detail: first, they're a good deal lower in sugar than standard cookies thanks to the Truvia I used. They're mostly whole grain, made with my favourite cookie flour - oat - and are lower fat thanks to unsweetened applesauce. They've also got a hefty dose of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder, but the real secret to their moisture and tender chew is the addition of two finely shredded zucchinis. Hey, they work in muffins and bread, why not cookies too? Thanks to Chow Vida, I can't think of a chocolatier, more portable vehicle for a veggie!

Shared with Foodie Friday

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
Makes 30
2 medium zucchini, finely shredded and squeezed of excess liquid
1/2 cup applesauce
⅓ cup canola oil
1 tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 ½ tbsp dry Homemade Egg Replacer (or 2 eggs / egg replacers of your choice)
1 tsp salt
½ cup brown sugar
12 packets Truvia sweetener (or ½ cup sugar)
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. 
2. Combine the zucchini, applesauce, oil, agave and vanilla in a bowl.
3. Mix in the coffee, egg replacer, salt, brown sugar, sugar, flours, baking soda and cocoa. 
4. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Drop dollops of dough about the size of a golf ball onto a greased (or parchment lined) cookie sheet, about 1” apart. 
6. Leave mounded for thicker, cakier brownie-like cookies, or flatten them out for crisper cookies (I "dimpled" mine with damp fingertips for both textures).
7. Bake 10-12 minutes, (longer for unflattened, less for squished ones).

 Amount Per Serving
Calories: 101.8
Total Fat: 4.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 3.1 mg
Total Carbs: 17.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 1.6 g

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