Mmmyeah. I’m going to need a potluck or party invitation ASAP or I’m going to continue to wash these babies down with Diet Dr. Pepper one-by-one at home all alone, and nobody wants to see that happen.
That is to say, break out the giant stash of zucchini everyone seems to have laying around this time of year, bake a batch of moist, decadent (yet surprisingly healthy!) Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Icing, then find someone to share ‘em with. They are soohoho amazing!
These babies taste just like zucchini bread, but come in a mini, poppable size, and are made with a fraction of the butter and sugar. They remind me of the dinky doozies (mini cookie frosting sandwiches, basically) my best friend I used to get from the Great American Cookie shop at the mall in 6th grade, except I baked them in my PJs last weekend vs ordering them at the counter while waiting for my Mom to pick us up in her minivan, wearing overall jorts with a multi-colored braided belt, round glasses, puffy bangs, and pink socks with Keds. Awkward!
Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pies get placed in the healthier dessert category not only for incorporating shredded zucchini and heart healthy old fashioned oats into the batter, but also for replacing lots of butter with unsweetened applesauce. This is a summery dessert you can feel good about enjoying.
Make these sweet treats for your friends, family, office, party, or potluck. I guarantee there won’t be any left, and nobody will believe they’re healthy(ish)!
Start the Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pies by making the zucchini bread cookies, which are moist and chewy. YUM! First add 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room temperature butter into a large mixing bowl.
Next add 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (that’s one snack pack for those of you who have kids and/or husbands that love applesauce but will only eat it if it comes in individual-sized portions.) Applesauce is a GREAT swap for butter/oil in baking recipes. I use it all the time!
Next add 1/3 cup each brown and regular sugar then beat for 2 minutes. FYI – your mixture will not be light and fluffy like a traditional cookie dough, because of the applesauce.
Next add 1 egg then beat, followed by 1/2 teaspoon vanilla then beat again. Add a mixture of flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in two batches, then beat some more!
Now for zee ingredient du jour – zucchini! Grate 1 medium-sized zucchini on the small side of a box grater. If you don’t have a box grater, I highly recommend getting one. Ben got me this bad boy a couple years ago (did I just call a box grater a bad boy?) and I use it all. the. time. I bet you could get one for under $10 at Bed, Bath & Beyond with their 20% off coupon, which always seem to be littering the house and car until you actually need one and then they’re nowhere to be found. AmIright?
Place the shreds into a cloth napkin or towel, squeeze out the excess moisture, then measure out 1 cup zucchini shreds and add them to the bowl.
Squeezing out the excess moisture ensures we have a moist, but not soggy, cookie.
Finally, mix in 1 cup old fashioned oats then place the dough into the fridge to firm up for one hour.
Once the dough is firm enough to hold its shape, scoop by the Tablespoon onto baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes, or until the tops are set. Let ‘em cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, whip up the insanely decadent whoopie pie filling, aka cream cheese frosting. WHOOOPIE! Ahem! Sorry. Simply whip together 2 Tablespoons butter with 4oz softened 1/3 less fat cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Scoop the icing into a piping or ziplock bag, then snip the corner off.
Pipe the frosting onto one half of the cooled zucchini bread cookies (make sure they’re all the way cooled or the icing will just melt!) then pop the tops on.
Raise your hand if you think the combo of zucchini, oatmeal, and applesauce in these babies practically qualifies them as health food! 
Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pies
Makes 18 whoopie pies
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature (must be room temp!)
1/2 cup (4oz) unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely grated zucchini (squeezed of excess moisture then measured)
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup flour
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the icing:
2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature (must be room temp!)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
- Combine butter, applesauce, and sugars in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes (mixture won’t be light and fluffy – it’s ok.) Add egg then beat to combine. Add vanilla then beat to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing well between each batch. Add zucchini and mix to combine then add oatmeal and mix to combine. Cover bowl then place in the refrigerator for one hour, or until dough holds it’s shape when scooped.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop 1 Tablespoon dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets then bake for 10 minutes, or until set on top. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the icing: While the cookies are cooling, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scoop into a piping or ziplock bag, snip off the corner, then pipe onto half the cooled cookies and top with the other half. Store whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge.
I dare you to try and resist the sweet, decadent flavor of a Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pie. It just won’t happen!
Ooey, chewy, moist, and gooey. Whoopie!
holy recipe, woman!! I’m practically drooling on my keyboard. yum.
How great would these be with a few cups of coffee? Yum! They look so great. Just pinned these to make soon!!! PS ~ LOVE your recipes and your photos…. beautiful blog!
I seriously read through this blog post this evening and was like, “yes… this is what I want for dinner!!” We might be taking a trip to the grocery!
Umm…I would be careful labeling this as Healthy(ish), especially with the Diet Dr. Pepper promotion. The zucchini is the ONLY healthy ingredient but when you add sugar, brown sugar, non-grass fed butter, cream cheese (with or without the fat), more butter and more sugar…the yummy & nutritious veggie loses it’s natural benefit. Although I’m sure they are tasty “treats”, I cannot raise my hand.
The sentence was very tongue in cheek and when compared to a slice of chocolate cake for instance, a zucchini bread cookie whoopie pie has much less butter, sugar, and fat!
They are also great portion control, which is key for healthy eating, IMO. Can’t wait to try them.
She said “healthy-ish” and it is completely moderate in it’s unhealthy ingredients compared to cake, mousse, or many other desserts. She meant it as a healthier dessert–not a swap for your vegetable side at dinner! I think you need to relax a little.
Looks like someone lost their sense of humor. Of course the reference to “healthy” was tongue-in-cheeck.
keep the zucchini recipes coming! i have an abundance from my garden this week!
I have been obsessing over this Cheesy Zucchini Rice recipe! http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/06/28/cheesy-zucchini-rice/
Overall jorts!!!!! Hahahaha!!! I SO remember!
Oh my! I really don’t like whoopie pies because I’m not the biggest chocolate cake fan but these are a whole new ball game! Goodness they look dangerous!
Yum! I love zucchini bread with cream cheese – these look awesome!
Those are the cutest little things ever. I have been craving zucchini bread like crazy…..I think I NEED these now.
My husband & I literally just had a conversation about applesauce that went a little bit like this:
Husband: “I ate all of the applesauce.”
Me: “I buy those individually packaged because they’re great for butter swaps when baking.”
Husband: “Maybe you should start buying it by the jar for me.”
Me: “Sounds like it.”
Husband: “Acutally, I really like the individuals.”
Oh, husbands…
Bahahaha – classic! Could literally be word for word with Ben and me!
Kristin, you take some of the best food photography pictures ever– like no joke! I’m drooling on my keyboard..
Also, I can kind of relate to your husband about the single-serving containers for applesauce. It just seems so much better than scooping applesauce into a little cup/bowl!
i dont know why but lately i have been SERIOUSLY craving whoopie pies.. i guess things could be worse… but honestly WHYYYY you have me drooling… but fun fact, you could make these even a small bit healthier by totally swapping the white flour for wheat… some people say the two aren’t totally interchangeable but i did an experiment for one of my food science courses and made a batch of regular choco-chip cookies and (muahahaha) whole wheat ones! all of my friends and fam being my little tests rats, blindly and honestly preferred the whole wheat
I have a monster zucchini sitting around that I wasn’t sure what to do with, thank you for giving me the perfect solution! These look so good.
Hello perfect dessert. *I’m raising my hand!* Anything that has a vegetable, fruit, and whole grain in it must be healthy, right? Right?! We’re going to go with a big YES!
OK Seriously???!!! I mean I love ALL your recipes, but this one makes me want to go out and buy all the ingredients RIGHT NOW and make them immediately. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
Oh and your pictures look more AMAZING every time you post – you are seriously such a great food photographer. I need to remember to look at your blog more for food shooting photo ideas – so creative and such great photos!
O can’t wait to make these!! Best use of zucchini I have seen in a long time! And thanks for making a healthier whoopie pie! Pinned this one!
I love zucchini bread, but would’ve never ever thought of making whoopie pies! Definitely going to try this!
Such an interesting idea to make a nutritios sweat little treat, which looks so pretty! Just have to make up a vegan frosting alternative and than I have to try to make this as party present or to bring to barbecues.
Yum!!! Brilliant and delicious, as usual
These will definitely be making an appearance at my daughter’s birthday party Sunday – feel free to stop by and enjoy them with an ice cold Dr. Pepper =D
Looks So Good. <3
Whoppie is right! Cannot WAIT to try these! I’m so excited to have a good oven to use soon so I can actually make these awesome (oven required) recipes of yours! The oven I have now always bakes the outside too fast and not the inside no matter what temperature it’s at…it might have something to do with the ancient age of the oven ha
These look really good, but I don’t like Oats. Do you have a suggestion for a replacement for the Oats?
By the way, every recipe of yours that I have tried has been delicious!
These look amazing. Wish it was gluten free!
Just swap in a cup of Better Batter (or your favorite GF flour) and you’re set!
And GF oats, too!
I just had my first whoopie pie about a month ago, and umm, where have they been all my life?
These look so good!
Wow! These look absolutely scrumptious! I can’t wait to try out this whoopie pie recipe. Even better, it looks super easy! Thanks for sharing!
Totally a health food!
Semi-healthy dessert?? Sign me up! I also like swapping applesauce for butter in recipes. I do think the applesauce, oatmeal and zucchini make this healthier than your average dessert.
These will probably be on my friday finds this week! Thanks for sharing!
I made these tonight and they are FANTASTIC!! My husband loves them, I love them, and I know my kids will go nuts for them tomorrow, if there are any left by morning!
. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Yay! Glad you guys liked them!!
[...] would eat so many of these zucchini bread whoopie pies! [...]
these are adorable! and I’m totally craving one right now…love you photos – as always!
Great recipe! This will come in handy later this year for my Holiday Catering. I plan to do a Wine Pairing for it
Nice shot of the Pampered Chef Spreader (former PC Consultant).
Mmm, i made these last night and just had one for dessert-lunch. They are awesome! Thank you!
[...] love. I have recreated a ton of her recipes and they always turn out great. As soon as I saw her Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pies, I knew I just had to try them [...]
Wow! I just made these, but used the filling, as a frosting, and added some shredded coconut into the batter. Man, are they delicious, and yes, I am putting this on the health food list! YUM!
Okay, my cookies didn’t rise they the picture? What did I do wrong? They still tasted good!
Oh no! Hmm, did you add both the baking soda and baking powder to the batter? Is it possible one of them could have been old?
[...] found this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats. It makes approximately 18 whoopie [...]
[...] Zucchini Bread Cookie Whoopie Pies: Iowa Girl Eats [...]