Zucchini + Lemons = Fabulous Grown-Up Cookies

Zucchini and lemons? You must be thinking to yourself, "what a weird combination?" I thought so too but was inpired to make these cookies from the September issue of Everyday Food magazine. It's an interesting and unusual mix of flavors that I was eager to try, and lo and behold, they turned out yummy and were super easy to make.

I loved how the zucchini provided great color to the cookies but it was very mild, offering only a slight hint of earthiness. The lemon was definitely more pronounced and I loved biting into this cookie, savoring its chewy consistency and bright, refreshing flavors. I call it a summery, grown-up cookie. Sharing them with friends, Dan and Crystal, they were impressed and surprised by how much they loved this unusual treat. Here's how you make it:

Lemon-Zucchini Cornmeal Cookies (Makes 25 cookies)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon packed finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup of fine cornmeal
1 medium zucchini, grated on small holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Add flour and cornmeal and mix until mixture is crumbly. Add zucchini and stir until thick dough forms.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are light golden brown at edges, 25-30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on wire racks.