Lemon Zucchini Cornmeal Bites

When my salon, A New Beginning, asked if I would provide a complimentary treat for customers I immediately jumped at the chance. Special thank you to my stylist Karen for recommending me.

So, what to make that wouldn't need to be refrigerated, that would go with coffee and tea, and would still be somewhat healthy? Well, the gigantic zucchini plants in my garden gave me an idea. Zucchini are in season (the onslaught of forearm-sized zucchini officially has begun in my garden) and who couldn't use another good zucchini recipe. Plus, zucchini work so well in a variety ways: bread, muffins, cookies, even brownies!

I pulled out my stack of inspiration recipes and found the perfect one from an old Martha Stewart Food clipping. Of course, I've made my own small tweaks to the original.

Photo by Renato Ghio

Lemon Zucchini Cornmeal Bites

adapted from Martha Stewart, Food Aug 2010

Yields about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup medium grind cornmeal
• 1 cup freshly grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar, 1 teaspoon course salt (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat over to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Stir in the vanilla, lemon zest and salt.
4. Add the flour and cornmeal and mix until it's crumbly.
5. Add the grated zucchini until it forms a thick dough.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Place small (less than a tablespoon) rounded mounds of dough.
8. Flatten out the rounds and sprinkle a little turbinado sugar and a hint of course salt on top.
9. Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Rotate the baking sheets half way through.
10. Let the "bites" cool completely on wire racks ... if you can wait that long!

The original recipe used one cup of sugar which I thought made them a little too sweet. It also called for fine ground cornmeal. I prefer to use medium grind because I love the added texture it provides and to me that's what makes them "bites" rather than regular ol' cookies.

I would love to further play with the recipe and substitute honey or maple syrup for the sugar. If any of you do, let me know how it goes and what other adjustments you made to the recipe.