Foodie Friday Zucchini and Cranberry Cookies

UPDATED FOR HALLOWEEN: Zucchini cookies become MONSTER Cookies!

This recipe came from a dessert pot luck we recently attended.  If you're familiar with a regular "pot luck dinner", it's the same concept but only with sweets.  It sounds like a good idea, but I strongly suggest pacing yourself and skip a meal or two before you embark on a smorgasbord of guilty delights.

Now, I'm not saying these cookies are healthy, but just let me point out they are zucchini cookies, after all, and they contain dried cranberries.  Draw your own conclusions and enjoy.

I made these with totally dairy-free ingredients due to a friend who is very allergic to dairy.  Even the glaze is made without milk.  Be careful when turning to margarine as a butter substitute. I was shocked to see more than one brand that did not list any dairy in the ingredients list but, under all the ingredients noted: "Contains milk."

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ZUCCHINI COOKIES with Dried Cranberries (prep. time about 30 minutes. Makes between 30 and 40 cookies depending on the size of the spoon you choose.)

½ C. (1 stick) softened margarine (or unsalted butter)

½ C. light brown sugar

½ C. granulated sugar

1 tsp, vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 C. granulated zucchini (about a half medium-sized zucchini)

2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

2/3 C. dried cranberries

Glaze:

1/2 C confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

enough water (or milk) to make a thin glaze to drizzle over cooled cookies

Preheat oven to 350. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater.  (I experimented with the smaller grate and it produced too much water coming out of the vegetable.) In a large mixing bowl, cream together the soften margarine (or butter) with the sugars.  Add vanilla and egg. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt so the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.  On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine well. On low to medium speed, mix in dried cranberries.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper to avoid sticking. Drop by spoonful on cookie sheet. Bake 350 about 10 minutes, turning the cookie sheet partway through baking and moving the first sheet to the top shelf when putting the next sheet pan in.

Cookies are done when they are just golden brown on top.

Allow cookies to cool completely before drizzling with glaze.

(For a bit of fun at Halloween, color the glaze with green food coloring and apply in a thicker band to be able to press sugar eyes into the wet glaze.  You can dip a dried cranberry in glaze to glue it below the eyes as a little red mouth!)