Ever wonder if you can use olive oil instead of butter in cookies? Well, these Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies prove that doing so gives you the chewiest textured cookies that still have great flavor.
When it comes to butter-free desserts, these cookies are at the top of my list! They’re rich with crackly tops, crispy edges, and pools of melty chocolate.
Plus, they require just one bowl, 8 simple ingredients, and less than 30 minutes to make. All attributes that, as a busy baker who doesn’t want to compromise on taste, I can truly appreciate!
These naturally dairy-free cookies use olive oil for a neutral base that allows the intricate flavors of brown sugar and chocolate to shine! P.S. if you love baking with olive oil, check out my ever-popular Olive Oil Brownies next!
Olive Oil Cookies Ingredient Highlights
Though I absolutely love butter in cookies, after testing these cookies with a varying amount of oil, I’ve discovered the use of olive oil results in a great-textured cookie that still has flavor when done right.
The olive oil has a higher fat content and less water and air than butter, which bakes into a uniquely dense cookie that results in a hearty, chewy bite.
Using classic extra-virgin olive oil in this cookie recipe will result in a cookie that has no olive oil flavor and relies on the brown sugar for all of its flavor.
If you want a subtle olive oil flavor in your cookies, you can use a robust olive oil which will give you a nice floral aftertaste that is associated with the oil.
I prefer light brown sugar and dark chocolate chips in this recipe, but dark brown sugar and milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips also work here.
How to Use Olive Oil in Chocolate Chip Cookies
My Favorite Cookie Dough without Butter
Like almost all of my cookie recipes, this one is designed to only get one bowl dirty! One-bowl recipes are so easy and convenient, but they do require a little bit of extra diligence in the order of when each ingredient is added to the bowl.
Start by adding the olive oil and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and using a hand mixer on high until they are just combined and there are no lumps of brown sugar. You may notice some olive oil leaching out, and that’s totally fine.
Note: Many cookie recipes will instruct you to cream the fat (in this case oil) and sugar together by beating them together for 3-5 minutes. We do not want to do that here- your cookies will be too tough. Simply combine them quickly with a hand mixer.
Add the egg and vanilla extract next and mix to combine. You may see some air bubbles forming here.
Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix one last time with the hand mixer to form a dough. Then, use a spatula to scrape down any dry ingredients left on the sides of the bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips.
If you want, you can keep a handful of chocolate chips out of the dough to press into the top of each cookie once they are shaped. You’ll overall have a dense, oily dough.
How to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies with Olive Oil Instead of Butter
I like to use a large cookie scoop to form my olive oil cookies, but you can also easily grab 4 tablespoons of dough and roll it between clean hands to make perfect dough balls.
Spread them out on a lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of room in between each cookie to allow for spreading.
Bake them for only 12 minutes if you want a softer, chewier cookie that has a somewhat gooey center fresh out of the oven.
If you want a firmer cookie with crispier edges, give the cookies 14 full minutes.
Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes to firm up before diving in. If you simply cannot wait (I feel you!), you may want to use a fork or spoon to eat the cookie as they are sometimes a little fragile when they’re straight out of the oven.
How I Store My Extra-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
I typically only bake as many cookies as I want and freeze the rest of the dough. That way, I can bake them fresh whenever the craving hits!
I just shape the cookie dough so that they’re ready to bake and store them like that for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag.
Then, I bake them straight out of the freezer, watching them closely and adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if needed.
As for leftover chocolate chip cookies made with olive oil that are already baked, I store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they’ll stay fresh for about 7 days.
Pro tip: To keep homemade cookies nice and chewy, you can store a piece of bread with them (perfect use for the end piece!). The bread creates a humid environment and keeps your cookies moist.
If you have already-baked cookies, you can freeze those, too, for up to a year!
Chewy Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Large Cookie Scoop optional
- Reusable Baking Mat optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil (*see notes)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips (I use dark)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet (I use an 18×26-inch) with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar and olive oil. Use a hand mixer on high until just combined and there are no clumps of sugar. You may see some oil separating from the sugar- that's expected!½ cup olive oil, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again to combine.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix to form a dough. Use a rubber spatula to integrate any dry ingredients that gets stuck to the sides of the bowl.1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- If you want to, keep a handful of chocolate chips out to press into the top of each cookie. Use the spatula to fold the rest of the chocolate chips into the dough.1 cup chocolate chips
- Use a large cookie scoop of 4 tablespoons of dough to form your cookies, placing up to 6 at a time on your lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. 12 minutes will give you softer cookies while 14 minutes will give you crispier edges– choose your own adventure! Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- *If you use a standard extra-virgin olive oil, you will likely not taste it at all in the baked cookie. If you want a subtle, floral aftertaste, use a high-quality robust olive oil.
- You can freeze excess cookie dough before baking it to give you fresh baked cookies every time when the craving hits! Just bake them as normal straight out of the freezer.
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