You’ll fall head over heels for these deliciously easy Olive Oil Brownies. Filled to the brim with chocolate, these dairy free brownies have a crispy, crinkly top and a super fudgy centre.
Best. Brownies. Ever.
You are going to LOVE these epic Olive Oil Brownies. Not only are they dairy free, but they’re delicious, with a seriously fudgy centre that’s packed with chocolate chips and a crispy, crackly top.
They’re chewy, gooey and all too sweet.
Sometime late last year I wrote on my recipe list, Olive Oil Brownies. And this week I decided to dive headfirst into the wonderful world of recipe testing brownies. So where do you start?
Well I knew I was looking for a brownie that had all the key elements of a regular brownie – a crispy top, chewy edges and perfectly fudgy centre. I also knew swapping out butter for olive oil would change things a bit but I wasn’t exactly sure how. So I started by making my tried and true One Bowl Cocoa Brownies, but subbed in olive oil for the butter.
The result (brownie 1) was ok but not quite right. While it had the signature crinkly top, it was all too fudgy (who knew that was a thing?). It tasted good but the texture was too wet and oily. So next, I reduced the sugar and eggs slightly and subbed in more cocoa to create a drier brownie.
The result (brownie 2) was delicious and super chocolatey but it had moved over into the cake category. I lost my crinkly top and the fudgy centre was much more like a thick, rich cake, than a brownie. I realised I had reduced the sugar too much, so for trial number 3, I added 1/4 cup of sugar back in (but still 1/4 cup less than brownie 1). I reduced the cocoa back to what it was for brownie 1 but kept the same amount of eggs.
Brownie 3 was very close to the Olive Oil Brownie I had dreamt about. It was fudgy, sweet, with a moist (but not too wet) texture. However, there was one problem. I had lost my signature crinkly brownie top. To me, that’s a key element of a brownie. It was then I realised I didn’t need to change the ingredients – they were on point – but rather the method.
Did you know that the crinkly top of a brownie is actually a thin layer of meringue made from the eggs? So instead of adding all the ingredients into one bowl and mixing them together. I whisked the eggs briefly separately before adding them to the batter. And that’s when we landed on brownie 4. The Winner.
They say that the best things in life are worth fighting for and sometimes when a recipe doesn’t work the first time, or the second time or the third time, it becomes a frustrating experience. But at the same time, when you finally land on that winning combination, it’s incredibly rewarding.
And that’s why I’m so excited to share these Olive Oil Brownies with you. They were worth fighting for because they’re an easy recipe to have on hand, you can make them for your dairy-free friends, and they’re seriously fudgy-licious.
Even if you can eat butter and have no reason to try these, I urge you to give them a go. I had my friend taste test them for me and she couldn’t even tell they had no butter. They boast a soft and sweet texture and the olive oil adds moisture. They honestly rival any of my regular butter-laden brownie recipes.
Made with only a handful of ingredients (all of which you probably have sitting in your pantry – go look) they’re the perfect go-to brownie when you neeeeeeeed something sweet or you have friends just ‘popping in’. #winwin
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PinDescription
Fudgy Olive Oil Brownies that are also dairy free.
Ingredients
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) plain flour
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (360 F). Line an 8 inch square baking tin with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil, vanilla and sugars and mix briefly.
- In a separate bowl, add eggs and whisk with a fork for approximately 30 seconds or until combined.
- Add eggs to sugar mixture, along with cocoa powder, flour and chocolate chips. Gently mix with a spoon or spatula to combine. Pour into prepared tin.
- Bake for approximately 28-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly before removing from pan. They will firm up as they cool. Serve with ice cream or cream.
Notes
*Use dairy free chocolate chips if you want to make this recipe dairy free.
To serve the next day, warm brownie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 168
Keywords: Olive Oil Brownies, Dairy free brownies, Easy brownies
Just made it! Sooo good! 🙂 Thank You for your amazing and easy to make recipes!
★★★★★
Aww love hearing that Liene! So glad you enjoyed them!!
Hi. If I use around 200-250 grams of only brown sugar for this recipe instead of both white and brown, will the brownies be more chewy?
Hello! That would be fine! Yes it may alter the texture slightly. White sugar can help add a crispy crust but should still be delicious!
This is the first time I’ve weighed ingredients even though I knew it was the most accurate method. The brownies turned out fantastic. I’m now an official convert to weighing ingredients:-)
★★★★★
Hi Debra, I’m so glad you loved these! And I’m excited to hear you’re converted to weighing ingredients! It’ll serve you well in the long run!!
Hi! I was wondering if the cacao powder is sweetened? Or is it the no sugar kind?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Maria, just use regular unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.
Hi Jessica,
I’m making the recipe right now, but I was wondering if there was a typo in the amount of grams of either the cocoa powder or the flour?
I mesured both the cocoa and the flour using cups (1/2 cup of each), but when I weighed it using my kitchen scale, I got approximately 70g of both ingredients. Therefore, I was wondering which amount is correct then, 1/2 cup of each or 40g of cocoa and 70g of flour?
Thank you,
Paul.
P.S.: Using an online converter from grams to cups first, and then my own scale and cups, I noticed that 40g of cocoa powder is about 1/3 cup. So maybe it is indeed a typo, I’m waiting for your response! ^-^
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment. Different cup measurements can be confusing as they can vary in different countries and even different brands – not to mention different ingredients. I recommend always going with the gram measurements when baking. When I use my cup measurements, 1/2 cup of cocoa powder is 40 grams. Hope that helps! Let me know how you go.
Hi again,
I did some experiments with different ingredients, measuring them in cups and grams, and I couldn’t believe how many differences I got in my results.
Finally, I took the decision to go with grams for your recipe, and the brownies just came out of the oven and they are absolutely PER-FECT! So fudgy and delicious, I would recommend this recipe 100%!
Best regards,
Paul.
P.S.: Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna pour a big glass of milk and try not to eat the entire pan all by myself! d:
★★★★★
I know, isn’t it crazy? I’m so glad the brownies turned out well Paul! Enjoy!! And thank you for trying one of my recipes.
What brand of olive oil did you use? Extra virgin? Thanks!
Yes I usually do!
These are absolutely amazing!! Made them to share with a friend and we loved them. Easy to make, baked well (I didn’t have an 8×8 square pan and used a round pan instead, which was absolutely fine) and worked very well with the King Arthur brand Gluten Free flour blend, for those with multiple allergies.
Tasting note: using a nice quality Spanish olive oil with a high quality dutch processed cocoa powder really brought out the fruity elements of the chocolate’s flavor profile. Winning flavor combo!
★★★★★
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed them!
Very nice
★★★★★
Glad you liked them!
Absolutely on the mark..The taste was amazing , right texture and flavour
★★★★★
Awesome! So glad you liked them Shaleena!