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.
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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
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let’s Bake
Olive Oil Brownies
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, sifted
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 75 grams (1/2 cup) chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line an 8-inch square pan 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 whipped cream.
Notes
*Chocolate chips: Use dairy free chocolate chips if you want to make this recipe dairy free.
Serving: To serve the next day, warm brownie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Neil says
I’ve made this now a few times using normal vegetable oil instead of olive oil; a really good easy recipe to follow. I usually reduce the cooking time a little bit as I like gooey brownies. This week I added three mashed up baked sweet potatoes for added nutrition. Delicious.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Neil!
Ally says
Can I do this one gluten free?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Ally, I haven’t tried this one with a gluten free flour so I’m not sure. But you might like to try my Gluten Free Brownie recipe.
Eric Dover says
Not my cup of tea. Dry with funky taste.
Jessica Holmes says
Sorry to hear that Eric! The ‘funky taste’ could be from the olive oil you used. I recommend trying a mild or light tasting olive oil if you can. Also, if the brownies were dry, it usually comes down to over-measuring the flour and/or cocoa or simply over-baking them. I hope that helps!
Jennifer says
Wow, wow, wow! These brownies were delicious! My only modification was that I used my immersion blender on the eggs, rather than whipping them by hand. So darn good. No way to know that there was no butter in them.
Jessica Holmes says
Wow! Love that Jennifer!
C.Calder says
This is a great recipe! My go to brownie recipe. Thanks!
Jessica Holmes says
YAY! Love hearing that!
Melisa Dumas says
Hi! I made these tonight with freshly milled einkorn flour and they turned out great! I might try cutting down on the sugar a bit next time because I’m not a huge sugarholic. I also threw in a small handful of chopped walnuts. So good! Thank you for the recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Melissa!
Dolores says
I love these! The perfect brownie, crinckly top, chewy inside, everyone in my house loves them! <3
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So happy to hear that Dolores!
Jen says
hi jess! i absolutely love the brownies, thank you! just that the height of my brownie was a little low although i used an 8 inch square pan. If i want to increase the height, do I just multiply according? Looking to increase by 1/3 the height or 1/2. Is there anything i should take note? thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jen, I’m so glad you enjoyed these! You could definitely play around with the quantities, although I can’t guarantee the results.
JEN says
Thank you! If I want a bigger batch, can I just double/ triple the portions? Thanks!
Jessica Holmes says
Yes that should work Jen!
Celia Perez Mourin says
Excellent, have made them 3 times and they worked every time. Yummm
Jessica Holmes says
That’s so wonderful to hear Celia!
anwesha says
i made the brownies and they were wee really good i cut down the sugar a bit and used an egg alternative as i was giving it to someone who couldnt have dairy oreggs the texture was a bit sticky but i think it is because i used an egg alternative -thanks for the recipe<3
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad they worked well for you! Thank you for the feedback re: the egg alternative also!
Ellie Kushnir says
I made everyone loved them
Jessica Holmes says
Hooray! So happy to hear that Ellie!