You’ll fall head over heels for these deliciously easy Olive Oil Brownies. Made without butter, these fudgy dairy-free brownies can ready to eat in under 1 hour. No electric mixer needed.
Quick Look Olive Oil Brownies
- ⏱ Prep time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total time: 50 minutes
- 🍪 Serving: 12 brownies
- 🍂 Flavour profile: Soft and fudgy with a rich chocolate flavour.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy
- ❤️ Why we love them: No electric mixer, super fast to make, kids can help – and they stay moist for days.
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Best. Brownies. Ever. You’re going to LOVE these amazing Olive Oil Brownies. Not only are they dairy-free, but they’re delicious, with a seriously fudgy centre.
Just like my favourite Olive Oil Chocolate Cake recipe, olive oil keeps these brownies soft and moist. Despite being made without butter or melted chocolate, they’re filled with cocoa powder and chocolate chips and are still full of chocolate flavour.
I love to make these when I’m craving something chocolatey but I don’t have a block of chocolate in the house and can’t make my classic Homemade Brownies. They’re chewy, gooey and all too sweet.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy: Made with just a bowl and spoon, this Olive Oil Brownie recipe is simplicity at its best. No electric mixer or fancy equipment needed.
- Basic ingredients: This recipe uses only pantry staples, including cocoa powder instead of a block of chocolate. Great for those days when you crave chocolate but don’t have any in the house – or butter either.
- Moist for days: Since these brownies have oil in them instead of butter, they stay moist and soft.
Excellent, have made them 3 times and they worked every time. Yum!
– Celia (reader)
Recipe testing
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.
I was looking for a brownie that had all the key elements of a regular brownie – a crispy top, chewy edges and a fudgy centre. So I started by making my tried and true One Bowl Cocoa Brownies, but subbed in olive oil for butter.
The result (brownie 1) was too fudgy 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 but it moved over into the cake category. I lost my crinkly top and the fudgy centre was much more like a thick, rich cake. So for test 3, I added a little more sugar back in and reduced the cocoa powder.
Brownie 3 was very close to my perfect Olive Oil Brownie. It was fudgy, sweet with a moist (but not too wet) texture. However, there was one problem. I had lost my signature crispy, crackly top. It was then I realised I didn’t need to change the ingredients but rather the method.
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.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of pantry staples to make Olive Oil Brownies from scratch. Here’s a quick breakdown of everything you need, including any substitutions you can make.
- Olive oil: I recommend using a mild olive oil for this recipe. If you don’t have any olive oil, you can use other flavourless oil like vegetable oil, grapeseed oil or even coconut oil.
- Sugars: This recipe uses both caster sugar and brown sugar. If you don’t have caster sugar, you can use granulated sugar.
- Eggs: You will need three eggs to make these brownies. If you want an egg-free brownie recipe, try my Vegan Brownies.
- Plain flour: You will need plain flour or all purpose flour for this recipe. Because we want these brownies to be fudgy, they do not have any raising agent in them.
- Cocoa powder: These brownies rely on cocoa powder for their chocolate flavour. You can use natural cocoa powder or Dutch processed cocoa powder. I also love to dust the top with extra cocoa powder too.
- Chocolate chips: To make these brownies extra fudgy, I love to add in chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
See the recipe card below for the full list and quantities of ingredients.
How to make Olive Oil Brownies
Olive Oil Brownies couldn’t be easier to make. You only need to mix the ingredients together using a bowl and a whisk – so easy! See below my step-by-step photos and instructions for making brownies from scratch.
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Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil, vanilla and sugars. Whisk together until combined.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, adds the eggs. Whisk the eggs briefly with a fork or hand whisk.
Step 3: Add eggs to olive oil mixture and whisk until combined and smooth.
Step 4: Add cocoa, flour and salt. Whisk or stir until smooth and combined.
Step 5: Stir through chocolate chips.
Step 6: Pour brownie batter into prepared pan and gently smooth it out into one even layer.
Step 7: Bake brownie for 28-30 minutes until it no longer wobbles in the middle. Dust cooled brownie with cocoa powder.
See recipe card below for full method and baking instructions.
Storage instructions
Storage: You can keep Olive Oil Brownies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. To enjoy them warm, reheat brownies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Freezer instructions: You can also freeze brownies. Simply cover them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. To serve, thaw them at room temperature or reheat in the microwave in short bursts until warm and fudgy again.
Olive Oil Brownie FAQs
Yes! You can use this recipe but use any mild or flavourless oil you like. I like to use a mild olive oil or grapeseed oil which are fairly tasteless. Vegetable oil will work as well. You could also try my Coconut Oil Brownies.
Yes you can. I find they add a little more chocolate flavour and moistness, but the brownies are still lovely without.
Yes. These brownies don’t have any butter in them. Just be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips to make them truly dairy-free. If you are looking for an egg-free brownie, try my Vegan Brownie recipe.
Unlike cake, my brownies are designed to be dense and fudgy. To achieve this texture. I don’t use any raising agents like baking soda or baking powder in my Olive Oil Brownie recipe.
Jessica’s EXPERT tips
Try not to over-bake your brownie. The more you bake it, the less fudgy it will be. You’ll know it’s ready when it no longer wobbles or appears wet. If you insert a skewer into the centre and it has a few moist crumbs attached, it’s ready.
More brownie recipes to try
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok 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) mild 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, plus extra for decorating
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 80 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, whisk together the olive oil, vanilla, caster sugar and brown sugar until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the eggs. Whisk with a fork or a hand whisk for approximately 30 seconds, just to break up the yolks.
- Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and briefly whisk to combine. Then add the cocoa powder, flour and salt. Finally, stir through the chocolate chips.
- Transfer brownie batter into prepared tin. Bake for approximately 28-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave brownies to cool slightly before gently removing from the pan. They will firm up as they cool.
- Dust brownies with cocoa powder. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Olive oil: I recommend using a mild olive oil for this recipe. If you don’t have any olive oil, you can use other flavourless oil like vegetable oil, grapeseed oil or even coconut oil.
Cocoa powder: You can use natural cocoa powder or Dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe.
Chocolate chips: Use dairy free chocolate chips if you want to make this recipe dairy free.
Storage: You can keep Olive Oil Brownies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. To enjoy them warm, reheat brownies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Freezer instructions: You can also freeze brownies. Simply cover them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. To serve, thaw them at room temperature or reheat in the microwave in short bursts until warm and fudgy again.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1 brownie Calories: 178 Sugar: 17.6 g Sodium: 15.6 mg Fat: 9.7 g Carbohydrates: 22.8 g Protein: 2.4 g Cholesterol: 34.9 mg
JODI says
These brownies turned out so delicious I’m making them again and wondering if chia egg would work instead of regular eggs?
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Jodi! I haven’t tried with a chia egg so I can’t say I’m sorry.
Stephanie says
Can you leave out the chocolate chips and use dark brown sugar instead of light
Jessica Holmes says
Yes and yes! Hope you enjoy them Stephanie!
Emily says
Might be the best brownies I’ve ever made. Delicious. Thank you!!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So happy to hear that Emily!
Charlotte says
Hi,
Are these UK or US measurements??
Thanks x
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Charlotte, are you referring to the cup measurements? I’ve used American cups, so 1 cup = 240 ml. Hope that helps!
Kat says
YUM!! I made these and they were the best! Super easy and SUPER FUDGY! I followed the recipe exactly but I added a pinch of salt, and I sprinkled some salt and extra chocolate chips on top after 20 minutes of baking. Mine baked for 28 minutes and turned out PERFECT!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them Kat!
Sarah says
I had no butter and I wanted to make brownies for my colleagues & they absolutely LOVED! They were such a treat, thanks x
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that!
Leah Satorsky says
Delicious, used EVOO and it didn’t overpower chocolate at all. Took
out right at 30 minutes and they were soft but cooked through. Super tasty!
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! Love hearing that Leah!
Sara Edwards says
I try a lot of brownie recipes and this one was just not nice. Texture was good but they didn’t taste good, even the kids rejected them. Shame.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Sara, I’m glad the recipe worked for you, but sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the taste. The quality and flavour of your olive oil can effect the bake, so make sure you use a good quality, mild tasting oil.
Laundrylily says
Recipe gets you to cook them too long so over baked and not squishy like a brownie shouldbr
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, please use cooking times are a guide only as every oven is different. If your oven runs hot or you prefer them more gooey, just bake them for a few minutes less.
Randi Hofmann says
Very good.
Not too sweet just right.
I like to frost my brownies but with these being so moist they really didn’t need it.
Will make these again.
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Randi!
Grace says
Hello, these look perfect for my dairy free family. Could this recipe be doubled for a 9×13 pan? Any changes if I do so?
Thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Grace, that should be fine! I hope you enjoy them!
isa says
they didn’t exactly taste like brownies should (i guess i’m a butter girl at heart) but since i didn’t have any butter around, this recipe at least allowed me to satisfy my craving.
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks for your feedback Isa.
Stephanie says
I recently discovered your website and have been on cloud 9! I made these amazing Olive Oil Brownies last night and Oh. My. Goodness. DE-LICIOUS. Not only were they super easy to make, they are moist, full of chocolatey goodness, and the crinkle top is perfect. My son and hubby couldn’t keep their hands off them. These will be a regular in our house! Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes- now to decide which one to make next!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh love hearing that Stephanie! I’m so glad you found me! And so happy you and your family enjoyed these brownies x
Bev says
Tried this recipe today. Oh my soul! Delicious!! Thank you! Can I freeze these brownies?….
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So glad you loved them Bev! And yes you can freeze them.
Annette says
I want to make these but do not have chocolate chips do you think they would be chocolaty enough without the chips or choukd I add more coco powder?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Annette, these brownies are still delicious without the chocolate chips. I don’t recommend adding any more cocoa powder or they’ll be too bitter.
Natalie says
Awesome and super easy! I just started baking with my toddler & this recipe was fun and a breeze. Not to mention the taste was amazing! I replaced the olive oil with avocado oil and it was just as rich and tasty. Topped one half with walnuts for myself and my husband and the other half for the kiddos. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh love hearing that Natalie! So glad you and your fam enjoyed them!
Vivi says
Hi, Jessica ~
If I wanted to reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe, what percentage of the suggested 240 grams (or 1-1/4 cups) would you advise me to use without adversely affecting the results?
Thank you so much for posting this wonderful-sounding olive-oil brownie recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Vivi, perhaps you could reduce it to 1 cup? Sugar adds moisture and flavour (not just sweetness), and also helps create that signature crinkly top. Any less and you might start to compromise the final result. I do hope you enjoy them!