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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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.
Megan says
This Is my second time making these! First one I didn’t have any choc chips and they still tasted good! This time i added them, even better!
Jessica Holmes says
Fabulous! So glad you like them Megan!
Sumaiyah says
Hi, thank you for this. Does it have to be olive oil or could I use sunflower oil?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, I haven’t tried myself but I’m sure it would be good too.
Angela says
Wow wow wow!!
I made these yesterday and now there’s only 2 left!! So so yummy! Great recipe, thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that! Thanks for the kind feedback Angela!
Dini says
hi, can i make this brownies with extra virgin olive oil?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes Dino!
eilidh says
how long do the brownies keep for? PS I LOVE THEM
Jessica Holmes says
Aw so glad you like them! They’ll keep well for 3-4 days!
Fiona Ford says
Hi Jess, you talk about ‘brown sugar’ but I’m not sure which type you use: soft brown sugar (light or dark?) muscovado or demerara? It would be good to know your preferred sugar.
Thanks,
Fiona
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Fiona, great question! Here in Australia, we have one main type of brown sugar but I think it’s most akin to light brown sugar in other countries. But either light or brown would work in this recipe!
Tanya says
Can I use white chocolate instead of normal ?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tried but it will change the outcome due to the make-up and sweetness of white chocolate.
Audrey says
These brownies are so good, I baked them last night and 30 minutes later, my boyfriend and I had already eaten half of it. Oh, also… I even had a little square with my coffee this morning. I must say I added a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors, but that’s ll! A truly great recipe. Thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Aww love that Audrey! Thank you for the kind feedback!
Julie Grant says
Hi Jess
I see you olive oil but you don’t say if its extra virgin? Help!!!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Julie, yes extra virgin is ok!
Myiesha Manzoor says
I don’t know what to say yet bc they are baking in the oven as I write this but for one thing the batter is very sugary is it soposed to be very sugary? Like not the same techture as other recipes I use
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, yes they have quite a bit of sugar in them as they are brownies! Hope you enjoy them.
layana says
ok I am ver very confused it say 70 grams of flour and then it said 1/2 cup how is 1/2 = 70 grams? That doesn’t make any sense because 1/2 cup is 125 grams!.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Layana, flour should be measured with a light hand – spooning the flour into the cup measurement and then smoothing the top. For me, that equals 70 grams. If you’re worried, I recommend going with the gram measurements.
Mars says
I absolutely adore all your recipes
Jessica Holmes says
Thank you so much!
Valentia says
Hi may I ask how come my brownies didn’t rise? Since there is no baking powder / soda in the recipe. But yours looked like it was able to rise? Thank you! It tasted good just that the brownies didn’t rise:(
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Valentina, none of the brownie recipes on my website have a raising agent in them. It helps to keep them fudgy and not turn into cake!
Mary says
I found this recipe to make for a friend who has dairy issues, and I agree with a lot of the other posts-these are legitimately good brownies with easy to find ingredients and are very easy to make! I added a pinch of salt to mine, and my husband commented on how they may be some of the best brownies he’s ever had. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Thank you so much Mary! Your comment just made my day!
Nyla Bower says
Hiya, can i substitute the sugar for honey or syrup?
Jessica Holmes says
I haven’t tried so I can’t say – sorry!
Lora says
Really great brownies. I did add walnuts and due to having a little sour cream, I used it for 50% of the oil. They turned out delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh amazing, thanks Lora!