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
Watch how to make it
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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
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) plain 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 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.
Rohit says
Great stuff I ll try it
Anika says
Really enjoyed this & loved that you don’t need an electric beater/lots of mixing! I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil and was a bit worried about the taste but I added a little extra vanilla and I couldn’t taste the oil.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Anika!
Nicky Bourgerie says
Hi, I’m now vegan and really trying to perfect the perfect brownie, how do you achieve this crispy top, fudgy brownie without eggs?
Would love your advice please
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Nicky, try my Vegan Brownie recipe if you’re looking for an egg free brownie.
Mimi says
These brownies are so good I used vegetable oil instead as I ran out of olive oil and they were still so good. I have made them twice now and they are so quick and easy to make. My mum loves them too ! Thanks for the recipe !!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Mimi!
Arika A says
I made these for a ladies movie night and everyone loved them! I ended up having to cook them for 35 minutes, and they were still very gooey and sticky when they came out. That didn’t bother us, and we just used a spoon to serve them. Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Arika!
Maithili says
Hi Jess,
Can’t wait to try this. Also I tried your brownie cookies yesterday – made half the recipe as when I try a new recipe I like to half it so incase it doesn’t come out well for whatever reason, there is minimal wastage! What a hit it was – in fact baking some again this afternoon to take to my sister’s house this evening.
Regarding these brownies – I am not a fan of too much sugar so if I were to reduce the sugar by say 25/30g, would it alter the outcome? Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you. Best,
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Maithili, so happy to hear you enjoyed my Brownie Cookie recipe! Reducing the sugar by that small amount should be ok in this recipe, but keep in mind the sugar helps to create that crinkly top. Hope you enjoy them!
Nishanth says
I love these brownies, i made it for my dad for Fathers Day and he loved them!
Jessica Holmes says
Love that!
Clem says
Wow. Absolutely delightful!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Clem!
Laura says
Perfect! My new go to brownie recipe for when I’m out of butter.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love it!
Vanessa says
Made this last night and these brownies came out great! I didn’t have white sugar so I subbed coconut sugar. I used 120 grams coconut and 120 grams brown sugar. This switch did not dry out the brownies. I also added some extra vanilla, cinnamon, and espresso powder. Used cacao powder instead since I didn’t have regular cocoa powder on hand.
I was wondering if you have any experience with baking with avocado oil? Would the ratio be the same as olive oil in dessert recipes?
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Vanessa! Thank you for your lovely feedback. I haven’t tested this recipe with avocado oil so I can’t say I’m sorry.
DENISE ALMEIDA says
does the knife have to come out clean? I always knew I had to leave with pieces of the dough … your brownie was amazing!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Denise, yes the skewer should be pretty clean, perhaps with just a few small crumbs attached to it.
Sharon Fonger says
Love your presentation, excellent!
Also, love the recipe and will try as soon as our heat wave passes.
NOTE: Here in the USA there is a product called Baker’s Sugar. It is a super fine granulated sugar. I use it in all recipe’s that require sugar(granulated). Also, here in the USA we can buy what is called a Light Tasting
Olive Oil. It has very little or no flavor by itself. It is excellent for baking and has the same beneficial properties as regular olive oil.
Anyway, I will certainly comment when the recipe is tried.
Thank you for sharing, you are quite the professional.
Sharon
Jessica Holmes says
Awesome, thanks for the info Sharon! Hope you enjoy the brownies!
Brianna Tutera says
Super good but definitely different!! Because the recipe didn’t call for any sort of baking power or soda, they were a little dense, but other than that they were amazing!!
Jessica Holmes says
Glad you enjoyed them Brianna!
Sophia Frida says
Amazing!! They came out perfect!!!
Thankyou! x
🇳🇿
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you liked them Sophia!
Isra says
These were amazing, came out exactly like yours! Living in Spain, everything is olive oil, and I was looking for a recipe that didn’t use butter, these worked great. The key is mixing the eggs before adding it, for that perfect crinkly top.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Isra! Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Amba says
Hi, can you use vegetable oil rather than olive oil?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can if you like.
Sunshine says
Was looking for a easy brownie recipe that didn’t call for butter, and decided to try yours! They’re actually in the oven right now, but I’ve said a little prayer that they will be delicious. Thanks for your recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Hope you love them!
NJ says
Planning to make this today but don’t have vanilla extract. Can I make this without vanilla extract? Also, can I substitute more brown sugar for caster sugar?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, yes you can leave out the vanilla. You can change the sugar but it may effect the end result slightly!
Deirdre Clare says
Hi Jess, I made these Brownies last weekend and they were really amazing! Thank you! The only issue I have was that I used extra virgin olive oil, and it’s slightly too strong taste could still be tasted after I’d cooked them. I’m sure if I use ordinary olive oil, the next batch will taste even greater! Really loved them, texture, fudginess, everything – top marks!
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad to hear that Deirdre! Thank you for your lovely review!
Seema S Jaising says
Can we use a gluten free multipurpose flour instead of plain flour to make this gluten free?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Seema, I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour so I can’t say, but perhaps you would like to try my Gluten Free Brownie recipe.
Rachel says
How long should I whisk the eggs in order to achieve an even crackly top? You mentioned that the crackly top comes from the thin layer of meringue made from the eggs. So, Will whisking the eggs till it forms peaks and bubbles help?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Rachel, just a light whisk for a minute with help!