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.Β
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
Did you make this recipe? Donβt 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.
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 didnβt 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
π³πΏ
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
Iβm 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 itβs slightly too strong taste could still be tasted after Iβd cooked them. Iβm 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
Iβm 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!
Marcie says
Mine are in the oven!!! Looking forward to the end result in another 29 minutes!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Hope you love them Marcie!
Babbi says
Holy- I just made them and I haven’t had such a good brownie in a long time. I never ever comment on recipes, and usually don’t trust comments either because who knows if people actually made the recipe, i dont know. I just want to let you guys know MAKE THIS RECIPE! I looooooooooooved it! The only thing is, my oven works a bit faster so I took it out at 20 minutes and it was perfect. I am definitely saving this recipe and making it whenever I possibly can, plus it took 10 minutes of preparation and it was already in the oven. I used light brown sugar for the brown sugar if anyone is wondering, and I added a teaspoon or two of espresso powder to bring out the chocolate flavor. The addition of espresso powder really elevated the flavor to a much higher degree.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Babbi! Thank you for your kind review!
Sophie says
Hello!
I made these brownies last night and they are the best, fudgiest brownies I’ve ever had! Super easy to make and I love how they have a rich, chocolatey flavour without being overly sweet. Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes!
Jessica Holmes says
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed them Sophie!
Nouran says
Hi Jessica, I just put these in the oven βcanβt wait to try them!
But yield surely canβt be 16 brownies in an 8×8 pan? I would say 4 (haha) or 9 tops! π
Jessica Holmes says
Haha yes maybe thatβs a bit conservative!
Alina says
Amazing brownies πππ