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
Jane says
Thank you for this recipe. Do you think they will freeze successfully?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes absolutely!
Sissy says
Hi! Have you tried making these with gluten-free flour? How do you think that would turn out?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, I haven’t but could be worth a shot. Otherwise, I do have a Gluten Free Brownie recipe you might like.
Janet says
Hey Jessica I was wondering if I could make the recipe without chocolate chips? Would they turn out just as fudgy?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes definitely Janet! The choc chips definitely add a little extra gooeyness but they’ll still be lovely.
Ree says
Love this, the brownies came out perfect. When they’ve cooled down you can’t tell they have olive oil. This recipe is perfection. I found it while looking for a dairy free recipe, this easily competes with normal dairy containing brownies. Love how simple and quick they were to make.
Thank you for this!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Love hearing that Ree! Thank you for the lovely review!
Dean says
Super simple to make. Super tasty. No olive oil taste – just moist chocolate goodness.
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! Love that!
Shari says
I have made this recipe several times and the brownies are always perfect. I’ve played around with it by using dark cocoa powder, sprinkling sea salt on top, and using half Heath bar chips with the chocolate chips. Next time I’m going to try a swirl of peanut butter in the mix.
Jessica Holmes says
Love that! So glad you like them Shari!
Fefe says
this is my first bake of Brownie, the taste is nice but the top cracked and flaky. Any advice of making the top of the brownie more moist and attached to the cake
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Fefe, I’m not sure as the brownies are designed to have a crinkly top.
Olivia says
Hi! This recipe is designed to do that, but if you’d prefer it without the crispy top, leaving out the brown sugar (and adjusting the granulated sugar to taste) should fix that for you.
Emmy says
Thank you for this recipe! I was worried I had under-baked at first as they seemed quite wet when they came out of the oven. But as soon as I had chilled them, they were perfect – rich, sticky, delicious. I used soya milk and added swirls of almond butter on top.
Jessica Holmes says
Sounds delicious!
Naka says
Love it!!!!…can i use the same recipe and make goldies?? Like just omitting the cocoa??
Can say this again i love it, it was easy to make and really quick.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you liked them! I haven’t tried without the cocoa, but they will likely taste mostly like oil. Try my favourite Blondie recipe instead!
Naka says
Great! Thanks!
Naka says
Thanks i will definitely try it. But i saw thw recipe uses butter and i don’t do anything related to dairy can i substitute with oil?
Jessica Holmes says
I haven’t tried so I’m not sure.
Elysa says
Naka, try earth’s balance vegan buttery sticks. I use them for my non-dairy baking.
Lisa says
I made these with cold press sunflower oil. They were great. Would love a vegan version.
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Lisa. Try my Vegan Brownies next.
Elysa says
DELISH! They taste so moist and gourmet. Thanks for a decadent dairy free option!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! Love that Elysa!
Gosia says
O, delicious.
I made small changes, reduced the sugar about 50% and i added a spoon of instant coffee and coffee liqueur.
Nice crispy top and moist brownies.
My favorite, thanks for the recipe.
Jessica Holmes says
Glad you enjoyed them!
Jenn says
I was skeptical but the double recipe in a 9×12 pan turned out great! Just as easy and tasty as the mix I normally use. Having trouble restraining myself from eating the whole pan!
Jessica Holmes says
Haha love hearing that Jen!
Fiona says
Hello I don’t like my brownies too sweet can I make the sugar less or will it affect the recipe?
Jessica Holmes says
Hey Fiona, I do recommend following the recipe as is for best results. You could maybe reduce by 1/4 cup without it effecting the end result too much.
Tanya says
hi Jessica, I just made this recipe and was wondering why did you choose to do it with olive oil and not with canola oil or another neutral oil? We found the taste of olive oil very strong and predominant…
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Tanya, I developed this recipe specially for Olive Oil Brownies. If you found the taste too strong, you could try a different brand or type of olive oil as they differ greatly in taste. Try a mild tasting olive oil next time. Alternatively, I have lots of other brownie recipes you might like to try.
Tanya says
Ok Jessica! Thank you 🙏🏻