These Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies are the classic we all know and love with a little twist of sophistication (and without butter!). Olive oil lends a subtle, fruity flavor and a perfect soft, chewy texture to these easy, one-bowl, no-chill, dairy-free chocolate chip cookies.
This recipe is delicious all year long but of course it is especially perfect for cookie season! It would make a great addition to my Christmas Cookie Box along with any of my other cookie recipes such as flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies, chewy strawberry sugar cookies, or brown butter pecan chocolate chunk cookies.
Recipe Background
I set out to create these Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies when my cousin suddenly developed a dairy allergy and we needed a chocolate chip cookie recipe without butter. I used my Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies as my starting point. After a few trials, I settled on this recipe because it reminds me the most of the cookies my grandma made and filled her cookie jar with. She used butter and shortening in her cookies and they always had a very unique sturdy, chewy texture.
As much as I love a chewy, bendy cookie, they have one flaw: they all morph into one giant cookie mass in a cookie jar. When I think of a classic ccc, I think of one that is sturdy enough to put in a cookie jar like my granny always did. side note: I have her old cookie jar and it is one of my most prized possessions. My grandpa couldn't walk by it without sneaking a cookie - something my grandma and I always giggled about. And also, as much as I LOVE using chopped chocolate in my cookies, I knew I wanted to stick with classic chips for nostalgia's sake.
Why you will love this recipe
One bowl: yep, you read that right. No need to pull out the mixer for this recipe. Just a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a rubber spatula are all you need to mix this cookie dough.
Instant gratification: One of the best things about an olive oil cookie? You don't have to wait for butter to soften to room temp. Olive oil is always ready when the cookie cravings strike!
No chilling time: Because this is a sturdy cookie (still soft and chewy, don't worry), there is no need to chill the dough before baking, though you absolutely can if you want/need to for timing purposes.
No Dairy: I know many people have dairy allergies or prefer to avoid dairy which is why I created this chocolate chip cookie recipe without butter. As long as you use dairy-free chocolate chips these are the perfect dairy-free chocolate chip cookies!
Can easily be made eggless/vegan: If you leave the egg out and swap in a flax or chia egg you can make these olive oil chocolate chip cookies without eggs.
How to make a flax egg: Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax with about 2 tablespoons of water and let sit for 10-15 minutes until it becomes thick and gelatinous.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- olive oil - a high quality fruity, buttery, smooth extra virgin olive oil
- granulated sugar - for some simple sweetness
- light brown sugar - a classic in a CCC
- vanilla extract - I go heavy on the vanilla to balance the olive oil flavor. I always have a big jar of this vanilla in my pantry.
- one whole egg and one egg yolk - this combo gives structure and chew but not cakiness
- all purpose flour - see variations below if you want to make these gluten free
- baking soda - helps the cookies brown and aids in chewiness
- kosher salt - Cookies need salt. I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- chocolate chips - I buy mine in bulk from Azure Standard because their chips don't contain additives. Pay attention to the ingredients, especially if you want dairy-free chocolate chip cookies as some chips/chocolate bars contain dairy.
- flaky sea salt for topping - Maldon is my preference.
See recipe card for quantities.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please feel free to check out my full disclosure policy.
Instructions
how to make olive oil chocolate chip cookies
Whisk olive oil, sugars, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla until combined and a little bit frothy.
Add baking soda and salt and whisk to combine.
Add flour and fold in with a rubber spatula
when a few streaks of flour remain, add chocolate chips
mix until chocolate chips are incorporated.
using a medium cookie scoop (two tablespoons) scoop dough balls onto parchment lined baking tray
Place dough balls on parchment about 2 inches apart.
Flatten the dough balls just slightly by pressing down with fingers or the flat bottom of a measuring cup.
Substitutions
- Egg - instead of the egg and egg yolk use a flax or chia egg to make these eggless olive oil chocolate chip cookies
- Oil - feel free to sub in a different oil such as avocado oil or melted coconut oil just be aware that the flavor of the finished cookie will reflect the oil you choose.
- Chocolate - Use any chocolate chips you love or use chopped chocolate chunks. To make these dairy-free chocolate chip cookies make sure to pay attention to the chocolate ingredients.
- Flour - To make these gluten free, I recommend King Arthur Baking cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend.
Storage
Baked and cooled cookies can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container or bag for 3-5 days (they will get less moist over time) or in the freezer for 2 months.
Dough balls can be frozen in a single layer (make sure to flatten them before freezing) and then transferred to a freezer bag. Frozen dough balls will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen and add a minute or two to baking time. See this article for more cookie freezing tips.
FAQ
Yes olive oil is extremely versatile and is a great oil to use for baking cookies and cakes. Choose an olive oil that is fruity and buttery, not one that is peppery or grassy.
Yes, you can in most cookie recipes. You will replace the amount of butter with ¾ the amount of oil. So, if the recipe calls for one cup of butter, use ¾ cup of olive oil.
A light, smooth, fruity, buttery olive oil is best for cookies and other sweet baked goods. You do not want to choose a peppery, pungent olive oil for sweet baking.
Many brands now carry dairy free chocolate chips including Nestle, Ghirardelli, and Enjoy Life. You can also buy dairy-free chocolate chips in bulk from Azure Standard.
For an eggless chocolate chip cookie, a flax or chia egg is the best substitute for a chewy cookie recipe. If you don't mind a cakey texture, applesauce or banana can be used.
Related
Don't miss these cookie recipes:
- 2023 Christmas Cookie Box
- Classic No Bake Cookies
- Sweet and Salty Graham Cracker Toffee
- Eggnog Snickerdoodle Thumbprint Cookies
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Olive Oil lends a subtle, fruity flavor and a perfect soft, chewy texture to this easy, one-bowl, no-chill chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg plus one egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups chocolate chips, bittersweet or semisweet
- flaky sea salt for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place olive oil, both sugars, egg and egg yolk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and whisk well for 3-5 minutes until slightly frothy.
- Add baking soda and salt and whisk to combine. Toss your whisk in the sink and grab a rubber spatula.
- Add flour to wet mixture and fold to combine. When you have a few flour streaks remaining, add chocolate and continue mixing until combined and no visible flour remains.
- Scoop dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place on parchment lined baking trays about 2 inches apart. Press down on tops of dough balls to flatten them slightly. Top with sea salt if desired.
- Bake for 9 minutes at 350 degrees F. Allow to cool on cookie sheets before storing.
Notes
To make egg-free chocolate chip cookies, replace the egg and yolk with 1 flax egg: Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax with about 2 tablespoons of water and let sit for 10-15 minutes until it becomes thick and gelatinous.
To make these dairy-free chocolate chip cookies, make sure you are reading the chocolate chip ingredients and avoiding any with dairy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes per tray
- Category: cookies, desserts
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Leave a Reply