This is an old post from 2010 where I discovered that olive oil was actually really good in brownies. I'm updating this in 2021 and Olive Oil Brownies have been popular for a while now. Future Anna agrees with Past Anna that olive oil and brownies are a good pairing. I should make them more often.
Olive Oil Brownies
We’ve become a little obsessed with olive oil, so I was happy to stumble across this recipe for olive oil brownies made with extra virgin. Would a robust, fruity, olive oil really go well with chocolate? The recipe was simple, so I decided to find out.
I made the olive oil brownies late yesterday and let them chill overnight. By some miracle, I was able to wait until today to try them.
Because I'd chilled them (which is always a good idea if you want to cut brownies neatly), they were very dense, firm, stackable and seemed suitable for wrapping decoratively and giving away. And they tasted great! You can definitely taste the olive oil, and in this case it comes across as kind of a light, fruity, undertone which doesn't overwhelm any of the other flavors. I would definitely make these again.
About the ingredients. For the chocolate, I used Ghirardelli 72% because that’s what I had on hand. I wouldn't use anything less than 72% cacao because these brownies were on the sweet side -- not in a bad way, but I wouldn't want them any sweeter. For the olive oil, I used a Greek brand called Tassos which is definitely very fruity and flavorful.
This is a very good recipe and I wish I'd tried it sooner. I'm not sure of the original source since it appears in many places on the web and is attributed to different people, but I believe the source is a book called Adventures of an Italian Food Lover.
Mini Loaf Pan Version
If you're not sure how you'll feel about olive oil in brownies or just want a small batch, you can make a quarter batch in a mini (3x5) loaf pan. Just follow the directions as written and use ¼ of the ingredients. For the egg, use 24 grams or 2 tablespoons. Bake time should only be about 16 minutes.
Favorite Brands of Olive Oil 2024
This recipe is as good as it was back in 2010, and good olive oil is easy to find. My favorite brands right now for general use are Trader Joe's Sicilian, California Olive Ranch and whatever Costco has in a big bottle. For drizzling or eating with bread, we really like one called Bono. All of my favorites are strong flavored and would work in brownies where you want the olive oil flavor to stand out.
Recipe
Olive Oil Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 70% chopped (114 grams)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (70 grams)
- ⅔ cup almonds (or walnuts or pecans) (70 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F Line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk in the olive oil and set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl using high speed of an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and salt, then fold in the cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour, then gently stir in the nuts. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Mine became aromatic at 20 minutes and at 25 minutes, they had a shiny, dry, slightly crackly top and looked gorgeous. Let cool completely. Cut into squares.
Adam says
Hi Anna, after having bookmarked these the day you posted them I finally got around to baking them and they were awesome! :). I made a few changes but wow, that olive oil flavour is unmistakeable. Thanks for bringing these to my attention :). (My version is on my blog in case you're interested in reading
LisAway says
I just made these and my top looked somewhat different (though still crackly, just even more so) and mine were not super dense, but they were quite yummy! I was surprised, because you really can taste the OO (and I don't love that flavor) but it actually works quite well. Thanks for another great one, Anna!
Dolce says
I like the idea that this has no butter at all!! I sometimes bake a poundcake recipe that calls for canola oil... with olive oil because that's all I have on hand. It turns great!
Deb Schiff says
Awesome, awesome, awesome!
Anna says
Thank you all for not pointing out that I had "Surpisingly Good" instead of "Surprisingly". LOL!
dani says
i didnt realize chilling the brownies would give such clean cuts... thanks for sharing 🙂
MaryMoh says
These look really delicious. Best of all, olive oil is used.
Anna says
Louise, thanks! Congratulations on getting such a great deal on the book. I am going to buy it as well.
The brownies were fine without White Lily, but I did read on some web site that that was a variation. The almonds were good, but I think walnuts would be better.
Kristen says
Those look great. I think I'll try it with the Texas Olive Ranch oil I just got at the farmers market. It's super buttery and delicious. I take little tastes all the time.
Louise says
I can verify the source as I just got the book a couple of weeks ago for $4.99. 🙂 They are called "Tuscan Brownies" 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (not almonds), 3/4 cup superfine sugar, 1/8 tsp sea salt, flour is specified as soft wheat flour (Italian "00" or White Lily)
Katrina says
Awesome. Except that I just ran out of olive oil. They do look good.
Lisa, I'm pretty sure I've made ccc's with olive oil once. They were good. Now I need to go check my archives, because I can't recall for sure. I know I used coconut oil once.
Lisa Ernst says
Interesting timing on this. These last few days I've been thinking about how it would work to substitute olive oil in recipes for cookies, cakes, etc. Never thought of brownies, though. That you like them as much as you do says a lot. These brownies look dense, fudgy, and simple. I must try them sometime.