This easy one-bowl recipe came together one evening when I was craving chocolate chip cookies, but wanted to avoid the richness of butter. Gooey yet crisp, slightly salty, and loaded with tiny bursts of dark chocolate, these are just as tasty as the classic cookie, but lighter, with a subtly fruity flavor from the olive oil.
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
½ cup olive oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup mini semi or bittersweet chocolate chips (in a pinch, regular-sized chocolate chips will do)
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or use one sheet and bake in two batches. Preheat oven to 360 degrees F (no, this is not a typo; I got the idea from my favorite chocolate chunk cookie recipe, which bakes excellently at this temperature.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil and sugar. Stir in egg and vanilla, if using, until smooth. Add baking soda and salt. Mix in flour until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets about an inch apart. Bake for around 11 minutes, until the edges turn slightly golden brown. The insides of the cookies should still be soft and gooey; be careful not to over-bake!
- Let cool for a few minutes directly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container once fully cooled.
Yields around 22 cookies
Baker Without Borders 