If you're looking for delicious Mediterranean Diet desserts, these Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies are for you. Perfect for dessert after dinner, or an afternoon pick-me-up snack with coffee, they have a perfect crunch, just the right amount of chocolate and a hint of vanilla.
Disclaimer: Other than a gluten-free diet, which I know quite well because my son has Celiac Diesase, I do not claim to be an expert on nutrition or other special diets. I'm calling these Mediterranean Diet cookies because I use Extra Virgin olive oil instead of butter, because it is much lower in saturated fat, and is a big part of the Mediterranean diet.
Healthy, or shall I say healthier eating shouldn't have to preclude delicious desserts.
I'm not going all healthy on you. 🙂
I am however, a fan of the Mediterranean diet and generally love the recipes that fall within that category. It's more or less how I naturally eat, which makes it easy.
Desserts with Olive Oil
I've been discovering that I can create rich and wonderful Mediterranean diet desserts without the usual high amounts of saturated fat that I would have normally used.
And the oil creates super delicious, moist baked goods.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
-The Mediterranean diet is a low-fat way of eating that is characterized by a high consumption of vegetables and moderate consumption of protein.
-Fat is actually encouraged in this diet -- though only healthy varieties, like monounsaturated fat from olive oil and polyunsaturated fat, like omega-3 fatty acids, from certain fish and shellfish.
-It's generally a healthy way of eating, and olive oil is the main source of fat.
There are many more elements to this diet, and you can get more information about it here.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Be aware that this dough will not behave like a typical cookie dough.
The oil changes things. Therefore, when you're shaping the dough into balls, you have to use your hands and squeeze them together gently. Otherwise the chocolate chips easily slip out.
I use semisweet chocolate chips in this recipe, but feel free to use any type you like.
Can you freeze Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Yes you can.
Just as you would any other cookie -- wrapped very well so no air can get in. Defrost them at room temperature a few hours before you want to eat them.
What's in Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies?
- extra virgin olive oil
- vanilla
- granulated sugar
- golden brown sugar
- kosher salt
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- semisweet chocolate chips
There's just something magical about a good chocolate chip cookie, and I don't think that the magic is lost here without the butter.
Enjoy every last crumb of these delectable Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies!
More recipes that can squeeze their way into the Mediterranean Diet:
- Olive Oil Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Spiced Olive Oil Banana Bread
- Olive Oil Meyer Lemon Cake
- Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
All of these desserts made with olive oil are fantastic!
And more of my favorite chocolate chip cookies:
These are all unique and fun recipes!
- Ruby Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pecan Praline Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten-Free Recipe}
- Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten-Free Recipe}
- Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten-Free Recipe}
Enjoy every last crumb of the Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup golden brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon, plus extra for garnish, Kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the batter. Add the olive oil, vanilla, both sugars and the 1 teaspoon of salt, to a large mixing bowl. Mix until you have a smooth consistency. Now mix in the egg. Blend until it's completely smooth again. Add the flour and baking soda to the bowl and mix just until it's fully incorporated and you don't see any dry spots of flour. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Shape. Use your hands to shape the batter into balls, about 2 tablespoons each. (Your hands will be greasy from the oil, but I find for this recipe, hands are best.) Add the shaped balls of dough to the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. They should have at least 2-inches between them, about a dozen per sheet.Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten the balls of batter, only about halfway. Then lightly sprinkle each one with Kosher salt.
- Bake and cool. Place the baking sheets in the preheated 350°F oven until the cookies are golden brown along the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then place them on a cooling rack to come to room temperature.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Cheryl Hultberg
I used 2 cups of homemade oat flour. Since it was a little coarse I added 1/4 cup of all purpose flour to absorb some of the oil. I scooped the directly onto the parchment paper. They turned out perfectly.
Next time I'm going try using honey instead of sugar. I'll comment with the additional adjustments and the results.
Valentina
Sounds great, Cheryl. Thanks so much for sharing - I'm happy to know the oat flour worked will in the recipe. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Gill
Delicious cookies. A great recipe with no need for any alterations.
Valentina
Thanks so much, Gill. And for your previous comment as well. This is one of my favorite cookie recipes on the site. 😀 ~Valentina
Kait
I love these cookies! I've made them a few times; the last time I used half olive oil half avocado oil, and added an extra egg. Turned out great!
Valentina
Hi there. I'm so happy you like these cookies! I use avocado oil for a lot of things -- good to know you liked it combined with the olive oil in the cookies. Thanks so much for writing in. 🙂 ~Valentina
Amanda
These cookies had me skeptical at first due to the amount of olive oil but omg! These are the absolute most moist, delicious cookies ever! I could eat the whole tray myself! Definitely 10/10!
Valentina
Hi Amanda, thank you so much! I'm happy you love them. With these cookies (and most!), I'm always lucky if there's a good amount left by the time I'm ready to serve them. Thanks for writing in and happy new year! 🙂 ~Valentina
Lois Lane
These are delicious! I've tried making cookies with coconut oil and it usually turns out to be a disaster. These taste great and are great alternative to using so much butter. Just made them for Christmas and it was a hit, thanks!
Valentina
Thanks so much, Louis. I'm so happy you like the cookies and that they went over well for the holidays. Makes me happy. Merry Christmas! 🙂 ~Valentina
Catherine
Wow!! All I can say, is these came out so much better than I expected. I expected the texture to be a bit off and olive oil flavor to come through strong. But these turned out as....dare I say...some of the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever made? I can't believe how easy and delicious they turned out with maximum flavor. Definitely a keeper recipe, I'll be making them over and over again. Thank you for a delicious recipe!!!
Valentina
Hi Catherine, Thanks so much for writing in and I'm so happy you loved these cookies! I hope you enjoy them over and over again. Happy holiday season. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ray R.
I love this recipe! It is my "go -to", and family is always asking me to make more! I swap in almond flour to make gluten free cookies, and no one can tell! Thank you for this recipe!
Valentina
Hi Ray, Thanks so much for sharing. I'm so happy you love these cookies. They're one of our favorites, and I love that you tried them with almond flour, too. Enjoy and I appreciate you checking out my recipes and trying them. 🙂 ~Valentina
Wanda
These cookies are delicious! We can eat them guilt-free. I use 1/3 less oil and omit the granulated sugar. I only use the brown sugar amount. I add a tablespoon of maple syrup instead. I also use whole grain spelt flour. So, still works with all those modifications.
Valentina
Hi Wanda, So happy these were still a hit with the changes you made. Keep enjoying! 🙂 ~Valentina