If you’re looking for delicious Mediterranean Diet desserts, this Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is the one 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.
Now when I made my recipe for Non-Fat Chocolate-Cherry Frozen Yogurt, and shared my cholesterol story, I told you that I wouldn’t go all healthy on you. That’s still the case.
I am however, a fan of the Mediterranean diet and generally love Mediterranean diet recipes. It’s more or less how I naturally eat, which makes it easy.
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.
So 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.
- The Mediterranean diet is generally extremely healthy, and olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean.
There are many more elements to this diet, and you can get more information about it here.
There’s just something magical about a good chocolate chip cookie, and I don’t think that the magic is at all lost here.
Imagine this . . . melting-in-you-mouth chocolate, surrounded by a sweet and perfect crunch.
Enjoy every last crumb!
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.
*Makes 2 dozen
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup golden brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon plus extra for garnish Kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
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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.
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Now mix in the egg. Blend until it's completely smooth again.
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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.
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Fold in the chocolate chips.
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Use your hand to shape the batter into balls, about 2 tablespoons each. (Your hand will be greasy from the oil, but I find for this recipe, hands are best.) Add the shaped balls of batter to the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. They should have at least 2-inches between them, about a dozen per sheet.
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Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten the balls of batter, only about halfway.
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Then lightly sprinkle each one with Kosher salt.
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Place the baking sheets in the preheated 350 degree 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.
Just mouthwatering…looks delicious!
Thanks so much, Kaylan! 🙂
Made them with whole flour and they are delicious as well 😋
So happy to hear you liked them. 🙂 Thank you!
Chocolate Chip Cookies are THE favorite sweet at my house! I am looking forward to trying the olive oil recipe on my resident chocolate lover! He is always interested in new scrumptious recipes!
I love that you have a resident chocolate lover. I think I’m that person in my house. 😉
V, I’m “shopping” around for a recipe to make for your contest and these caught my eye.
We’re trying to watch our cholesterol, too. I was using Crisco instead of butter, but didn’t really like the idea all that much. So now that I’ve seen your olive oil recipe, I HAVE to see about the taste. You know, for scientific reasons. 😉 oxo
Colette, I hope you and your family likes these! I seriously love them as much as those with butter — and I’m not a “substitute” girl. 🙂
Looks Delicious! Thanks for this recipe, I am the only a person in my house who cooks — I will make this recipe this weekend.
Hope you found them as delicious as I did! 🙂 Thank you!
They sound so yummy! I love cooking with olive oil, especially baking. And I love your olive jar. Soooo cool!
Thanks, Jennifer! XO
I made these and my whole family loved them! But they were very hard the next day (stored in plastic containers). Any tips to keep them soft?
Hi Stephanie, So happy your family enjoyed the cookies! 😀 Sorry to hear they were hard the next day. They are definitely a crispy-ish cookie, but if you want a less crispy result, try pulling them out of the oven a bit sooner than the time says, when they seem not quite ready. They should firm up enough, and will hopefully be softer the next day. Keeping them in a cool dark place helps too, in a tightly sealed container (which I think you already did). I hope this helps for next time. Thanks for trying the recipe. 🙂
Thank you!
These are so delicious! My hubby and I are trying to eat healthier, but sometimes you just gotta have a chocolate chip cookie. They hit the spot!
Hi Susan,
Somehow this slipped through the cracks when it came it. Thank you for sharing! I’m so happy you and your husband liked these cookies. And I totally agree, sometimes you just gotta have a chocolate chip cookie. For sure! 🙂 ~Valentina
Great cookies!
Thanks!
I love chocolate chip cookies – this version sounds perfect! Healthy with the olive oil and tasty with the chocolate chips 🙂
Love your comment, Danielle. Thank you. 🙂
I love chocolate chip cookies and these look so delicious. I love the use of olive oil.
Thanks so much, Natalie.
This is such a unique recipe and the cookies look delicious. I’ve made olive oil cake and love olive oil in this cookie recipe.
Thanks, Toni. The cookies are delicious. 🙂
I’m always looking out for good cookie recipes, Will give this a try. The texture looks good. I’ve never used olive oil to make chocolate chip cookies before, so this seems exciting
Thanks so much. They are crispy cookies. Hope you try them. 🙂
These sound and look great and wouldn’t last long in my house. I love the use of olive oil instead of butter.
Ha! Mine either. Thank you. 🙂