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.
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.
- 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 Tip
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 chip easily slip out.
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!
Here are a few more recipes that I think can squeeze their way into the Mediterranean Diet category:
- Olive Oil Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Spiced Olive Oil Banana Bread
- Olive Oil Meyer Lemon Cake
- Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Upside Down Apricot-Carrot Cake Recipe with Olive Oil
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 pure 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°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 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.
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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°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.
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Kalyan says
Just mouthwatering…looks delicious!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Kaylan! 🙂
Germaine says
Made them with whole flour and they are delicious as well 😋
valentina says
So happy to hear you liked them. 🙂 Thank you!
Deb says
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!
valentina says
I love that you have a resident chocolate lover. I think I’m that person in my house. 😉
Colette says
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
valentina says
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. 🙂
olive oil in recipes says
Looks Delicious! Thanks for this recipe, I am the only a person in my house who cooks — I will make this recipe this weekend.
valentina says
Hope you found them as delicious as I did! 🙂 Thank you!
Jennifer says
They sound so yummy! I love cooking with olive oil, especially baking. And I love your olive jar. Soooo cool!
valentina says
Thanks, Jennifer! XO
Stephanie says
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?
valentina says
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. 🙂
Stephanie says
Thank you!
Susan says
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!
valentina says
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
j says
Great cookies!
valentina says
Thanks!
Danielle says
I love chocolate chip cookies – this version sounds perfect! Healthy with the olive oil and tasty with the chocolate chips 🙂
valentina says
Love your comment, Danielle. Thank you. 🙂
Natalie says
I love chocolate chip cookies and these look so delicious. I love the use of olive oil.
valentina says
Thanks so much, Natalie.
Toni says
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.
valentina says
Thanks, Toni. The cookies are delicious. 🙂
Alisha Rodrigues says
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
valentina says
Thanks so much. They are crispy cookies. Hope you try them. 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
These sound and look great and wouldn’t last long in my house. I love the use of olive oil instead of butter.
valentina says
Ha! Mine either. Thank you. 🙂
Marissa says
One of my favorite cakes is made with lemon and olive oil, but I’ve never had an olive oil chocolate chip cookie before. Sounds wonderful! Will be trying this the next time I’m in the mood to whip up a batch of cookies!
valentina says
I hope you love them, Marissa. (And I love olive oil with lemon, too!) Have a wonderful weekend. ~Valentina
David Scott Allen says
Love the video – I only got a black screen on the iPad until I hit “full screen” and then it played perfectly! I don’t remember seeing this recipe before (didn’t I know you in 2013???) but it looks super easy and very tasty. I like how you hand-form the cookies.
valentina says
Thank you, David! 😀 Yes, it’s an easy one — and delicious. In my humble opinion. 😉 Enjoy! ~Valentina
Ron says
I’ve had Italian olive oil cookies that had a citrus taste, but never chocolate chip. Great idea and one I must try. I’ll pin this to my “Cookies I Like to Make” board because I know I’ll be liking to make these soon.
valentina says
I hope you love them, Ron! Thanks so much. ~Valentina
Iantha says
My husband loved the sweet and salty taste
valentina says
Awesome! Thanks for the comment — makes me happy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Sarah says
Would these hold up well frozen if I doubled the recipe do you think?
valentina says
Yes! Absolutely! I often freeze these cookies. Just make sure they’re wrapped very well so no air gets in while they’re in the freezer, and then thaw them at room temp. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
2pots2cook says
….. just spotted these beauties on IG; 39 comments already? Oh boy….. must be good 🙂 Thank you dear and enjoy your weekend 🙂
valentina says
Hope you have a great weekend, too! Thanks! 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz says
Perfect puffy, chewy cookies! Chocolate chip cookies are my hubby’s favorite so I’ll have to treat him to a batch of these gems!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Liz! Hope you both love them! 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef says
This is wonderful! I’ve never made a chocolat chip cookie with anything but butter. These look like my favorite kind of chocolate chip cookie. I like them when they’re thick and don’t spread too much. I’m so curious about the flavor. Very interesting.
valentina says
Thanks! I hope you give them a try, Jeff. They’ve become one of my favorite cookies. If only I didn’t eat a thousand each time I make them. 😉 ~Valentina
Eha says
Valentina – you have missed out the most important part of a true Mediterranean Diet wine, preferably red 🙂 ! Laughs aside, I do not bake or eat baked goods but your olive-oil biscuits (as we say here !) do look appetizing and wonderfully non-commercial . . . just the main culprit in anything baked for dessert or the coffee table is not fat but sugar . . . just about every illness our generation suffers from comes from that one source . . . . *smile* yes, moderation does work . . .
valentina says
Good Morning, Eha. Ah, yes, sugar. I can’t seem to live without it. At least for more than a week or so. 😉 Yes, we try for moderation. 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced says
Interesting! I don’t think I’ve ever had olive oil cookies, but I love the concept. I’ve made olive oil cakes before, and those are fun…so now I need to try my hand at these cookies. They look amazing, Valentina! Like the perfectest of perfect chocolate chip cookies.
valentina says
Thanks. I hope you try them, David. I love olive oil cakes, too. 🙂 ~Valentina