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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Jordan
I made these but I used Stevia the sugar free sugar and the sugar free brown sugar. The batter was a little crumbly but they came out awesome!
valentina
Hi Jordan, Thanks so much for writing -- it's great that other readers can see this, in case they want to try the same. I'm so happy you liked the cookies. This is definitely one of my favorite (and most popular) recipes. 🙂 And baking seems to be my favorite quarantine activity. Thanks again and stay well! ~Valentina
Courtney
My 4 yr old woke up from her nap begging for chocolate chip cookies. I happened to have everything except butter and well, due to the quarantine, I am not about to go out for butter... I didn’t want to disappoint her so I found your recipe and just made them. oh. my. word. Best cookies I’ve made. They’re fluffy and light tasting. What a treat! Thanks so much! Xox
valentina
Hi Courtney, this makes me so happy! Love that you and your daughter loved these cookies. Thanks so much for sharing. Stay well! 🙂 ~ Valentina
Santana
Ever since I gave up dairy, these have been my go-to. These cookies are so delicious and comforting, everyone in my family enjoys them. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
valentina
Thank you so much for this note, Santana. So happy these are your go-to cookies, and that the whole family partakes. Yay! Enjoy and stay well. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kristin Ebersold
I followed your directions to the letter & they were delicious! Thank you!
valentina
Hi Kristin, thanks so much for writing in. You made my day! So happy you love them. 🙂 ~Valentina
Trim
Made these last night and they were amazing!
valentina
Awesome! Thanks for sharing and I'm so happy you loved them. 🙂 ~Valentina
Johnny
Hi there,
Amazing recipe. I'm on a keto diet, looking for a recipe that substitutes olive oil for butter.
Do you have any recommendations for using almond or coconut flour instead of wheat?
valentina
Hi Johnny, Thanks for writing in. 🙂
For the best results to make these gluten-free, I'd use the Cup 4 Cup gluten-free flour. Use the same measurement as you would the regular AP flour (2 cups).
If you really want to add almond or coconut flour, you can, but I wouldn't suggest using them alone.
To add almond flour, use 1/2 cup almond flour combined with 1 1/2 cups of the Cup 4 Cup GF flour.
To add coconut flour, use 1/4 cup coconut flour combined with 1 1/2 cups of the Cup 4 Cup GF flour. (Coconut flour absorbs more liquid than other flours.)
FYI, I haven't tested the recipe with either almond or coconut flour, but I'm pretty confident the above measurements will work, and for sure the Cup 4 Cup alone will work. I hope this helps. Thanks for checking out Cooking On The Weekends, enjoy and Happy New Year. ~Valentina
Swimdancer
Hi. We tried these tonight with gluten free flour. They seemed a bit gritty. I wonder if we need more eggs or maybe add some guar gum? They remind me of Pamela's cookies - in the texture - which is not my favorite. We loved using olive oil. Just trying to figure out how to further tweak this recipe. I wouldn't mind them to be a bit gooey-er as well. Any ideas?
Thank you!
valentina
Hi there. Thanks for writing in. What type/brand of gluten-free flour did you use? (I find that Cup4Cup is the best GF flour to substitute regular AP -- I've made this recipe with it many times and it turns out well.) By "gritty," do you meant dry? These cookies, gluten-free or not, are on the crispier side, but you can try adding 1 egg yolk (in addition to the whole egg), and use 1 1/4cups of the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the granulated for a chewier texture. I hope this helps! If you have a moment, I'd love to know how they turn out. 🙂 ~Valentina
Susan Loeb
I made them last night and they are delicious! Going into my permanent recipe file!
valentina
Thanks for writing in, Susan! Made my day! So happy you loved these. Cheers! 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced
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
Thanks. I hope you try them, David. I love olive oil cakes, too. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha
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
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
Jeff the Chef
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
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