Makes 12 Cookies (Dough needs to refrigerate for at least 8 hours before baking. Plan on overnight.)
These are the perfect olive oil chocolate chip cookies, and they also happen to be the easiest.
Crisp and toasty edges, a hint of caramel from the brown sugar, just the right amount of vanilla, and melty chopped chocolate on top with a little flaky sea salt that shines like a diamond. Everything about them is just right. They are the exact cookie you want coming out of the oven, and just as wonderful grabbed off the counter the next day. These olive oil chocolate chip cookies are that girl.
And here is the wild thing. They have the most simple ingredients of any cookie I have ever baked. After years of chasing egg replacers, the answer was right in front of me! My pantry and my water filter. Well, and a really amazing method. This is the only olive oil chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need. Read on.
Why Olive Oil
Olive oil brings out the chocolate, the vanilla, and that toasty, yummy quality we associate with a really good chocolate chip cookie. It is buttery without being overwhelming, which makes it the perfect fat for this particular cookie. Better than butter, for real. Maybe somewhere in there is a hint of something a little intriguing, something special that makes you go wow. But really what you are tasting is pure cookie.
How to choose with olive oil for these vegan chocolate chip cookies? Easy. Use the cheap stuff. This is not the place for your nice finishing oil. The cheapest bottle at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods or literally any grocery store is going to give you a more neutral flavor that lets the chocolate and vanilla do their thing. A strong fruity finishing oil will compete and you don’t want that.
The Secret? That’s Emulsification, Baby.
I learned this working in vegan restaurants, where you have to get things to emulsify fast and without butter. The trick is the blender.
You know the phrase “it’s like oil and water?” They do not mix on their own. Usually you need something to help them along, like an egg or flax seed. Here we are using a technique instead. The blender forces the olive oil and water together into a stable mixture, which is why we can skip egg replacers altogether and keep the ingredient list simple.
Watch it happen. In about a minute the mixture goes from thin and separated to thick, glossy, and caramel colored. The sugar dissolves, the oil and water come together, and the blender whips a little air into everything too. That air is doing the same job it does when you cream butter and sugar, giving the cookies lift and a tender crumb. The result is a cookie that is chewy and rich, not cakey. It is very satisfying to witness.
So now you know The Blender Method™, welcome to my world.
The Chopped Chocolate
Chocolate chips are for children. Chopped chocolate is worth the extra minute of effort. It melts differently than chips. It pools and spreads into irregular glossy puddles rather than holding its shape. Pressed into the tops of the cookies before baking, it looks like something from your favorite bakery. And with the Maldon crystals catching the light on top, it is genuinely beautiful. A chip cannot do that.
It also gives the cookies a more grown up quality. Less uniform, more considered. The kind of cookie you bring to a dinner party and people ask about. Maybe you’ll give them the recipe, maybe not. And don’t worry, kids aren’t going to complain about these cookies either.
For the type of chocolate, go semisweet or bittersweet and fair trade if you can. Endangered Species is my go-to. Alter Eco and Theo are both certified fair trade and great for baking. The Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bar is the classic baker’s secret. It’s not fair trade but they claim it’s ethically sourced. It’s big, easy to chop, and very reasonably priced.
About That Flaky Sea Salt
Maldon is expensive but you use it so sparingly that the tin lasts forever. And there really is not a replacement. It is a finishing salt: coarse, crunchy, flaky, and light in a way that table salt or even kosher salt cannot replicate. A few crystals on top of these cookies and suddenly you are in fine dining territory.
Once you have it you will put it on everything. Avocado toast, peanut butter and jelly, on top of fruit on pancakes with maple syrup. It turns whatever it touches into something special. This is a luxury you need.
That said, if salted isn’t your thing, totally leave it off. No biggie. They will still be excellent vegan chocolate chip cookies.
The Overnight Rest
The dough for these vegan chocolate chip cookies needs to refrigerate for at least 8 hours before baking. I know, I know. But the rest allows the flour to fully hydrate, the flavors to develop, and the dough to firm up so the cookies hold their shape in the oven. Make the dough tonight, bake tomorrow. A day is perfect. Don’t let it sit too much longer than that or the oils can start to separate.
The dough does freeze well though. Form the balls, freeze them on a sheet tray, then transfer to a bag. Bake straight from frozen adding a couple of minutes to the bake time, or thaw in the fridge overnight.
The Bake
Eight to ten minutes depending on your vibe. Eight minutes gets you that gooey, molten cookie action where the center is still soft and glossy. Ten minutes is a little more set, with a slightly crispier edge all the way through. Both are correct. Both are wonderful. You know yourself.
OK, well now you know all my secrets! I think it’s only fair you share one with me. In the meantime, make the dough tonight and bake them tomorrow. You won’t be sorry.
VEGAN OLIVE OIL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE FAQ
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate for these vegan chocolate chip cookies? For sure. The cookies will still be delicious. You will just lose that irregular melty puddle situation on top and the cookies will look a little more standard.
Can I skip the overnight rest? Not really, no. The rest is what makes these cookies hold their shape and develop their flavor. A few hours minimum, but overnight is ideal. Plan ahead and you will be rewarded.
How do I store these vegan chocolate chip cookies? An airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Can I make these vegan chocolate chip cookies gluten free? Yup yup yup. A good 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend should work here. The emulsification step means the structure comes from the fat and water combination rather than relying entirely on gluten, so gluten free flour behaves well in this recipe.
Can I freeze the dough? Hells yeah. Form the balls, freeze them on a sheet tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw for about an hour. Fresh baked cookies whenever you want them.
How did I end up here? Searching “olive oil chocolate chip cookie recipe,” “vegan chocolate chip cookies,” or “easy vegan chocolate chip cookies.” You’re in the right place. Your search is over.
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies (Simple Pantry Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz chocolate chopped, divided (semisweet or bittersweet)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Maldon salt for finishing about a teaspoon
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the sugars, olive oil, and water. Blend for about a minute until the mixture is thick, glossy, and caramel colored. Add the vanilla and blend for a few more seconds to combine.
- Transfer to a large bowl. Sift in half the flour along with the baking powder and baking soda. Mix for about a minute until combined.
- Add the 3 oz chopped chocolate and remaining flour. Mix with a wooden spoon, then use clean hands to bring the dough together until no dry flour remains.
- Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large sheet trays with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Portion the dough into 12 balls of about 50 grams each, roughly slightly larger than a golf ball. Flatten each into a 2 1/2 inch disc. Press the remaining 1 oz of chopped chocolate into the tops so each cookie looks chocolaty and generous. Sprinkle lightly with Maldon.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Eight minutes gets you a gooey soft centered cookie. Ten minutes is a little more set. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan. They will firm up as they cool.
