If you've never made brownies with olive oil before, then you must try these Olive Oil Brownies! You will be amazed at how moist and fudgy the texture is with using oil instead of butter. The flavours pair so well together and I've topped them with a super fudgy frosting that's made without added sugar! It's just dates, peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt! You won't believe how good it is.

WHY USE OLIVE OIL TO MAKE BROWNIES?

I have big love for olive oil as much as I have for butter! I use it for cooking just about everything and I often use it to bake desserts. My Dark Chocolate Almond Olive Oil Biscotti are incredibly delicious and so crispy crunchy!

Olive oil lends such a lovely mellow fruity note that pairs with chocolate so well and really makes these different. It has a slight earthiness which provides nice contrast to a dessert that is otherwise quite sweet. It also creates a super soft and melting texture, and it means these brownies are dairy free!

Flavour: extra virgin olive oil has a citrusy and fruity character with subtle buttery undertones. It pairs really nicely with chocolate and has much more body than other neutral oils like canola oil or sunflower oil. I would recommend using olive oil that isn't too spicy or peppery for this recipe.

Texture: where butter creates a firmer fudge texture, olive oil creates a soft melting fudgy texture that is so irresistible! I would compare this texture to Ghirardelli box mix brownies if you've ever tried them before...

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE BROWNIES

These brownies are super rich with a deep dark chocolate flavour thanks to bittersweet chocolate AND cocoa powder

They are not overly sweet. These brownies have the perfect balance of sweet and slightly salty with bitter dark chocolate and fruity olive oil.

They have a luxurious fudgy, soft, melting texture with a crackly crust.

They're super easy to make! You can do it all in one bowl and use a whisk or a mixer.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THESE BROWNIES:

This recipe is super EASY! You only need 8 simple ingredients:

Bittersweet Chocolate - I use 70% bittersweet chocolate. Brownies already have plenty of sugar to give that fudgy texture, so using a rich dark chocolate helps balance that and also provides the chocolate intensity that we need. I prefer this 70% bittersweet chocolate.

Olive Oil - I'm using Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil which has a smooth buttery, herbaceous and slightly fruity flavour that lends a wonderful earthiness to these brownies. It will also make such a nice soft texture. It's not bitter nor peppery so it is perfect for baking.

Eggs - 2 eggs provides the structure to set these brownies and also add the slightest lift since there is no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe.

Sugar - I use granulated sugar here because it has a clean flavour and lets the chocolate and olive oil shine. You can use brown sugar if you want, but be sure to replace it by weight and not volume since brown sugar weighs more than granulated sugar.

Vanilla extract - pure bourbon vanilla complements the buttery undertones of the olive oil.

Flour - just ½ cup of flour is all it takes to bring this batter together because we want a super fudgy texture.

Cocoa powder - unsweetened cocoa powder amps up the chocolate taste. You can use either natural or Dutch Process cocoa in this recipe. I use this Dutch Process cocoa powder.

Salt - do not forget to add salt! Salt is so important in brownies to balance the sweetness and also elevate the chocolate flavour.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING OLIVE OIL BROWNIES

These olive oil brownies are so easy to make! You pretty much need just 2 bowls so it's fast clean-up!

STEP 1). Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper leaving about 2 inches of overhang at each side.

STEP 2). Melt the chocolate. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt gently over a saucepan of barely simmering water or melt in the microwave in short bursts with frequent stirring. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and glossy and then stir in olive oil until evenly incorporated.

STEP 3). Beat the eggs. Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add melted chocolate mixture and beat until well incorporated and homogeneous.

STEP 4). Add dry ingredients. Combine flour, cocoa and salt in a small bowl and then sift over the chocolate mixture. Fold it in gently. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan.

STEP 5). Bake for 20-24 minutes, until the top is shiny and crackly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

HOW TO MAKE FUDGE FROSTING WITHOUT SUGAR

DATES! Omg dates are like a magical ingredient! They contain carbohydrates, fiber and tons of natural sugars. The sugar obviously makes this frosting sweet without needing to add any additional sugar, but the carbs and fiber creates a luxurious thick and almost creamy texture that feels like buttercream without having to add any fat! I used Terra Delyssa Deglet Noor Dates and believe me when I say this frosting is SO GOOD.

The key is to soak the dates so that they are nice and soft before you process them. This will ensure that you get a smooth consistency.

For the frosting, place dates in a medium bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover them. Cover the bowl and let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Drain dates well and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until dates are broken down to smaller pieces. Add peanut butter and cocoa powder and process until smooth like a thick paste and it starts to form a ball in the bowl.

Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time and process until it reaches a smooth spreadable consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides frequently. Mix in vanilla and salt.

EXPERT TIPS FOR MAKING FUDGY OLIVE OIL BROWNIES

Beat the eggs with the sugar well. This step helps to aerate the batter every so slightly enough to provide a bit of structure among all the fudginess. It also helps dissolve the sugar so that you get this nice crust.

Mix the olive oil into the melted chocolate instead of melting them together. This will ensure that you don't overheat the olive oil and you will preserve the delicate flavour it has.

Beat the chocolate olive oil mixture into the eggs well. If mixing by hand, be sure to whisk well so it is evenly incorporated or beat with an electric hand mixer. It is important to mix it enough so that the oil emulsifies into the egg. This prevents the brownies from having an oily texture.

Do not over-bake. These shouldn't take longer than 25 minutes and mine are usually done by 20 minutes. A skewer should come out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached.

HOW TO STORE OLIVE OIL BROWNIES

These brownies will keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or store them in the fridge to keep them for at least a week.