One of the most common requests I get is more recipes without butter (vegan butter, of course!).
Similarly to my tahini choc chip cookies, this olive oil chocolate chip cookie recipe solves the need to track down vegan butter. Made using easy-to-find, simple ingredients, most of which are pantry staples, and the dough doesn't require chilling time!
If you love baking with fruity olive oil, try my orange olive oil cake and pistachio lemon olive oil cake next!
🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make vegan olive oil cookies:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use a good quality olive oil for the best results. If you aren't a fan of the fruity slightly floral taste of EVOO, opt for virgin olive oil instead for a less intense flavor.
- Sugar: A combination of light brown sugar (for moisture and flavor) and granulated sugar (for crisp edges) is needed here. I use light Muscovado sugar which is essentially unrefined cane sugar.
- Non-Dairy Milk: I used soy milk, but almond or oat milk are great options, too. Just make sure you go for unsweetened milk.
- Vegan Plain Yogurt: While optional, this adds a hint of tang and makes the cookies spread a tad more. If you want to simplify the recipe you can omit the yogurt for another tablespoon of plant-based milk.
- Good Quality Dark Chocolate: I used equal parts bittersweet 70% chocolate and 60% semisweet chocolate. I recommend using a chocolate bar rather than baking chocolate chips so you get big dark chocolate chunks!
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor, not vanilla essence.
- Sea salt: This enhances the other flavors in the cookies and balances their sweetness.
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🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this delicious olive oil cookie recipe. Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:
Start by whisking the wet ingredients in a large bowl (brown sugar, granulated sugar, olive oil, non-dairy milk, non-dairy yogurt, and vanilla extract). The baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt are whisked in next to make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
Next fold in the flour in two parts, stop folding while there are still some visible streaks or pockets of flour after the second increment. This avoids overworking the dough as it will be mixed further in the next step!
Add the majority of the chopped chocolate pieces, (reserving a couple of tablespoons for the next step) and fold until mixed through.
Use a cookie scoop to divide the cookie dough into 12 portions and place them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches between each cookie.
Stud the balls of dough with the remaining chocolate which will create melty chocolate pools during baking. Bake between 10-12 minutes, until the outer edges are lightly browned.
Pull the tray from the oven and scoot around the edges of the cookies with a large cookie cutter or glass for nice rounded edges. After 5 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack and sprinkle flaky sea salt over the tops of the cookies.
💭 Recipe Tips
Sprinkle salt while the cookies are warm. This helps the salt stick to the warm cookie dough and melted chocolate!
Scoot the edges of the cookies while warm. I found that these cookies bake pretty uniformly as they have a little more flour than my other vegan cookie recipes which helps them hold their shape while baking. However, to get the *perfect cookie* shape, I always run a large cookie cutter around the edges.
Freeze cookie dough balls for freshly baked cookies on demand! If you don't want to use them all at once, you can freeze them for later. Place them on a plate with parchment in a single layer and freeze for one hour, then transfer them to a sealed container or freezer bag and store them in the freezer for storage. Bake as usual, just add a minute or two to the bake time.
💬 FAQs
Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for around 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Absolutely! This recipe makes 12 cookies but you can halve the ingredients to make 6.
I haven't tested this, sorry! The recipe is designed to work with standard all-purpose flour, so if you want to try it, I would suggest trying an all-purpose cup-for-cup blend (such as King Arthur measure for measure).
🍪 More Vegan Cookies
📖 Recipe
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies (No Eggs, No Butter)
Ingredients
- 108 g (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 75 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar *organic, note 1
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 4 ½ teaspoons) extra virgin olive oil *note 2
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk *note 3
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened plain vegan yogurt *note 4
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt + extra flaky salt for garnish
- 220 g (1 ¾ cups + 1 tablespoon) all-purpose flour
- 150 g (5.3 oz) vegan dark chocolate roughly chopped *note 5
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan 160°C/conventional 180°C. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, olive oil, non-dairy milk, non-dairy yogurt, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
- Add the baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt and whisk again briefly to combine.
- Fold in flour: Using a rubber spatula fold half the flour into the dough. Then add the second half of the flour and fold until almost combined with a few visible streaks of flour.*note 6
- Add chocolate: Add 120g of the chocolate chunks (reserving a few tablespoons for garnish) and fold them through the cookie dough.
- Shape: Use a 2.4"/6cm cookie scoop to separate the dough into 12 portions. Place the cookie dough balls on the lined sheets - leave at least 2 inches of space between each ball of dough as they will spread whilst baking! If you only have one tray, bake them in batches.Stud the cookies with most of the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Then use a large cookie cutter or glass to carefully round off and shape the edges of the hot cookies. Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.Let the cookies sit on the baking trays for 5 minutes, then carefully slide them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Granulated Sugar: Use organic sugar if US-based to ensure it is vegan-friendly.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use good quality oil for the best flavor. The taste will shine through, so use light olive oil if you prefer a more subtle flavor.
- Non-Dairy Milk: I use soy milk, but you can also use almond or oat milk.
- Vegan Yogurt: This makes the cookies spread slightly more. You can substitute it for an extra 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk.
- Dark Chocolate: I use half bittersweet 70%, and half semisweet 60%.
- If your mixture is on the dry side, you can add another tablespoon of plant-based milk.
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I was looking for a quick cookie recipe and these delivered 🙂 my partner and I really enjoyed them. The recipes on this site tend to be foolproof for me; it's always one of the first places I look when I want to bake.
I made a couple of modifications to this recipe. I didn't have any vegan yogurt on hand so I used another tbsp of soy milk per the notes. I also refrigerated the dough for an hour(ish) before scooping and baking. I didn't have the right size cookie scoop, so I just estimated. I also had to bake about 3 mins longer than the recipe called for (not surprising since I made changes). All these mods combined meant that my cookies didn't spread like the photos, but they were still golden brown, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. I can't wait to make them again but as written! I bet they'll be even better!
Hi Amanda.
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful review! I'm so happy the recipe worked well for you, even with your modifications. It really means a lot to hear my website is one of the first places you check when you're looking for a recipe. Happy baking!
I’ve been making this recipe for over a year now and they come out perfect every time. Folks rave about them. Was wondering if you think this could work in an air fryer?
Hi Coleen. I'm so happy to hear that it's been a keeper for you! 💛 I haven't used an air fryer for baking before, so I'm sorry I can't be more helpful on that one. If you do decide to give it a try, I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Wow, I was doubtful but this turned out so good and my husband absolutely loved them. I was afraid it would be crumbly but I did have to add a little extra milk. At first I tasted the olive oil a lot when it first came out but once it cooled down it is super subtle and tastes like a regular cookie!
Hi Jack,
So glad you gave them a try and enjoyed them 😊
And yes, the olive oil flavour definitely mellows as the cookies cool, so I’m happy to hear they ended up tasting just right.
This is an excellent recipe! The cookies came out with a perfect crust and gooey center. They held their shape nicely too instead of spreading out flat (which usually happens to my cookies when baking at altitude). Definitely saving this as a new favorite.
I made these and they were a delight! I love how they use olive oil because it’s wholesome and tasty. Instead of the soy milk/yogurt, I used vegan egg replacer. I also made a batch where I added a splash of soy milk to the dough, making the dough a little wetter, and the cookies came out softer and spread a bit more. Both versions were delish. Also added a couple, tablespoons shredded coconut. I have a feeling these would be so good with almond extract and chopped nuts. Really happy for this recipe because it scratches the same itch as typical chocolate chip cookies, just without the butter and eggs. Similar taste and texture.
Hi Christina
I havent tried the recipe yet but my daughter has multiple allergies and of them is wheat...can I substitute the flour for a 1-1 gluten free all purpose flour?
Thank you
Dear Christina,
I am a big fan of your recipes and I want to thank you for so generously sharing your recipes online.
I cannot get vegan butter where I live, Is Margarine a worthy substitute? There is margarine sold exclusively for baking here as well as rice bran shortening. Can these be used to sub your vegan butter in recipes?
Your advice would be greatly appreciated
Your fan
Gini
Hi Gini,
Thank you so much for your kind words, that really means a lot 🙂
For this particular cookie recipe, it actually uses olive oil rather than vegan butter, so there’s no need to substitute anything there!
In general though, for recipes that do call for vegan butter, margarine can sometimes work, but it really depends on the brand and its water content. Baking margarines tend to perform better than spreadable ones, and shortening can work in some cases but will change the texture slightly.
Hope that helps, and happy baking!
Can I replace the oil with butter?
Hi Ella!
I haven't tried that with this recipe, I'd recommend using my other cookie recipe which has been tested with vegan butter instead: https://addictedtodates.com/vegan-chocolate-chip-cookies/
These look delish, and I definitely want to give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing, Christina! There's just one catch -- I need to make them without salt or baking powder, for someone who can't have sodium. Leaving out the salt is easy enough, but what do you recommend as a substitute ingredient for baking powder? And will the substitute (or skipping raising agents altogether) involve tweaking the rest of the recipe?
Hi Phillipe,
I reckon you could leave out the baking powder, they will probably be a little thicker and not spread as much though!
I don't normally rate recipes but I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this! One of my sons has allergies to milk, eggs, and nuts and although there are plenty of recipes that are safe, there are few that I really like. I'm not a big fan of vegan butter so I was pleasantly surprised to find this. My whole family loved these more than any other allergy friendly cookies I've made! I made them with freshly milled wheat (2 cups and almost 1/4 cup) and had really good results ... mine were more raised than the pictures. They do taste like olive oil but I really liked it! Thanks!
I made these once for a vegan friend and OMG they are better than non-vegan cookies, the texture is amazing ! Now I make them for my family and friends in France, who are quite picky when it comes to sweetz coz... I mean we are French haha. Everyone loves them !
I think it needs a little more moisture though, I ad some yogourt.
Hi Maylis,
That’s so lovely to hear! 🥹 If you prefer a slightly softer, moister cookie, a little yogurt is a great addition, or you can also add a touch more non-dairy milk next time to get that extra chew. So glad they’re a hit!
The best cookies
Highly recommended recipe
Hi Annie,
So glad you loved them, thank you so much for your feedback!
These were absolutely delicious! Vegan butters haven’t worked for me in the past, but the olive oil was perfect. I substituted yogurt for applesauce, which turned out well. Thank you for the recipe, I’ll definitely be making these again💗🍪
Hi Dot,
So glad you loved them, thank you for sharing! Great to know that applesauce worked as a swap for the yogurt. Thrilled it’s a recipe you’ll be coming back to!
Wow wow woweeee I love this recipe more than i can say! Thank you sooo much, Christina! Finding your recipe was like discovering a rare gem 🤩 i appreciate you very much, and hope to bake with you again soon 🤎 cookie cheers!
Oh my goodness, what a lovely review! 🤎 Thank you so much for your kind words, I’m thrilled the recipe brought you so much joy, and I’m so grateful to have you baking along.
This is a great, easy-to-follow recipe that I'll defo use again. The cookies tasted absolutely divine and everyone at home loved them. Will make a double batch next time as they were gone in no time!
Hi Vivien,
Thanks so much for your feedback, this is lovely to hear!
I made these yesterday for my students and they were so perfect in looks and in taste. I think they gained you a new 5 or so followers at least!!! Delicious.
This is so lovely to hear! Thanks so much for your review 🙂
I've just tried your recipe with matcha: WHAT A WONDER!
Your recipe is definitely the best I've tasted and made in 18 years of veganism!
Hi Laura,
Oh my goodness this is such a great idea! Thank you so much for letting me know, and for your kind words. I appreciate you 🙂
Hi I am planning to make these amazing cookies. Can I use melted butter at the place of olive oil . Thanks 🙂
Hi Pallavi!
I would recommend this recipe instead which uses vegan butter: https://addictedtodates.com/vegan-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I had no doubts about your recipe, and I made it this morning. I've just tasted one while it was still warm... OMG they're so incredible, the taste of olive oil, the texture, they're PERFECT!
It's been a long time since I've eaten such good cookies!
THANK YOU for always coming up with such good, easy and foolproof recipes. I often make your recipes and I'm never disappointed! Thank you for existing.
Hi Laura,
Aw thank you so much for your thoughtful review, it makes me so happy to hear you're enjoying the recipes!
I tried these and the batter was so crumbly and dry so are the measurements correct? There was not enough liquid ingredients so they didn’t spread.
I love so many of your recipes.
Hello Shea,
Yes, they are. If you haven't already I would suggest using a kitchen scale to measure, as cup measurements can be inaccurate. If you still find it too dry, you can add another tablespoon of plant milk to the mix. I hope this helps!
Made these this morning and they were perfect! I dialed back the baking powder as I‘m super sensitive to that but everything else I followed to the T and they are so delicious! I really love the texture of these cookies. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Hi Coleen,
That's wonderful! Thank you so much for trying them and for your lovely review 🙂