Can You Use Olive Oil In Brownies? The Unexpected Answer You Need To Know

I love brownies, but they often clash with my new healthy diet. One of the unhealthy ingredients of brownies is vegetable oil. I wish I can replace it with a healthy alternative, but can you use olive oil in brownies?

If you’re baffled with the same question, then you come in the right place. At first, I am not convinced that olive oil could replace the taste of butter and vegetable oil, but after a few research, I have discovered otherwise.

If you like to find out what I have discovered recently, continue reading.

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Types of Olive Oil That Can Be Used in Brownies

Chocolate-Nut-Brownie

Yes, you can use olive oil in brownies. At first, you might notice the distinct flavor of extra virgin in the raw batter, but once your brownies are cooked, you won’t even know that it’s there.

Using olive oil will give your brownies that fruity, slightly sharp taste that goes well with chocolate.

When deciding for the right olive oil to be used, you may want to try for a milder flavor so as not to overpower the taste of brownies. Many suggest the use of light olive oil, pure olive oil, and refined olive oil. All of them share the same characteristics of low aroma and taste.

You can learn about the different types of olive oils in this short video.

You may also use extra virgin oil if you have it in your kitchen. Although it gives a very intense aroma and taste, it will all disappear with high heat cooking.

Recently, many people have raved over the new variant of extra virgin oil which infuses an orange flavor. The aromatic orange flavor gives that refreshing new twist to ordinary brownies. One of the most popular brands that you can try is the Iliada Kalamata.

Using Olive Oil in Brownies

olive-oil

Via cretalicious.gr

If you’re making package brownies, substitute the exact amount of vegetable oil with olive oil as called for in the instructions. You should use the light variety of olive oil because it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the taste of your brownies.

If you want to create your own homemade brownies, be bold and experiment on extra virgin, or pure olive oil to work as a substitute for butter. You need to change the proportion of olive oil and butter a bit.

According to this website, you may use this conversion table to substitute butter with olive oil.

Butter

Olive Oil

1 teaspoon

3/4 teaspoon

1 tablespoon

2 1/4 teaspoons

1/4 cup

3 tablespoons

1/2 cup

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

3/4 cup

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon

1 cup

3/4 cup

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

brownies-chocolate-olive

Via kingarthurflour.com

Substituting vegetable oil and butter with olive oil in brownies offers more health benefits than you can imagine.

Due to its low fat composition, you can cut back on the fattening ingredients of your brownies. Here are some of the health benefits of olive oil as presented by Olive Oil Times.

  • Lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes
  • Promotes a healthy heart
  • Prevents osteoporosis
  • Fights skin cancer
  • Lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

A Recipe for Double Fudge Olive Oil Brownies

  • Preparation Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/3 cup extra light olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 11/4 cup chocolate chunks
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 cup flour

Equipment

Instructions

If you like some visual reference for this recipe, you can watch it here in this video.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a piece of parchment in the baking dish and mist it with olive oil. Set aside.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler.
  3. Once melted, transfer it to a bowl and add olive oil, eggs, and sugar. Also add the salt, vanilla, and flour. Lastly, fold in chocolate chunks. Mix well.
  4. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
  5. Put in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes. You can check that your brownies are already cooked if your tester comes out clean when pierced in the center.
  6. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Slice the brownies into squares with a pizza cutter.

Concluding Thought

If you like a healthier version of brownies, you can try substituting the usual ingredients of vegetable oil and butter with olive oil. You may use this popular brand. Using olive oil in brownies is very simple.

  • Use the same amount of olive oil as you would if you were using the vegetable oil required in the box’s instructions.
  • Refer to the conversion table when determining how much olive oil should be substituted for butter.

Tell us what you think by sharing your thoughts, suggestions, or questions in the comments section below. Impress everyone with this new knowledge by sharing this post.

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