Olive Oil Chocolate Cookies with Turbinado Sugar
Tender chocolate cookies made with extra virgin olive oil instead of butter, sweetened with honey and rolled in turbinado sugar. Stone-ground whole wheat flour gives these cookies a subtle nuttiness that complements the Dutch-process cocoa. Quick to mix and bake, with a crispy exterior and chewy center.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup stone-ground white whole wheat flourall-purpose flour1:1gluten
removes whole grain texture and nutrition
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, siftednatural cocoa powder1:1baking
slightly more acidic, add 1/8 tsp baking soda if using
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp honey
- ¾ tsp vanilla
- turbinado sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- 2
Whisk together olive oil, sugar, egg, honey, and vanilla until combined.
- 3
Stir the flour mixture into the oil mixture until just combined.
- 4
Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes or overnight.
- 5
Preheat oven to 350F.
- 6
Scoop dough into teaspoon-sized balls and roll in your palms until round.
- 7
Pour turbinado sugar into a bowl, drop in dough balls, and roll until evenly coated.
- 8
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- 9
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- 10
Bake for 6 minutes, rotate pan, and bake for another 6 minutes.
Tips
Chilling dough twice—before and after shaping—helps cookies maintain their round shape and prevents spreading.
Rotating the pan halfway through baking ensures even browning.
Good to Know
Airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Dough can be refrigerated overnight before shaping and baking.
Serve at room temperature as a snack or dessert.
Common Mistakes
Skip the second chilling step to avoid dough spreading too much during baking
Underbake to avoid dry cookies; aim for edges set but centers still tender
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Swaps
removes whole grain texture and nutrition
General Alternatives
slightly more acidic, add 1/8 tsp baking soda if using