Give Butter A Break And Try Olive Oil In Your Chocolate Chip Cookies
Everyone loves a buttery chocolate chip cookie, but for those who want to hit the brakes on butter and try something new, olive oil is the perfect swap. Olive oil is used across many baked goods and desserts, from olive oil cakes to ice cream to chocolate bars, and its flavor can range from fruity to nutty to bitter, all of which can, when wielded properly, complement the sweetness of baked goods aptly. Olive oil also tends to be associated with sophistication, so adding it to your typically humble chocolate chip cookies can elevate their taste (or at least perception). Adding an extra light olive oil in place of butter may be the less noticeable swap in terms of flavor, whereas a robust extra virgin olive oil may appeal to those who want the taste of the olive oil to shine within the cookie.
Olive oil can also be a boon to the texture of chocolate chip cookies, depending on your preferred consistency. The oil helps to achieve the perfect tenderness when used in baked goods, ensuring the centers of the cookies stay soft. This is because moisture is practically a guarantee when baking with olive oil; it is liquid at room temperature, so even after baking moisture is present. Chocolate chip cookies made with a little extra virgin olive oil or a lighter choice are sure to satisfy those whose tastes draw them away from drier, crumblier varieties.
How to swap olive oil for butter
Besides adding an interesting flavor dimension and moist texture to chocolate chip cookies, olive oil is also, thankfully, an incredibly easy swap. This makes baking chocolate chip cookies with dairy-avoidant diners smooth sailing. A typical rule of thumb is that you can swap the two at a 3:4 ratio, meaning that a recipe calling for 1 cup of butter could be swapped for ¾ cup of olive oil. Try it out in this chocolate chip cookie skillet recipe, or add a new dynamic to these toffee chocolate chip cookies from Tasting Table. Olive oil is also recommended as a swap for baking recipes that call for melted butter. Extra virgin olive oil tends to have fruity dimensions to its flavor, so pairing this with dark chocolate chips in a cookie is a way to maximize both flavor and consistency.
Olive oil has a number of health benefits when compared to butter. Generally more nutritious than butter, olive oil contains heart-healthy fats (compared with butter's saturated fats) and is rich in antioxidants that can help fight inflammation and support brain health. So baking chocolate chip cookies with olive oil is not only elevating your cookie game but is also a super simple swap that does your body a little favor.