Olive Oil Brownies

I don’t really like brownies. But once a year, I’ve got to have them.

I’ve made these twice so far this year and, I’ve got to say, the recipe is narrowing in on perfect. Chewy but not gooey. Crispy on the edges. Not too oily. Not too buttery. Maybe just slightly too sweet. And, ofc, no seed oils.

It’s got olive oil for skin and health, and tahini for the luteal phase. Texture 10/10

I mean, just look at that crumb.

For those chocolate-y days, you can have this in 45 minutes (you know, the days where your mother buys you a chocolate book for Christmas that makes you crave chocolate things every time you pick it up and you’re the slowest reader ever so it takes you four months to finish it and by the time you’re finished you’ve eaten more chocolate in those four months than you typically do in a year but hey at least it’s better quality chocolate)?

Book recommendation below. Then, the recipe.

what you need

*note: for baking chocolate and cacao powder, my go-tos are Guittard and Navitas

2 large eggs, at room temp

1/2 cup (75oz) dark or semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons almond flour

1/2 cup cacao powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup good olive oil (that you would eat)

(optional) flaky sea salt, fresh nutmeg, and whipping cream

how to make it

Method: stovetop

Heat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, combine your tahini, olive oil, and chocolate over medium heat. Stir until smooth and glossy (do not let it get too hot), and remove from heat.

In separate bowl, mix cacao powder, almond flour, and salt together. Set aside.

In yet another separate bowl, beat both sugars, vanilla, and eggs together with a hand mixer for 5 minutes until very fluffy. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the dry mixture until just combined.

Do not overmix.

Pour into a parchment-lined baking dish of choice (an 8×8 works great. mine was a little smaller, so the brownies a little thicker, so the cooking time +5 mins).

Top with flaky sea salt. Cook in a warm oven for ~24 minutes or until top is cracking. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting.

pro tip: like this needs leveling up but do it anyway. take some heavy whipping cream and whip it with some coconut sugar or maple syrup until soft peaks form. spoon it over your brownie and, HERE’S THE HOT TAKE, grate some fresh nutmeg on top. this is a game changer. a flavor changer. an all around good idea.

after all, few things are made worse by freshly grated nutmeg.