Olive Oil Brownies With Sea Salt Recipe (2024)

My experience is that a tsp of instant espresso powder intensifies the chocolateness in brownies (or cake, cookies...)

Try substituting 1/4 c. strong brewed coffee for the boiling water. The coffee will bring out a more pronounced chocolate flavor.

White sugar = crunchy crackly top

We were blown away by these -- as good as any with butter. Exactly right sweetness level (more for adults than kids) and moisture. Underbake a little for moist fudginess. I used California Olive Ranch everyday oil, Valrhona unsweetened chocolate disks and a quality dark cocoa -- Barry Callebaut is good. So rich and chocolatey that the added chips aren't really necessary. Be lavish with the top salt! These might become our go-to brownies. Great recipe, Melissa.

Logistical questions: does anyone know why granulated sugar is called for here rather than using all brown sugar? (Moisture wouldn't seem an issue in this very high-moisture recipe.) And if anyone tries replacing a few tbsp of flour with some extra cocoa powder, please report back; I'm interested in a more intense chocolate flavor and 1/4c cocoa powder seems inadequate here.

Why am I greasing the pan if I am going to line it with parchment?

I make a recipe similar to this by combining the wet ingredients first (using hot brewed coffee rather than water), then adding that mixture to a mixture of all dry ingredients (including the cocoa powder). This is would eliminate the water/cocoa powder step.

I used Lindt 70 per cent cocoa cooking chocolate, dark chocolate chips and an olive oil specifically labelled as light. They were beautiful!

These brownies are fantastic! I made 3 batches back-to-back and the consistency varied quite a bit. You absolutely need a wire whisk, wooden spoon and rubber spatula when preparing. And I highly recommend weighing the dry ingredients. The results are very sensitive to the amount of ingredients you use. I would use 3 fluid oz of olive oil rather than 6 Tbs - it’s difficult to measure 6 Tbs consistently. My husband does not like brownies but felt these were delicious.

I sprinkle the pan with a little cold water before applying the paper. That helps it stick

If you're looking for more intense chocolate I would up the melted chocolate, cocoa powder is drying so it attracts moisture, the added chocolate will have extra cocoa butter to give a better texture.

I melted Callebaut 100% cocoa chocolate and used brown sugar for half the granulated sugar (to finish of the package of brown sugar so I reduced the granulated sugar amount). I also added one tsp of cocoa powder (when I saw your comment) without reducing the flour. For the remainder I followed the recipe resulting in a nice intensity to the chocolate flavor, more so than the typical brownie and a nice consistency too. I'll make this again.

made this delicious recipe "vegan!" Substituted 1/4 c chopped prunes for the egg... oh and did almond extract vice vanilla. DELICIOUS!

Made with half whole wheat and half white flour. Added about a tbsp more water. Baked for 20 minutes; they came out fudgy and perfect! Absolutely loved them.

I have made these several times recently and used both bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate and Dutch Process vs regular cocoa powder. The unsweetened chocolate and Dutch Process cocoa, as called for in the recipe, really do make a difference in taste and dark rich color. I had to search out the unsweetened (99% Cacao) as my standard grocery no longer stocks it but glad I did.

The batter was very dense and thick so I had to spread it around the pan. Hence, these were more like brownie cookies. Didn't rise. I didn't add chocolate chips so perhaps that was the issue. Maybe as some have suggested there wasn't enough liquid (i.e., water). Nice flavour.

These are, by far, the best brownies I have ever eaten. I stuck to the basic recipe, watched the video and wow. I used 4 oz bar of 100% Ghiradelli Cacao unsweetened chocolate (because what will do with a leftover ounce). I used 100 gms of Guittard semi sweet chip and 100% Hershey's dutch process cocoa. Cooked for 23 minutes and they are fudgey great. I didn't have the flakey sea salt that would be wondrous but these are stupendous without it.

These were the best brownies I have ever made. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly - rich chocolatey flavor, moist, and decadent. Will make again.

I made this on Friday. Cut back on the chocolate chips and added pecans. Was luscious. Rich and delicious. I used regular extra virgin olive oil, not a super expensive one and it was perfect. My only problem was that mine separated after I added the egg but that may be because I slightly over melted the chocolate. Next time I will melt like I normally would, in a double boiler, instead of the microwave. Microwaves get away from you if you’re not attentive, which clearly I was not!

The recipe calls for melted unsweetened chocolate. The video showing the chocolate being melted in the double boiler is captioned bittersweet chocolate. Which is correct?

Spouse said, "Wow! These brownies belong in a bakery!" Wish I could take the credit but it's all you, Melissa. Thanks for making me look like a professional baker!

These are the best brownies we’ve ever made, out of the 8 or so NYT brownies recipes we’ve tried. The coffee comments here are dead on.

Never making brownies with butter again…

These brownies have a very sophisticated flavor that we loved. I only had 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate and had to supplement the rest with 85% and it worked well. The salt was necessary in my opinion.

I have made these three times now because I became lactose intolerant and often find that vegan butter just doesn't bake as well. I love Melissa's recipes and 99% of them turn out great and are easy to follow. But I have had a consistent problem with the batter consistency with this one! On her video the batter looks like any other batter as she scrapes it into the pan. Mine becomes thick, fudge-like, and I have to pack it into the pan with my hands! What's going wrong?

An absolutely perfect recipe and one I will continue to make! Only difference is I added one tsp of espresso powder into the boiling water before adding to the cocoa powder. Baked for ~23 mins and they were perfectly set. My flaky salt didn’t stick as well as the recipe described so next time I will add before baking.

I sent these to my son for his birthday and they arrived 17 days later (thank you, USPS). I gave him permission to throw them out, but he warmed them in the microwave and declared them delicious! They are survivors. Stock up your pantry for the zombie apocalypse.

I’ve made these twice and they’re so so good. I follow the recipe to a tee baking for 20 minutes and they turn out dense and fudgey with chewy edges and a crispy top. They are complex and not too sweet. To the person who used a bigger pan I suspect that’s the reason yours came out thin and dry

Has anyone used avocado oil instead of olive oil?

I read the reviews of these brownies and HAD to make them! I made them exactly by the recipe except I used a slightly larger pan (by mistake) - and they came out very flat, not chewy at all and not moist in the center. I only baked them for 18 minutes. Was it just the size of the pan or could it have been something else? Generally brownies have more eggs, less flour and more baking soda or powder than this recipe calls for. Any help will be appreciated!