Olive Oil Crinkle Cookies
Big chewy brown sugar cookies made with olive oil. These crinkle cookies puff up in the oven and flatten into the prettiest, craggy cookies. They taste prominently of olive oil so use a good quality.
If you did a quick google image search for ‘crinkle cookies’ these are not even close to what you’d find: rows and rows of round, puffy chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar. These are clearly not those although they do share something in common with them: crinkles.
Remember these chocolate sugar cookies? I just absolutely love how they look and while I didn’t intentionally set out to create the vanilla version, I fell in love with these. The initial goal was a pistachio, white chocolate olive oil cookie but after some tests I somehow found the cookie itself the most enjoyable part and decided I didn’t need any other distractions.
Having said that, the combination of olive oil and white chocolate turned out truly delicious and we may find ourselves revisiting this in the near future. What’s so great about crinkle cookies?
Really the magic is in the leavening and the chemical reaction that happens in the oven; a mixture of baking soda and powder (more than you’d usually use for a cookie) reacting with the acid in the cookie, causes them to both spread and puff up causing large crevices in the cookie. You’ll notice in the instructions that I ask you to wait until you can see this before you take them out.
Then, as they cool the puff goes and gives away to a flat cookie with large grooves. They are gorgeous but more importantly they taste wonderful: crispy edges and very chewy, nearly fudge-like centers.
Recipe Ingredients
Olive oil: Extra virgin, and use a very good quality as you will taste it! I
Sugar: A mix of fine granulated and brown, dark or light is fine.
Egg: Just one, no need to bring it to room temperature.
Flour: All purpose flour, I used KAF which is a protein content of 11.7. I imagine a lower protein flour will cause the cookies to spread a bit more.
Cornstarch: This helps gives the cookies a chewy interior. You can also use tapioca starch if that’s what you have.
Salt & Vanilla: Fine sea salt and pure vanilla extract.
Chewy Crinkle Cookies as Crinkle Cookie Sandwiches
My gut instinct (or my summer sweating self as I’m writing this in early august under 90 degree weather) knows that these would be absolutely wonderful with a blob of ice cream sandwiched in the middle.
I also think that, given they aren’t that sweet, they would be the kind of cookie you might like to give a filling: a buttercream, a jam or maybe even a curd.
Orange Glazed Olive Oil Cookies
I had a couple of comments saying the cookies lacked flavor (this is going to happen when the olive oil isn’t quality or isn’t something you enjoy tasting) so I’ve added an option to get some citrusy orange flavor in the cookies. If you’d like to take it a step further, an orange vanilla bean glazed was AMAZING on these. Addictive and I couldn’t get enough of them. Simply whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar (organic, made with tapioca not corn starch), 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and just enough orange juice to make a thick glaze. Dip the cooled cookies in the glaze to coat.
Olive Oil Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½cup or 100g olive oil use one you like, you'll taste it!
- ¾cup or 170g brown sugar
- ¼cup or 55g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 160g or 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- zest of 1 orange optional
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two greased cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, sugars, vanilla and egg very well. Add the cornstarch, baking powder, soda, salt and flour and, using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough, I use a 2 tablespoon scoop, leaving about two inches between each dough mound as these will spread.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, at ten check on them - if they have the large crinkles they are done. If not or just beginning to, leave them in for another 2-4 minutes. Take them out when they are puffy, have wrinkles all over, and are dark on the edges. They will flatten as they cool.
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this is going to sound like the weirdest variation, but I had so little in the cupboard and an intense craving for cookies. used all the same ratios, but for flour I used a blend of plain brown rice protien powder, potato starch and buckwheat flour. (was meant to be rice flour but realised I didn’t have any when I’d already started baking). didn’t have orange so added a touch of cinnamon and cardamom.
honestly made an absolute amazing cookie and the bonus of added protien so I won’t get such bad sugar crashes.
I made these and wasn’t quite sold on the first batch as i could really taste the olive oil (i used extra virgin as its what i had!) and wasn’t 100% sure on the flavour.
They seemed like they’d work better almost completely savoury for me, so i rolled the second batch in Everything Bagel seasoning and baked and omg were these so good!! Delicious, chewy, savoury with a hint of sweet, really nice with cream cheese. They defo work best for me as a savoury biscuit with a hit of sweet rather than the other way around. The saltiness of the bagel seasoning paired perfectly with the olive oil flavour. Fab recipe!
Hi Tina! they are called olive oil cookies precisely because it is a main feature of the cookie, you will taste it! That said, I am glad you found a way to make them more palatable to your taste.
The comments that use alternative ingredients or methods and then complain about the outcome.. lol! So infuriating. Sorry Sam, your recipe was perfect and my husband and I LOVE IT! We agreed that this might be the best cookies we have ever made. We followed every step and ingredient in your recipe and were presented with beautiful crinkle chewy delicious cookies. We used Graza olive oil (the cooking one, had it on hand) which was great. The cookies are very olive oily. Yum!!! Thank you 😊
lemme put you onto this guys.. the best tasting cookies i’ve ever tried!!! nothing is quite like it, it just tastes so different from regular cookies and i won’t ever make them w anything else but olive oil
I just came across these today, as I wanted cookies but I didn’t have butter in the house. I substituted the vanilla for orange flavoring and added chopped candied ginger, and a teaspoon of ginger powder. These are going into my collection of recipes for the family. They are delicious!
rolled them in cinnamon sugar and they were so good and caramelly and also fast and easy. they also looked BEAUTIFUL. i made them because i didn’t have butter but i’m definitely saving for the future even if i do have butter.
These were surprisingly delicious. We have an egg allergy in the family so I used a flax egg and they still came out crispy on the edges and chewy on the inside. My kids loved them (they are very picky eaters and I was worried they would not like the olive oil taste). Thanks for a great recipe!
These cookies are great! I had a tiny bottle of pistachio oil I needed to use up and was able to substitute it in. I reduced the salt to 1/2tsp and added a little more vanilla for taste. Also skipped the glaze, they didn’t really need it. Tastes very similar to peanut butter cookies because of the pistachio oil’s flavor.
that’s awesome cookie recipe, I loved it <3
These cookies were divine! I was initally a bit worried as I didn’t have any oranges on hand to zest for that classic olive oil + citrus combo, but these turned out fantastic without it. Loved the texture as well as the gorgeous crinkle tops! Pretty and delicious. Will definitely make these again and again.
I could not see where or when to add the orange. Am I missing something?
the last ingredient for the cookie dough is orange zest. if you are doing a glaze, mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice.
I love these cookies they are addictive! I add rosemary and they are divine!! highly recommend 😀
These cookies are fantastic! The texture is amazing. I made them for someone who doesn’t like olive oil in desserts so I used canola and added 1/2tsp cinnamon, 1/4tsp ground ginger and 1/4tsp nutmeg for extra flavour. I didn’t have any eggs so I used a flax egg substitute (1tbsp ground flax and 3tbsp water) and it worked great. I do notice that they’re missing that buttery flavour that I tend to expect from cookies, but I think if I had used olive oil or another strongly flavoured oil rather than super-neutral canola I wouldn’t have noticed.
Hi! I really want to make these cookies but I can’t bake them straight away. Can I make the dough and refrigerate it? How long could it hang out there and still be good to bake? Thanks in advance.
You can but wrap it tight or keep it in an airtight container. I think overnight is fine. Sometimes the oil separates when the dough sits too long!
These are some of the best cookies I’ve ever made and have become a staple in our household! We use the fancy Olive Oil for this and it’s so incredibly flavorful without feeling artificial. It really doesn’t need any glaze or additional sweetener if you use the good stuff!
I really love these cookies. I have to admit that I’m one of the people who reduces the sugar. I use all the white it calls for, and then I subtract that amount from the brown sugar. That level of sweetness is just right for me without messing with the texture. I made them again yesterday and added lemon extract, ginger, and allspice. It went really well with the olive oil. The recipe is great as is, but I like that it’s adaptable as well. The cookies are great hot and somehow even better the next day. Thank you!
For some reason mine didn’t get the pretty look of the cracks, but they are very delicious.
I love this recipe. I was home alone craving cookies with injured knee and only had 1 egg and no butter lol…I surfed the internet and found this recipe. I am obsessed! I have baked these in so many variations using every flavored extract I own. So delicious and less fattening than most cookies. Thank you!
These were quite tasty. I followed the recipe completely. However, they did not spread out and they were ‘bulky’ so to speak. I’d love to have them spread out and be a little thinner.
Deb, I have never had these cookies not spread, if anything they spread quite a bit and can turn into pancake-like shapes! Something must have gone wrong for you, might want to check the freshness of your leavening (baking soda and powder) and use an additional external thermometer to check the oven temperature.
I was looking for an oil based cookie when i stumbled on this lovely recipe. It is easy to whip up and comes together without much fuss. It has a nice almost chewy texture that pairs well with my afternoon tea. I have used the orange zest every time, but will try some lemon zest once I get to the store. Thank you for this budget friendly cookie!
Tara, so happy to hear it! LMK how it goes with lemon, I tend to love olive oil and lemon together 😀
This is one of my absolutely favorite cookies EVER. They are the most gorgeous cookies that are so perfect for giving….after they receive them, I get many requests for MORE!
I would love to share this with a vegan friend, but the only sub I’ve seen for eggs that I have on hand to try is 1/4 cup applesauce for each egg.
Sam, have you ever done this sub? Or anyone else that may have subbed?
TIA, Miriam
These were delicious; a new favorite cookie recipe, and easy to make often. I added some orange zest to the dough and found them very flavorful.
So yummy! I was looking for a cookie recipe I could make with a butter alternative so I didn’t have to run out to the grocery store. I followed the recipe as written (using a scale) and added some orange extract, pecans and dried black currants. They’re absolutely delicious and look amazing too. They didn’t spread as much as they appear in the photos but I like a more domed cookie anyway. It will be super fun to play with different flavour combos with this excellent base recipe. Thank you!
I love these cookies! They come together quickly and are super easy to make. I’ve made these with some tweaks to the flavors (I’ve done mexican hot chocolate with the orange, I’ve done lemon basil, etc) and each time they’ve been delicious. Definitely a recipe worth keeping!
those flavors sound delicious!!!
These are one of my all time favorite cookies!! I love a beautiful looking cooking as well, and these are so pretty in a cookie gift!
I get many requests for these too!
Aw, I love that you think they are beautiful!
Lovely cookie, came out perfect the first time. I used grapeseed oil, because I prefer the oil neutral in baked goods. The orange flavor shines through, with a bit of a salty finish. Visually appealing, quick and easy, and makes the kitchen smell wonderful.
Always so good and easy to follow. Beautiful complex flavors.
Thanks for your prompt reply, and I take note of the subsequent comment from NS.
I made the recipe exactly as written, but the first tray went in the oven did not turn out as written, ergo subsequent attempts to achieve spread, cracking and flattening whilst adjusting down sugar and salt based on previous comments. So you do need all that sugar then to get the cookie to crack and eventually flatten while cooling down. Good to know. It may be the flour issue which was all-purpose but it may not be the same as all-purpose in America? It may also be an oven issue since I have a convection oven, so maybe the temperature needs to be turned down a bit? I don’t know anything about muffins, but all the batter turned out like cookies and not cake-like at all, they just didn’t flatten out as pictured. Anyway, I tried my best and followed the recipe as written to start, but the cookies did not look like the photos.
As you said in #4 in your first comment and in this comment: you need the full amount of sugar to get the same spread as pictured. Following the recipe “as written” means not reducing the sugar at all. Here’s a really cool side by side comparison that Handle the Heat did awhile back that shows what such a modification can do: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h7qHBv8Jj/?igsh=MWN6em00cjI2dmg5Ng%3D%3D
This is perfect. I made no changes and followed directions exactly as the recipe developer intended and it came out great. Loved the taste from the olive oil, kept the sugar as listed as it helped with the structure of the cookies, and the salt brought out all the other flavours. A recipe that works best when it’s followed as written and not drowned in orange juice as some might suggest!
I really like the idea of this no butter cookie recipe. However , I think it still needs further adjustments and testing :
1. Taste the olive oil beforehand in order to make sure it does not have an overpowering taste. Olive oil with a strong taste does not necessarily mean that it is poor quality. Carapelli Italian olive oil makes a “light” version for exactly this type of recipe so that it does not dominate, or just use a neutral vegetable oil instead.
2. Agree with others about reducing the sugar (I used only 1/2 cup brown sugar), especially if you end up icing the cookies with more sugar!
3. Agree with some who mentioned there being too much salt. I reduced to 1/2 tsp Kosher and that was plenty.
4. Baked cookies did not spread that much and did not flatten once cooled and looked nothing like those beauties pictured! Maybe need all that sugar so cookies flatten while cooling?
5. For the 2nd tray of cookies going in, added 2-3 tablespoons of orange juice to the batter and flattened the scoops a bit with the back of a spoon before putting them in the oven. Again, little spread and little flattening, and fewer large cracks too.
5. Added another 2 tablespoons orange juice to the batter for the final tray going into the oven, the batter pretty gooey now although easy to handle by scooping with a spoon due to all the olive oil in the recipe. Once I started adding orange juice to improve spread and flattening, I noticed the cookies no large cracks coming out of the oven. No flattening and crinkling in spite of my best efforts. Sorry to say, never making this again.
Well you didn’t actually make the recipe so I’m not surprised that the cookies didn’t spread or get cracks like those pictured Marmin. Sugar is a ‘wet’ ingredient and contributes to texture and structure, it’s not just there for the sweetness. It’s absolutely not replaceable with orange juice; by adding juice you’re on your way to making something that would be more like muffins rather than cookies.
I added lemon zest to the batter because I didn’t have any oranges or orange juice, and I also dipped them in cinnamon sugar before baking. They are SO good, perfectly crispy but not hard! The crinkle turned out great. I would say they are on the sweeter side but I personally prefer them this way. My house smells amazing after baking these!!
A very easy and delicious recipe. Added a little orange extract and some flaky sea salt and it was wonderfully fruity and delicious, would recommend
I gave these as part of a baking bento box gift to my coworkers and everyone raved specifically about these cookies! They were spectacular and will be a forever go to recipe!
I didn’t have an orange for zest so I used two small tangerines.
cane out good used non sugar chocolate chips and sugar free substitute . i. am a diabetic best cookie i have made.
These cookies are so simple and delicious- I didn’t use cornstarch and topped them with cinnamon sugar mixture before baking, they turned out amazing.
cinnamon sugar on top sounds delicious!
Olive Oil Crinkles are delicious with orange zest…thanks!
I made these to the letter… they came out perfectly cooked, and tasted incredible. A very indulgent treat
Absolutely loved these cookies. Perfect sweetness, texture and flavor. The combination of the olive oil and orange zest is so refreshing.
Fantastic! Turned out exactly as shown, and I can see opportunities to add flavors, which I did. I added a splash of orange juice in one batch, Almont extract in another. Feel really good about there being no butter! Easy!
I used gluten free flour and a little monk fruit powder to replace sugar. Added ginger and all spice 1tsp each.
The recipe was great as original I just tried something different. I’m gluten intolerant.
I love these cookies and they are dairy free they don’t last a day at home best cookies ever!!!
these are so underrated pls make them they are so crispy and one of the best cookies i have ever made. you have got to try these. all i can say is yumm
These cookies taste amazing! I saw so many recipes calling for a cup of butter, and I was so happy to find this recipe instead. I did have to bake them for about 14 minutes, but I have an old gas stove from the 50’s, so that wasn’t unexpected. My only concern was I got no crinkle at all, even though they were getting very brown on the bottom. Any tips for helping with that next time? I think I going to make an orange glaze to drizzle on top since these look a little boring without the crinkle. Thanks again!
These are delicious! I love baking with olive oil. I cut back on the sugar as some suggested, but I think they would have still been delicious with the full amount! Next time I’ll follow the recipe exactly.
These cookies are fabulous. I definitely want to try them with orange zest next time, but they are great even without. My dough was definitely softer than Sam’s demo video (didn’t quite hold the scooper shape), and yet the baked cookie looks (and tastes) perfect!
that’s wonderful jennifer! so happy to hear it
These are good! Just the brown sugar was perfectly sweet for me. I used 1/2 tsp salt and I would go to 1/4 next time. I didn’t have an orange so I used lemon zest which totally made this cookie.
I made this recipe almost exactly. The only difference is I used lemon. They’re fantastic. I made them for my neighbor and she asked for the recipe.
Perfect. Simple. No notes. Making these for the second time this week. I especially appreciate such a great olive oil cookie recipe for health reasons. Thank you!
Just checking: the flour is supposed to be cups, right?
Mine became way darker (because of the dark sugar I guess?) and super big! I tried to take them out after 10 minutes but they didn’t even seem solid enough yet (though they were puffy and crinkly)
Okay… taking them out of the oven after 13 minutes now and hoping after cooling they will be a bit more solid? 🙂 I hope the inside will be fudgy though, haha!
(I added a little bit of vanilla sugar and some almond flour).
it is now in both cups and grams! a darker brown sugar will make them darker.
Great cookies. I took off one star because I thought they were too sweet (like @Richard stated in the comments below).
I used Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (Rich, Robust, and Complex). I weighed my ingredients with my Escali scale.
I baked these cookies 3 ways. The original way, then I modified part of the original mix and added lemon zest, and the last way I modified the original mix was by adding the cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of all spice that @Eve Wright suggested below in the comments.
I must agree they are sweet for me. I would reduce the sugar if possible. Otherwise they were great! They did not taste like olive oil to me as the sugar shined through.
I’m noticing 2 cups of sugar is too sweet for me for cookie recipes.
But, @Buttermilk by Sam’s Thick Cocoa Brownies (Published on: MARCH 2, 2020) were phenomenal! I’ve fshared the recipe at least five to seven times by now and I only made them on Jan. 19. 23. They are my new go to brownie recipe and I love them even more eating them straight out of the freezer.
**You should try “frozen” brownies! They are LIFE CHANGING**
I’m glad I found your website Sam and I hope to continue to try more of your recipes!
I have already made it and they are so delicious. I added only brown sugar because I thought that they are going to be sweet enough. In the future I think I will add less salt, for me they were a little bit too salty.
Thank you so much!
Nice recipe – I followed the directions exactly except I enhanced it with 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp each nutmeg and ground ginger. The cookies came out delicious.
Loved these! The cookie texture is lovely and the flavor is mild but you can taste the olive oil! I was feeling festive, so I dipped these in a cinnamon-cardamom-allspice sugar (somewhat like your choc molasses cookie method) for a snickerdoodle spin!
I liked these. I intentionally left out the white sugar, and they were still too sweet for me. I’ll cut down the sugar further in the future. I added some lemon juice and cinnamon, and they were still a bit on the bland side. In the future, I’ll add lemon zest as well as several tbsp lemon juice. Also, as an alternative, I think these would make a nice spice cookie, with ginger and other spices added.
P.S. Do space the cookies well because they spread a lot while baking. The baking time was about 14 minutes for me.
WOW~ these are so good. Not too sweet which is perfect for my taste. I have lemon-flavored olive oil that I would like to try next. I wonder if the lemon flavor would come through? Great recipe either way. Thanks.
It could depending on how strong it is – I’d add some lemon zest in there too!