Bake

Triple-Chocolate Olive Oil Brownies

November 11, 2018
4.5
16 Ratings
Photo by Rocky Luten
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Makes 1 8x8-inch tray of brownies
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Triple-Chocolate Olive Oil Brownies
Ingredients
  • 5 ounces dark semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (at least 65% cacao)
  • 2 teaspoons (5 grams) instant espresso powder
  • 1/4 cup (about 80 grams) chocolate syrup, preferably dark
  • 1/2 cup (110 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar, plus 1 heaping tablespoon for sprinkling (about 13 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon (heaping) (8 grams) kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons (82 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (33 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa
  • 1 large pinch flaky sea salt
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. (No need to grease—the brownies will take care of that for you while they bake.)
  2. Melt the chocolate in a medium-sized heavy saucepan over a low flame, whisking constantly to prevent any from sticking to the bottom and burning. (You can do this over a double boiler if you prefer.) Remove from heat when there are just a few tiny lumps left, then whisk to finish melting. Add the espresso powder and syrup to the saucepan, and whisk.
  3. To the same saucepan, add the olive oil and vanilla. Whisk. Add the eggs, and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the sugar, salt, flour, and cocoa powder, and whisk thoroughly enough to combine and ensure there are no lumps hiding in the batter, but then stop. (Over-mixing will lead to tough brownies—not what we're going for!)
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle with the remaining heaping tablespoon of sugar all over, and top with a pinch of flaky salt. Bake until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the middle looks puffed up and no longer liquid-y, about 30 minutes. (They won't look fully baked, but they'll set more as they rest.)
  5. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan, then cut them into 1-inch squares. For the neatest-possible cut—since they’re so gooey—you can pop them into the refrigerator for 15 minutes before slicing.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

14 Reviews

Cheryl January 29, 2024
Delicious and easy. Fills the air with amazing chocolate aroma as it cools. Omitted espresso powder. We took a pan with some Ben and Jerry's for dessert at friends. Served 8. Very rich, satisfying, and lovely.
Ellen L. November 28, 2022
Deep chocolate flavor. Followed the recipe exactly. They were a normal thickness, not flat. Glad we cut them in small squares as suggested. Whether you need a dairy free recipe or not, these are a great brownie variation.
Pam November 12, 2022
A question, not a review. Is the chocolate Hersheys chocolate or dark
Karo syrup? Hope this isn’t too foolish of a question.
Jestei June 10, 2022
I have made these brownies 40 times and they always get raves. When I make them for dinner situation I tend to reduce the espresso by half and no harm befalls them. No one can believe they don't have loads of butter. Amazingly fast impressive dessert
Valerie L. March 17, 2021
Hi. How do I adjust the ingredients for 9 inch square pan ?
ctgal January 16, 2020
What kind of olive oil did y'all use? I think my usual olive oil would really add a taste I might not want. Thanks!
BglLvr September 20, 2019
Do you mind sharing what kinds (which brands) of chocolates you used with satisfying results? TIA!
Lucy K. June 28, 2019
I made these last night. I was skeptical with the oil. Here is what I learned! 1. large eggs mean large.. not medium.. if you're using medium eggs use 3. 2. make sure you have a proper square pan [I used some oval thing I had in the pantry and lost a lot when cutting]. 3. make sure you dont over cook them and cool them properly. This is a delicate product [who knew??]. Don't attempt to take it out of the pan too soon because it will crack beyond repair. 4. be PREPARED to not stop eating them. My sugar levels went through the roof and it was well worth it!! These are amazing. OH.. and one more thing? I have really bad carpal tunnel. Just melt the chocolate [either in the microwave or on the stove] then transfer it to the mix master bowl and make sure everything stays on slow speed to incorporate. And I know that people worry about it not having baking soda or baking salt. They aren't supposed to. If you make them right-they are exactly what they're called, brownie bites! Enjoy!
Lucy K. June 28, 2019
*baking soda or baking powder-sorry.
Barry B. March 14, 2019
Delicious! These come out thinner and more fudge-like than traditional brownies, but both the taste and texture are excellent. The edges are extra-chewy, not crunchy, which my family liked better than traditional recipes. I cut back on the kosher salt a bit, using a scant teaspoon rather than a heaping teaspoon. With Maldon finishing salt on top, that gave just the right amount of saltiness.
mary March 12, 2019
brownies dont have a leavening agent!
Carol C. February 23, 2019
I just made these! Havent tasted them yet, but they are rather flat! I’m suspicious of baking recipes that use no baking soda or baking powder. Is that why these are so flat?
ellemmbee February 28, 2019
How did they taste? I have several delicious brownie recipes that have no leavener.
La'Chia March 15, 2019
The beaten eggs provide the leavening in this recipe.