Sea Salt & Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Brownies (Vegan+GF)
Yeah…….okay I did put olive oil in your brownies. Can we still be friends?
And wait just a second before you completely write me off as insane please, they’re actually really good! Seriously, no one could ever tell there is olive oil in them if you don’t tell. They’ve got it all; that rich fudgy texture, a perfect amount of sweetness, and that bittersweet balance with them being extra dark. Oh, and don’t let me forget the sea salt on top, that’s the magic touch that takes them to a whole other level of delish! However if salty/sweet isn’t really your thing then feel free to cut back or even skip it if you must. There are no rules when brownies are involved.
What I think is the key selling point though, is that they’re secretly a much better way to indulge in your daily dose of chocolate! You know, because it’s a new year and we wouldn’t want to be putting our sanity on the line by skipping the necessary amounts. 😉
I’d venture a guess that my fam and I aren’t the only ones gearing our thoughts toward some healthier options this year. Am I right? Well, that’s why I figured you might like to hear about these majorly addictive brownies that don’t come with any guilt. Hey, chocolate is an antioxidant rich superfood so can we all agree to making these an acceptable breakfast option??? Alright, maybe that’s a bit of wishful thinking but still, it’s a fair consideration. Actually, I’m going to pick on my big sis and tell you that she might even have gone there the day I made these. She’s got her priorities straight that girl.
I’m about to keep going on in case you still aren’t sold on these. I mean, they use all whole ingredients so there’s no refined sugar or flour (with the exception of adding the optional chocolate chunks if you want), they’re made with one of the planet’s healthiest oils, and also, they’re gluten free too. Uh huh, for real! You’re welcome.
I did consider going full vegan with these guys, but I’ve gotta be honest here, I can’t hardly bring myself to do a brownie recipes without eggs. I know it can be done but it just seems so wrong in my book. I feel like brownies are all about the specific texture you get from the eggs so I left them in.
Another selling point (Hehe, yep, I still have more.) is that these are nearly a one-bowl recipe and they can be stirred up in about 5 minutes and ready to go into the hot oven. The only other dish you have to dirty is a small saucepan for warming the oil so you can get the cocoa mixed without lumps. Confession, I’ve skipped that step before and still had some pretty darn good brownies even if I do recommend that step for the best results.
Okay then, so now all that’s left is for you to go pre-heat the oven and grab the chocolate. Oh, and don’t forget to get plenty of chunks on top. In fact, it’s never a bad idea to “accidentally” double the amount. (Antioxidants, remember?)
Sea Salt & Olive Oil Dark Chocolate Brownies (Gluten Free)
Olive oil might not be the first ingredient you'd think to put into a brownie recipe but you might be surprised how well it works.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw sugar AKA "turbinado sugar"
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup oat flour *see note
- 1/3 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C) and grease and 8x8 inch or 7x11 inch baking pan with oil.
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In a small saucepan set over low heat, slowly warm the oil with sugar until just warm to the touch, not hot. Add the cocoa powder while whisking then once mixed, remove from heat and scrape into a medium bowl. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, the baking powder, and the vanilla until combined. Mix in the coconut milk then add the oat flour and stir in until smooth. Pour the batter into prepared pan and sprinkle chocolate chips and sea salt over the batter evenly. Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes until the center doesn't jiggle when the pan is nudged (you can also check center with a toothpick and see if it comes out clean). Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. These brownies are very fudgy until completely cooled so you can chill them in the fridge or freezer to make them cool faster or simply enjoy them warm and messy.
Recipe Notes
*I like to make my own oat flour and it is easily done by simply processing oats in a blender or food processor until fine.
26 Comments
Jessica
Sea salt is everything! x
Jessica — NinetyCoÂ
Tori
So true! Thanks, Jessica!
annie
Gringalicious, more like FUDGEalicious. I’m glad I didn’t make any resolutions about cutting sweets, because I would be crumbling them up right now.
Tori
Haha, that’s great to hear!
Karly
Dark chocolate heaven. These look like pure, ooey gooey perfection! LOVE the olive oil and sea salt in there.. these are going to the top of my to-do list!
Tori
Thanks, Karly!
lucie
Mmmmmm. I adviously didnt eat enough at christmas and New Year because I could jump through my screen right now and devour a whole batch of these – so so so delicious!
Tori
Thanks Lucie!
Debbie Hanson
Where’s the recipe? Not seeing it?
Tori
Sorry, I’ll add it asap.
John Dyson-Berry
How could this be gluten free with Oat Flour
Tori
Hi John, thanks for stopping by. I realize that there is sometimes a worry about oats for people with allergies to gluten, however oats themselves are gluten-free. For those who need to avoid gluten just be sure to check the brand you’re using to make sure they are certified gluten-free. Also, if preferred these brownies can also be made using your favorite gluten-free flour mix. Also, you can check out this article for more info on oats.
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geoff
These were fantastic! Two questions though, what size is the pan that you used? And why haven’t the chocolate chunks in your pictures melted after being in the oven for 18 minutes? I had a salty chocolate swimming pool on top of mine!
Tori
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these, Geoff! In answer to your first question I used a 11×7 inch glass pan, however an 8×8 or even a 9-inch pie pan will also work. As for the chocolate chips, my guess is that it varies based on the brand you use. In the future if you plan to try them again and use the same chocolate for the top, I’d recommend baking the brownies and topping them with the chunks right after you take them out of the oven to cool. Thanks, Geoff!
Ruby & Cake
You are so right about eggs. Its just not the same they are too important! Sea salt and chocolate is just heaven in any form but these look especially divine.
Tori
Thanks Ruby!
Bindia | Indisk Takeaway
I eat dark chocolate a lot on this Christmas. This looks so delicious.
Tori
Thanks!
Celiac
I made these yesterday. They are a win. Not too sweet yet chocolatey. Friends and family all enjoyed it. I was glad for one of the reviews warning about the chocolate pool, so I added the chunks of chocolate the last few minutes before taking out of oven. Prep took longer than the recipe said, plus it was more than one dish as was suggested in the article. I would make them again.
Tori
Thanks, Celiac! I’m so happy you liked these!
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Rory
Hi! Can one use regular flour instead of oat flour?
Tori
Hey Rory, thanks for stopping by. Absolutely you can use regular flour instead and they should come out great. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Kit
Yummy! Id love to have this later. Ive been eating dark chocolate lately to deal with stress so this one is perfect! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Tori
It’s my pleasure. Thanks for taking the time to comment!