Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies
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This simple recipe for Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies makes a delicious light, buttery, and crisp shortbread cookie that has the texture you know and love, but with half the butter!
If you love shortbreads try my Slice & Bake Vanilla Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Dipped Almond Shortbread Cookies, or my Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies!
Table of Contents
I know that everyone is probably tired of cookies, or sick of sugar, but… I’m not! I eat dessert every day, even after the holidays. So, I thought there’s no better time to share my Olive Oil Shortbreads than now. This is a healthy shortbread cookie compared to most! So, if you are watching what you eat, this is a great option.
These simple shortbread cookies made with olive oil could be considered a healthy shortbread cookie as I’m using half the amount of butter I would use in my normal shortbread cookies. These shortbread cookies made with olive oil have all the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, but in a cookie!
So, if you are looking for a healthy shortbread cookie, look no further. My recipe for Olive Oil Shortbreads is all you need! The addition of extra virgin olive oil in this healthy shortbread cookie recipe gives them a unique flavor and an amazing texture.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Light & Crisp: These simple Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, and incredibly light! They have the texture you know and love for traditional shortbread cookies, but with half the butter.
Buttery & Sweet: While this healthy shortbread cookie is made with olive oil, it still has butter! The butter truly shines and really compliments the olive oil for a lightly sweet and buttery cookie.
Subtle Crunch: I top these cookies with turbinado sugar for a subtle crunch. I love using this sugar on cookies and pie crust as it not only makes them sparkle, but it provides a little texture that is so good!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this healthy shortbread cookie recipe. This recipe gives you health benefits of olive oil along with a little butter and sugar for a sweet treat you can feel good about indulging in!
Ingredients
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter. Be sure to use a high quality butter that you like. This is super important for shortbreads where butter makes up a lot of the cookies.
- EVOO: I use La Tourangelle Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar: I always use powdered sugar in my shortbreads, as I think it creates a more delicate crumb. I'm using Wholesome Organic Powdered Sugar here, which is a great organic option.
- Cane Sugar: I also use organic cane sugar in these cookies too. Using a mix of both cane sugar and powdered sugar gives this cookie great texture. If you bake often, I love Costco Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar for bulk buying! It works great and it's super affordable for organic.
- All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills Organic All Purpose Flour.
- Vanilla Bean: I use Lafaza Organic Ground Vanilla Bean for amazing depth of flavor in this cookie! While you can use vanilla extract instead, using ground vanilla bean really gives this a unique and delicious flavor.
- Turbinado Sugar: I roll the cookie dough in Iberia Organic Turbinado Sugar. This gives these cookies an incredible crunch and great texture on top.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease, but you can also use a hand mixer if you prefer.
- Baking Sheets: You'll need two half sheet pans to bake the cookies.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper for ease, plus I think cookies bake better with it!
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the olive oil, powdered sugar, and cane sugar.
Using a large box grater (think pizza cheese size) grate the butter. Add the butter into the mixing bowl with the sugar. Mix on low until combined, you’ll still see small bits of butter, that’s okay.
Add the flour and vanilla bean mix and mix on low until combined.
In a small bowl, add the turbinado sugar.
Step 3
Using your hands, form the dough into 24 balls and roll in the turbinado sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them slightly so they are about 2-inches in diameter.
Step 4
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges and bottom. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Easy Substitutions
- If you only have unsalted butter, just add ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt to the recipe.
- You can substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for the vanilla bean if you don't have ground vanilla bean.
- Substitute avocado oil or canola oil if you don't have extra virgin olive oil.
- If you don't have turbinado sugar, feel free to sprinkle with cane sugar right after they come out of the oven.
- Feel free to add chocolate chips! I'd recommend adding 198 grams (1 cup).
- Feel free to add nuts, I'd start with 85 grams (3 ounces) of chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
FAQ's
Yes, if you don’t want the taste of olive oil you can use avocado oil or canola oil. Coconut oil does not give the same results for texture in this cookie.
You could roll these in organic cane sugar if you don’t have turninado sugar, but they won’t be as good in my opinion. The turbinado sugar gives them a very unique texture that I love! Or you could also just sprinkle them with cane sugar after coming out of the oven, and skip the rolling.
Shortbread cookies are buttery and crisp, so they are best stored in a cool dry place. You can also freeze them. But be sure to place in a Tupperware or zip bag before freezing.
Craving More?
Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 71 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 57 grams cane sugar
- 113 grams salted butter (cold)
- 255 grams all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- 48 grams Turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the olive oil, powdered sugar, and cane sugar.
- Using a large box grater (think pizza cheese size) grate the butter. Add the butter into the mixing bowl with the sugar. Mix on low until combined, you’ll still see small bits of butter, that’s okay.
- Add the flour and vanilla bean mix and mix on low until combined.
- In a small bowl, add the turbinado sugar.
- Using your hands, form the dough into 24 balls and roll in the turbinado sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them slightly so they are about 2-inches in diameter.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges and bottom. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Store in in a cool dry place for up to 7 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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These cookies are wonderful! They’re a great afternoon treat.