No-Butter Olive Oil Cookies

Name: No-Butter Olive Oil Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; ½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, at room temperature; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh lemon zest, finely grated from one medium lemon; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; ½ cup (75 g) polenta (fine cornmeal) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, delicately crumbly cookies made with fruity olive oil instead of butter, brightened with fresh lemon zest and a whisper of vanilla. These Mediterranean-inspired treats have a subtle richness and a melt-in-your-mouth texture that improves over a day or two. Ideal for coffee, tea, or as a simple finish to a light meal.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 42 min
Makes: 24 cookies

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) for at least 10 minutes
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper
Bring eggs to room temperature (about 20 minutes out of the fridge)
Zest the lemon before juicing it, if using the juice

1
Mix wet ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room-temperature egg, olive oil, and vanilla extract until well combined and slightly pale, about 1 minute.
- The mixture should look emulsified and homogeneous.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale and fully combined
Tip: Room-temperature egg helps the dough emulsify smoothly without the oil separating.
2
Add sugar and zest
- Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to the wet mixture.
- Whisk vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks lighter, fluffier, and the lemon zest is evenly distributed.
- You're incorporating air and dissolving the sugar slightly.
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Ready when: Mixture looks lighter and fluffy; no visible sugar granules
Tip: This step is key to a tender crumb—whisking builds structure without gluten.
3
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and polenta if using.
- Whisk for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening evenly.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly mixed
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed so every cookie rises.
4
Fold dry into wet
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until just combined—do not overmix.
- Stop as soon as you see no white streaks of flour.
- The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
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Ready when: No white flour streaks visible; dough is just combined
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cookies tough. Stop while the dough still looks slightly rough.
5
Portion onto baking sheets
- Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon per cookie) or two spoons, drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- You should have 12 cookies per sheet.
- Gently flatten each cookie slightly with the back of a damp spoon—they should be about ½ inch thick.
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Ready when: Cookies are evenly spaced and slightly flattened
Tip: Don't press too hard—a gentle touch keeps the cookies tender. A damp spoon prevents sticking.
6
Bake first batchOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place one baking sheet in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are light golden brown but the centers still look pale and set.
- The cookies should not be dark—they will firm up as they cool.
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Ready when: Edges are light golden; centers are pale and feel just set when touched lightly
Tip: Check at 11 minutes to avoid overbaking. These cookies continue to firm as they cool, so they should look slightly underdone in the oven.
7
Cool on sheet and racks
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
- Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up slightly, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack using a thin metal spatula.
- Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
- Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the second baking sheet while the first batch cools.
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Ready when: Cookies are fully cooled and have firmed to a tender crumb
Tip: The 5-minute rest on the baking sheet prevents them from breaking. If they seem too soft to move, give them another minute.

Good to know

Tips

Olive oil cookies are best 1–2 days after baking, when the crumb has set and the flavors have deepened. They don't taste great hot from the oven, so plan ahead.
Use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil for maximum flavor—the oil is the star here. A delicate or buttery variety will give better results than a peppery one.
If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 15 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading.
These cookies are naturally less sweet than traditional butter cookies. If you prefer sweeter treats, increase the sugar by 1/4 cup, but know this will change the tender crumb.

Make ahead

Dough can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature (about 10 minutes) before scooping and baking. Baked cookies are best on day 2 or 3, after the crumb has set and flavors have melded.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days (flavor and texture actually improve on days 2–3). Refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Substitutions

extra-virgin olive oil → Light or mild olive oil. Use if you prefer a less fruity flavor. Extra-virgin has a stronger olive taste, which is traditional for these cookies.
fresh lemon zest → Orange zest. Replace or mix 50/50 with lemon zest for a different citrus note.
polenta (fine cornmeal) → Almond flour or additional all-purpose flour. Omit polenta entirely for a lighter crumb, or add 1/4 cup almond flour for richness. Dough may need 1–2 tablespoons less olive oil if using almond flour.
pure vanilla extract → Anise extract or fennel seed (1/2 tsp, finely ground). Adds a Mediterranean licorice note if preferred.