See that bottle of olive oil that you probably got stored in your cupboard and have reserved for pasta and other savory dishes? What if I told you that you could make some delicious chocolate chip cookies with it?

You can! I first tried this recipe about two years ago and it has become my favorite, tried and true, go-to cookie recipe. You’ll have a batch of cookies in no time as there’s no waiting around for butter to soften, and you probably have all of the ingredients already!

Skeptics, don’t be afraid of this recipe. I was a skeptic in the beginning, too, but you can’t taste the olive oil at all. It provides more of a background flavor, giving the cookies a sort of delicious toffee undertone. The cookies themselves come out moist and will rise and bake up beautifully.

With the holidays here, it’s the season for gift exchanges and cookie baskets again. Be sure to make these for someone you love! I’m sure they will be quite thankful.

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
From CrepesofWrath.net, adapted from SliceofFeast.com

Cook time: 12 minutes
Makes about 24 to 28 cookies

2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sugars, vanilla and olive oil. Mix for about three to five minutes until the consistency of the mixture looks like wet sand. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, then add in a tablespoon of milk to make the dough a bit firmer. Add another tablespoon if you need it and the dough is too sticky or dry. (I added one tablespoon and three teaspoons of milk.) Mix in the chocolate by hand.

3. If the dough is a little wet, you can put it in the fridge for a few minutes to toughen up. Roll the dough into balls with your hands and place on a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden and set. These can tend to overbake, so make sure to take them out early! Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a bit before transferring to a plate and serving. Enjoy!