Chocolate Chip Cookies with Olive Oil, Banana and Nutella

Credit: Anastasia Koutalianos

Try baking your chocolate chip cookies with olive oil instead of butter

Nothing warms you up during the chilly season like biting into a fresh, gooey chocolate chip cookie, especially when it’s slathered in Nutella

My mother Helen and I have two different takes on this tried-and true classic.

Though we use the same basic steps and ingredients, Mama has her way of cooking and I have mine.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Olive Oil by Helen Koutalianos

Mama’s take: The standard stuff but with olive oil instead of butter, and the optional splash of crushed walnuts.

Ingredients

• 2 cups extra virgin olive oil*
• 1 ½ cup Demura dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• About 2 cups flour
• 300g chocolate chips
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped finely (optional)

*Use only quality olive oil for this recipe. Quality makes the difference in taste!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. In a food processor, cream the olive oil and sugar until the sugar is well incorporated.
3. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well.
4. Add vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt and flour.
6. With the food processor on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the olive oil mixture. Continue to stir.
7. Combine until a batter is formed. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts (optional). Stir until evenly distributed.
8. On a greased baking sheet, spoon out teaspoon-sized balls of dough about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
9. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Banana and Nutella by Anastasia Koutalianos

Anastasia’s twist: Same ingredients, but add a banana and a dollop of Nutella—other than that, it’s just like Mama used to make!

Instructions

1. To the mixed batter, add a mashed up ripe banana and 1-2 tbsp of flour or as needed.
2. Mix well and bake as normal.
3. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.
4. While the cookies are still warm, place a generous dollop of Nutella between the bottoms of two cookies and squish together like an Oreo.
5. Take a bite and drift off to nirvana.

Makes about 30 cookies