Olive Oil Sugar Cookies

It shouldn’t be surprising that we go through a lot of olive oil. It’s our go-to oil and we couldn’t live without it.

My guess is that most, often overlook olive oil for baking in lieu of butter. Olive oil is amazing in baking and can be used in place of other oils or butter in recipes and mixes. It makes baked goods far more tender and moist. Not to mention that it adds wonderful health benefits that butter and other oils can't.

These cookies are soft and chewy, light in texture and surprisingly buttery even without any butter.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus more for rolling

1/3 cup olive oil of your choice. (recommended* Butter Infused, Persian Lime, Eureka Lemon, Blood Orange or Rosemary.)

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a second large bowl, combine sugar and olive oil and mix with a spatula until it forms a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth. Fold in dry ingredients until just incorporated. You should have a fairly soft, oily dough.

Fill a small dish with more granulated sugar. Scoop dough by the tablespoonful into balls and roll in sugar to coat. Arrange on a nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between cookies.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until tops are puffed and crackly and edges just start to turn light golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies are best enjoyed the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes 32 cookies.