Heyyyy readers: I’m baaaack.

I know, it’s been a while. Sometimes that’s just how life goes. Lucky for you, I did bake this past month, even if I didn’t blog about it. So, you can expect lots of new recipes soon.

Now, about today’s treat. This olive oil blondie recipe from Molly Yeh swaps olive oil for more standard dessert fats like butter, vegetable oil, etc. The result is a flavorful, moist blondie base with an unusual amount of depth for a relatively plain batter. Olive oil adds a nice richness to batters, and a slightly earthy hint, too.

I’m always a fan of olive oil desserts, because they have a really unique flavor. Plus, olive oil desserts are often dairy-free. I have several friends who avoid dairy, so I’m always on the lookout for great dairy-free desserts.

The original frosting on My Name is Yeh does use dairy, so I looked around for an alternative. The frosting I swapped in from The Crafting Foodie uses a butter substitute and non-dairy milk to produce a fabulous, spreadable texture. I dialed up the cocoa a bit to make it a little more chocolate-y and was rather pleased.

These are a really satisfying treat with a unique flavor profile. Whether you’re hunting for dairy-free desserts or just looking for a new twist on blondies, you’ve got to give these a try.

Olive Oil Blondies with Chocolate Frosting (Dairy-free)

Original recipe: My name is Yeh for the blondie base; The Crafting Foodie for the frosting. I’ve rewritten things a bit and added commentary.

Yield: 16 blondies

Suggested equipment: Mixer

Total Time: ~70 minutes

Cook Time: ~35 minutes

Ingredients

Blondies

2 cups flour
2 cups lightly-packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup olive oil (I prefer baking with light or standard olive oil vs. extra virgin)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

Note that these proportions were from a cake recipe so I had a lot of extra frosting! I froze my leftovers, but if you want to cut back, try halving this recipe.

2 cups non-dairy, non-hydrogenated butter substitute, softened (I used Earth Balance)
7 cups powdered sugar
1 cup plus 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used soy, but you could also use almond or rice milk)

Step by Step Directions

Make your blondies

Preheat your oven to 350F
Grease and line an 8-inch square pan
Whisk your dry ingredients in a big bowl
In a separate bowl, whisk together all of your wet ingredients
Stir your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. Keep stirring lightly until everything is mixed together
Pour your batter into a greased and lined 8-inch square pan
Bake 30-35 minutes. I started checking at 30 minutes, and it took 32 minutes overall
Let the blondies cool in the pan all the way before you frost them

Make your frosting

Sift your powdered sugar and cocoa in a large bowl
Beat your non-dairy butter substitute for a few minutes until it’s nice and creamy
Add the sugar/cocoa mixture to your butter
In a small bowl, mix your non-dairy milk, vanilla and salt until the salt is completely dissolved
Add the milk mixture to your butter mixture
Mix until you achieve your desired consistency. It should be smooth and creamy so it’s easy to spread!
Frost those beautiful blondies, and enjoy!

These should keep for up to a week if you store them in your fridge.