Olive Oil in Baking

Hello!

         We are hearing a lot about using olive oil for health reasons. Do you have you any recipes where olive oil is used in baking cookies or breads? I have a recipe for oatmeal cookies that calls for 1 cup butter or shortening - - what would happen if I were to substitute half the butter with olive oil?
         Thanks for any information you might have.

Eileen Coggins

Dear Eileen,

         I think the texture of your oatmeal cookies would surprise you if replaced 1/2 the butter with olive oil. The dough would be more sticky, and the cookie more cake-like in texture.
         The benefits of olive oil are in the mono-unsaturated fat it contains, versus the saturated fat (bad for heart) found in butter. You can also get mono-unsaturated fat in margarine made with canola oil. Look for it on the grocer's shelf. These margarines would be a great substitute for the butter in your cookie recipe if you want to maintain the texture you are used to.
         Meanwhile, test your olive oil in muffin, waffle, cake and other batter recipes. It may add a distinct flavor over the traditional salad oil, but see if you like it. If not, purchase canola oil for a less distinct taste but all the mono-unsaturated fat benefits.

Desiri Wightman, RD, CD

PS: I found this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, which uses oil instead of butter.



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