Canola Vs Olive Oil: Which Makes The Better Brownie?

Baking brownies is just as much an art as it is a science. While some may swear they have the perfect recipe, what makes the 'best' brownie comes down to preference. Whether you like cakey or fudgy, gooey or crispy, corner pieces or center pieces, or any variation in between, there are countless ways to modify your brownies to your liking. A key element to achieving your perfect brownie is what type of oil you use.

Both canola oil and olive oil make great additions to brownies. Most traditional brownie recipes call for butter, but these shelf-stable oils are perfectly suitable if you do not have butter on hand or are opting for a dairy-free recipe. Skipping the butter can actually improve your chocolate cake, so why not brownies, too? When deciding which oil to use, though, it is important to understand how each kind may affect the final brownie product differently. You must ask yourself what you are looking for in your ideal brownie and how the properties of each oil may help attain it.

Olive oil and canola oil are both sources of fat — a critical component of any baked good — but the unique qualities of each oil will uniquely affect how your brownies come out. Canola oil is a tried-and-true brownie ingredient. It is cheap, shelf-stable in the pantry, and it has a neutral flavor, which allows chocolate, the star flavor, to shine. 

Olive oil has similar qualities to canola oil, depending on the variety. Both oils have the same density and saturated fat contents, meaning you can swap one for the other in equal amounts. However, the smoke points of each oil can affect the texture of the baked goods. Some olive oil varieties are more refined than others, meaning their smoke points are lower and will create crispier brownies when baked for the same amount of time as brownies with higher smoke-point oils.

Less refined olive oils are also richer in that savory olive oil flavor. Depending on your personal taste, you may find it works beautifully with a brownie's rich chocolatey flavor. An olive oil and sea salt truffle brownie is a distinctively delightful and decadent treat. In fact, olive oil and chocolate are a classic combo in the dessert scenes across Spain, Italy, and Greece.

In short, there is no right or wrong answer for whether canola oil or olive oil makes a better brownie. It comes down to individual preference. You may have to test batches with both kinds of oil to determine which suits your taste more. Just be sure to keep all other factors the same, including ingredients, oven temperature, and bake time. You will end up with a copious number of brownies, but that is certainly not a bad thing.