Think of these Portuguese Black Olive Cookies as biscuits to enjoy with your coffee or tea. Or as a crispy companion to a serving of vanilla ice cream. These guys are sweet, savory & salty …all at the same time. But not too much – just a hint of each.
Now imagine a smattering of chopped cured olives along with just a bit of orange zest. The original recipe for these cookies comes from David Leite, as featured in his cookbook “The New Portuguese Table.”
My version is one that I came across on FOOD52, presented by Emma Laperruque. Emma recommends using orange zest instead of the lemon zest used in David’s version. I agree. The orange zest definitely adds a unique layer of flavor.
- Position a rack in the upper half of your oven.
- Preheat to 375°F.
- Cut two sheets of parchment to fit a sheet pan.
- You’ll bake the cookies one sheet pan at a time.
The prep on this one isn’t too intensive.
- Get the olives pitted and chopped.
- Grab your Microplane and gather your orange zest.
- Combine the sugar and orange zest in a bowl.
- Pinch together with your fingertips until the sugar begins to blush.
- This intensifies the citrusy flavor.
- Add the flour, chopped olives, baking powder & salt.
- Stir with a fork until everything is evenly distributed.
The dough for Portuguese Black Olive Cookies is literally mixed by hand.
- Add the egg to the measuring cup with the olive oil.
- Beat the egg and oil with a fork until smooth.
- Add the mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Stir first with a fork, then your hands until a dough forms.
- You should have no dry spots & it should hold together when squeezed.
- Fill a small bowl with sugar.
- Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoons.
- Roll each scoop into balls.
- Roll each in sugar.
Using a rounded measuring spoon, you’ll scoop out a tablespoon at a time and form it into a small ball. That will then be coated in sugar and flattened out to form a disc. If you have a small cookie dough scoop, that would also work well.
- Place one piece of parchment on a work surface.
- Add a dough ball a few inches inward from one corner.
- You’ll be baking 4 cookies on the pan – one in each quadrant.
- Any more and you won’t be able to roll them out.
- Place the other piece of parchment on top.
- Use a rolling pin to gently roll the cookie into a 3-to-4-inch circle.
You don’t need to apply a lot of pressure, since the dough is so soft.
- You’ll end up with ragged edges which is normal.
- Repeat with 3 more cookies.
- Lift off the top layer.
- Transfer the parchment with the cookies to a sheet pan.
- Bake the cookies until pebbly on top, for 10 minutes.
- Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Use a spatula to transfer them from the pan to a cooling rack.
- Repeat the rolling/baking process with the remaining cookie dough balls.
- Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container for several days.
These Portuguese Black Olive Cookies are delicious on their own.
- But how about adding them to your next cheese tray?
- Or offer them as a hostess gift.
Simply line a mini paper loaf pan with some parchment paper and stack them up. Your friends will be impressed.
portuguese black olive cookies
Salty, sweet & savory, laced with bits of oil-cured black olives and a hint of orange zest.
Original recipe from David Leite. Adaptation from Emma Laperruque at FOOD52
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted & chopped (about 1/3 cup when chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
-
Position a rack in the upper half of the oven. Preheat to 375°F. Cut two sheets of parchment to fit a sheet pan. (You'll bake the cookies 1 sheet pan at a time.)
-
Combine the sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Pinch together with your fingertips until the sugar begins to blush (this intensifies the citrusy flavor). Add the flour, chopped olives, baking powder & salt. Stir with a fork until everything is evenly distributed. Add the egg to the measuring cup with the olive oil and beat with a fork until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and stir first with a fork, then your hands until a dough forms—no dry spots, should hold together when squeezed.
-
Fill a small bowl with sugar. Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoons and roll into balls. Roll each in sugar.
-
Place one piece of parchment on a work surface. Add a dough ball a few inches inward from one corner. You’ll be baking 4 cookies on the pan—one in each quadrant—any more and you won't be able to roll them out. Place the other piece of parchment on top. Use a rolling pin to gently roll the cookie into a 3-to-4-inch circle (you don’t need to apply a lot of pressure, especially if your pin is heavy since the dough is so soft). You'll end up with ragged edges which is normal. Repeat with 3 more cookies. Lift off the top layer. Transfer the parchment with the cookies to a sheet pan.
-
Bake the cookies until pebbly on top, for 10 minutes. Let cool for 1 to 2 minutes, until you can use a spatula to transfer them from the pan to a cooling rack.
-
Repeat the rolling/baking process with the remaining cookie dough balls. Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container for several days.
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Love not-too-sweet cookies?
