Today I’m excited to share this recipe I created in collaboration with Capay Valley Ranches®. As always, all opinions written are purely our own. We’re incredibly grateful for opportunities like these that allow us to continue sharing delicious recipes with you, so thank you for supporting us and the brands we love. OH! And be sure you don’t miss the amazing giveaway at the end of this post. :)
It shouldn’t be surprising (based on the name of this blog) that we go through a lot of olive oil. It’s our go-to oil and we couldn’t live without it (well, we could, but we wouldn’t be very happy about it). That said, I’ll admit I often overlook it for baking projects in lieu of butter. And that’s a shame, because olive oil is really underutilized when it comes to sweets.
That was my goal with these cookies: to show how well olive oil works for baking. The result is a soft and chewy sugar cookie, straight out of your dreams. They are light in texture and incredibly buttery, surprisingly so, as they are made with no butter at all.
Instead, I used Capay Valley Ranches’ Meyer Lemon Infused Olive Oil, and the results will delight your tastebuds, with a candy-like sweetness and lemon flavor, and just a subtle hint of olive oil shining through. My neighbor (with whom I shared some of the leftovers) described them as transcendent, and rightfully so. You may never use butter again.
I made a version of these cookies as well with the unflavored, but ultra fruity Arbequina olive oil from CVR, and it was shocking how strongly the flavor came through even after baking. There was no denying the presence of the olive oil, and it was intriguing to say the least. While ultimately I decided the lemon version was my favorite, I definitely think the blood orange infused olive oil (that I’ve shared with you before) would be equally amazing.

I’ve fallen in love with these olive oils and vinegars from Capay Valley Ranches (based out of the Capay valley in California’s central valley), and I know you will too. Their Arbequina varietal is a delicate oil that brings together the ripe olive aroma with a fresh fruity taste. It’s wonderfully smooth and buttery and perfect for everyday use. And their flavored varieties, along with their array of flavored vinegars, are truly special creations. All of Capay Valley Ranches’ oils are California grown certified 100% EVOO.
Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
- 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 Capay Valley Ranches® Meyer Lemon Infused Olive Oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- 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 11 to 13 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.
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Let us know what you think!
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I would love to try the meyer lemon and blood orange. . wow, so inventive!! Would try in salads and on crostini?
these oils look fabulous! i’m a sucker for flavored olive oils and vinegars, with a small stash always going in my cabinet, but meyer lemon is one i haven’t seen before. i love the flavor of it and would love to use it on these cookies :) thanks for hosting a great giveaway!
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basil for caprese salad instead of actual basil!
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Blood Orange sounds amazing! I’d love to try that one (pretty much all of them, actually, but especially that one).
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Blood orange! Yummy salads!
Love anything lemon – can’t wait to try these!
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The basil olive oil would be great for pasta!
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I am subscribed to both on Facebook as Judith Carlisle! Thanks for the opportunity :).
I am already subscribed! Love this blog :). Judith
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The lemon oil for salads!
I’d love to try the basil-infused olive oil!
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Blood Orange sounds delicious for spring/summer salads!
Definitely the Meyer Lemon and also I’d probably like to try the Persian Lime. they all sound fantastic! Wonderful recipe for the cookies!
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I’m already a happy subscriber!
I would like to use the oil in baking cookies.
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I would most like to try the blood orange olive oil. I enjoyed using the fruit-infused oils in making my own salad dressings.
I follow both on FB under Monica Seiler; yeaaaaah, excited to try these~
I just followed on twitter and tweeted about it! Username: IRWSMom; thank you~
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@avivster
The blood orange olive oil would be great in a salad dressing.
Meyer lemon.
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I browsed CVRanches’ recipes and those with lemon appealed to me the most. I’d sure love to try these cookies first! The Balsamic would be my second choice with grilling season coming up… IF we ever get summer here in Wisconsin! Thanks for the opportunity~
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I already “like” love & olive oil and have “like”d CVR! I hope I win!
I’m already subscribed :)
Definitely the blood orange! Blood orange sugar cookies sound amazing!
I follow you on Twitter and Tweeted about the giveaway!
https://twitter.com/savingstacksone/status/454245127351853056
I would love to try that cranberry vinegar and use it in sauces/marinades around the holidays!
The lemon sounds so good!
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I follow on Twitter (Motobean84) and tweeted! https://twitter.com/motobean84/status/454244267565645824
I would love to try the lemon olive oil, and would make the cookies you posted a recipe for, but would also try it in a pasta dish to brighten the flavor. Thank you for sharing these olive oils and will try to find them in the store.
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The Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar sounds interesting..Elderberry is wonderful for the immune system.
the elderberry vinegar sounds wonderful – have you tried that?
I would love to try the basil olive oil.
whoops, posted too quickly! I would use it for caprese salad!
The Meyer Lemon sounds awesome.
I’m very intrigued by the basil-infused olive oil. I wonder how it would be on a caprese salad!
The elderberry vinegar sounds amazing and I would use it in a salad dressing!!
I would love to try the basil olive oil and try to do a nice pesto or on a simple tomato salad.
All of them! And I am already subscribed to the newsletter!
I would be interested in experimenting with coconut oil! Any thoughts on what might happen?
I’m torn between the lemon olive oil and the elderberry vinegar, though if I have to pick just one, I’d say the elderberry vinegar. I love elderberries, and you don’t see them used that often. I’d put together some sort of sauce/reduction to put on foul.
That said, I’m really intrigued to try the lemon olive oil sugar cookies you made. :)
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I tweeted! (@kwpulsipher)
The blood orange or the Persian lime olive oils sound so intriguing! I would love to grill some fish with the lime!
The blood orange!
I could find a use for all of these, they sound delicious!!!
The lemon does it for me
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Got to try Elderberry or Meyer Lemon.
That’s a tough one. I think the lemon and those lemon sugar cookies you posted are calling my name!
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Bonus Entry #2: I tweeted! https://twitter.com/JBuggica/status/454234411257450496
Bonus Entry #1: I’m already subscribed with [email protected] :)
I want the lemon so bad! Your cookies look amazing!
The blood orange infused sounds delicious. I’m partial to citrus flavor & this sounds refreshing for the coming summer.
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The blood orange olive oil would make an amazing salad dressing!
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I would definitely try these cookies. I’ve made a lemon cake with “just” lemons and olive oil and it was great, so I’m sure the lemon olive oil would be at least equally as good.
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I would love love the lemon infused oil. I need to make these cookies!
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I would love to use the basil infused olive oil on my homemade pizza! Yum!
follow oyu on twitter and https://twitter.com/cjsorel/status/454230261618589699
love to try the blood orange infused olive oil
basil olive oil sounds amazing
I would love the anjou pear vinegar! I can imagine reducing it and using it to make wonderful sauces for steamed vegetables!
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I would love to try their Blood Orange olive oil. Sounds delicious!
I would use the lemon infused oil to bake my vegetables.
The basil sounds great and would love to try over a tomato and mozzarella salad!
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I would love to try Blood Orange in salad dressing (and maybe cookies now!)
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I would love to try the blood orange olive oil!
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basil infused olive oil
The blood orange olive oil sounds amazing! Your cookie look fantastic :-)
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I would be hard-pressed to choose between the lemon and the blood-orange – they both sound amazing! Since cookies are ‘my thing’, I would probably make some cookies with them. :)
The blood orange oil sounds delish!
Sadly this product doesn’t seem to be available in the UK but I really like the sound of your recipe so will look out for something similar here. If any of your followers are based in the UK and know of an alternative I’d love to hear about it.
These cookies look sunny and lovely! Inside and out.. :)