My Mayonnaise recipe

This is my homemade mayonnaise recipe. I use an electric beater which is unorthodox, but I find it more foolproof than every other method I’ve tried – stick blender, food processor, blender. It’s essentially hand whisking, except the hand mixer does the work!

Homemade mayonnaise recipe

Homemade mayonnaise is a thing of beauty. You’d never catch me dipping bread into a store-bought jar, but you’ll struggle to stop me with homemade! It’s creamier, softer and more luxurious, without that oily slick coating your mouth.

If you’ve steered clear of making mayonnaise because you think it’s tricky, let me change your mind. It can be finicky because you’re asking oil and water-based ingredients – not natural friends – to become one thick, creamy mixture. Sometimes they refuse to play nicely and the mayonnaise splits.

But I use a very reliable method – an electric beater, which I find more foolproof than a stick blender, food processor or blender. It’s essentially hand whisking, but more reliable and much less strenuous!

Put it this way: I’ve split mayonnaise using every other method. I’ve never split mayonnaise using a hand mixer. 🙂

mayo-making intel and Troubleshooting

I have a lot to say about mayonnaise making, having made an exorbitant amount leading up to doing today’s post. In particular, why I use a handheld beater over the more common methods of a stick blender or food processor, and why they are more prone to problems.

To avoid cluttering the recipe with food nerd details, I’ve put all the extra tips, troubleshooting and mayonnaise-making intel in the FAQ below, just above the video.

Ingredients in Mayonnaise

Here’s what you need to make mayonnaise. I only use the egg yolk which makes mayonnaise creamier and more luxurious. This is the default way most chefs and restaurants make a classic mayonnaise. Some recipe use a whole egg which noticeably dilutes the mayonnaise (given whites are mostly water), making it lighter and looser. This recipe will work for either.

But if I’m making mayonnaise from scratch, I want the good stuff – yolk only!

• Best oil for mayonnaise – I think the best oil for mayonnaise is grapeseed oil because it has an especially clean flavour, so the mayonnaise tastes fresh rather than oily.Otherwise, use any neutral-flavoured oil such as vegetable, canola or sunflower oil. For a non-seed-oil, light olive oil would be my first choice, or a refined avocado oil (unrefined can have a noticeable avocado/grassy flavour).Extra virgin olive oil – I’d limit it to 50% of the oil at most, with the remainder being a neutral oil. Vigorous beating can bring out its bitterness, plus its strong flavour can overwhelm the mayonnaise.
• Egg yolk – From a large egg, being 50 – 55g / 2oz weight in shell, from a carton labelled “large eggs”, 600g / 24 oz for a dozen. Precision isn’t absolutely critical here – just don’t use a tiny quail egg or a giant ostrich one and you’ll be fine! 😂Also, with the electric beater method I use, the egg does not need to be at room temperature. It can be fridge cold which is handy because eggs are easier to separate when fridge cold.
• Lemon juice or vinegar – For acidity, which cuts through the richness of the oil and gives mayonnaise its characteristic tang. I usually use lemon juice for its fresher flavour, though white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work just as well. Regular white vinegar is a bit harsh so if that’s all you’ve got, I’d reduce down to 1 teaspoon.
• Dijon mustard – Adds a little flavour and tang, and also helps stabilise the emulsion. You can’t really taste the mustard in the finished mayonnaise.
• Salt and white pepper – Seasoning for the mayonnaise. I like to use white pepper so it’s not visible, but you can use black pepper if that’s all you have, or leave it out. But don’t leave out the salt, else your mayonnaise will taste bland!

a note on raw eggs 🙂

Mayonnaise is made with raw egg yolk – there’s no getting around that! So use fresh eggs and keep your mayonnaise refrigerated.

If raw egg is a concern, use pasteurised eggs if you can get them. They’re gently heat-treated to kill harmful bacteria and are available in some US grocery stores, though not in Australia (except commercially). Shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurised eggs.

As a precaution, raw eggs are not recommended for those who are pregnant or with weakened immune systems.

Two caveats about my mayonnaise making method

Before I show you how I make mayonnaise, two caveats:

1. My beater method is foolproof IF you follow the directions to pour slowly with a thin steady stream of oil and keep the beater on. If you pour the oil in too fast, like you do your wine on a Friday night 😉, the mayonnaise will split.
2. It’s suited to small batches – The method I’m sharing is for a small batch using just one egg yolk, though it’s practical for up to a quadruple batch. Beyond that, there’s enough volume that a food processor becomes both practical and reliable for making large quantities of mayonnaise.

How I make mayonnaise

Here’s how I make mayonnaise. Just make sure you pour slowly in a thin stream while the electric beater is on. Do this, and you will never split your mayonnaise!

Don’t have a hand mixer? Do it by hand! Just follow the recipe as written. Keep the bowl from moving by nestling it in a damp tea towel so you can whisk consistently with one hand and pour with the other. (Or get someone to hold the bowl for you!)

1. Everything except oil – Put the egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small to medium bowl then give it a quick beat with the electric beater, just to combine. The bowl needs to be small enough so the mixture isn’t spread too thinly at the start, so the blades catch the yolk and oil.

2. Slowly pour in oil while beating – With the beater still going on medium high speed, slowly start pouring the oil in a thin steady stream, aiming onto the whisks so the oil is immediately mixed into the egg mixture. At first, the mixture will be like a thin pale yellow pouring cream. Then as more oil gets mixed in, it will thicken into a mayonnaise consistency. Move the beater around the bowl as needed to mix the oil in.⚠️ Pour slowly in a thin stead stream! If you pour too fast and the beating can’t keep up, the oil won’t emulsify properly and this is what causes the mayonnaise to split.

3. Keep pouring slowly and beating – Keep pouring slowly while continuously beating, until all the oil has been used up, and the mixture thickens into a creamy mayonnaise. Move the beater around the bowl as needed to beat in any stray rivers of oil. If you see oil pooling faster than the beaters can incorporate it, simply stop pouring and keep beating until it’s fully mixed in, then resume pouring.⚠️ Pausing is ok. Stopping is not! You can pause briefly anytime you want or need, to adjust your grip or beat in pooling oil. But when you do, stop pouring the oil first and beat in any of the oil that was poured in. Then you can pause beating before continuing. But now is not the time to call your bestie for a long gossipy chat, or take a long bathroom break. Finish your mayo first!

4. Finish – Once all the oil is poured in, give the beater a quick pass around the edges of the bowl to beat in any stray bits of oil. Then stop beating, and finish by using a rubber spatula to sweep around the bowl and mix in the last of the oil splattered on the walls of the bowl.I finish by hand because, guess what? You can split a mayonnaise by over-beating. Though it’s less of a risk with an electric beater, it’s a higher risk with a stick blender. (Yup, been there, done that!)

And voila! And look at that. A gorgeous, creamy mayonnaise, a gazillion times better than store bought. Stick your finger in and have a taste of your masterpiece!!! (Or be civilised and use a piece of bread)

How to use Homemade Mayonnaise

Just like you do store bought. Spread on sandwiches, use for sandwich fillings like everybody’s favourite egg and chicken sandwiches, slather on burgers. Make the most amazing creamy dressing for your favourite macaroni pasta salad, coleslaw, potato salad or caesar salad. Use it for homemade dips and sauce.