This is my homemade mayonnaise recipe. I use an electric beater which is unorthodox, but I find 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 recipes 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!
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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.
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Egg yolk — From a large egg, being 50–55g / 2oz weight in shell, from a carton labelled “large eggs”, 600g / 24oz 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 cold.
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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 it down to 1 teaspoon.
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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.
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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. Don’t leave out the salt, though — your mayonnaise will taste bland without it!
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 pregnant people or those with weakened immune systems.
Two Caveats About This Mayonnaise-Making Method
Before getting started, two important points:
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The beater method is foolproof if you follow the directions to pour slowly with a thin steady stream of oil and keep the beater running. If you pour the oil in too fast, the mayonnaise will split.
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It’s suited to small batches — The method described here 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 to 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!)
- Everything except oil — Put the egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl, then give it a quick beat with the electric beater on medium speed, just to combine.
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Slowly pour in oil while beating — With the beater still going on medium 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.
⚠️ Pour slowly in a thin, steady stream — this is the key to preventing the mayonnaise from splitting. Take your time and don’t rush the oil addition.
