This homemade mayonnaise recipe is easy to make at home — emulsification is a snap, as you’ll see — and is free of GMO ingredients. This version is quite similar to Best Foods brand mayonnaise.
Want to try replacing another common condiment? Be sure to try this ridiculously easy homemade mustard.
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Why Homemade Mayonnaise?
I’ve been avoiding store bought mayo brands because they’re typically made from canola or soy oil, both products made from crops that are commonly genetically modified.
I spent a small fortune on a “certified non-gmo” canola mayonnaise awhile back, only to find it was terrible a really good replication of Miracle Whip. NOT what I was looking for. So I started making homemade mayo, experimenting a bit with different ingredients until I found a combination that tasted like the spread we’re used to.
Emulsification
If you were paying attention in science class, you know that oil and water don’t mix. Put the two in a container and the oil will rise to the top, creating two very distinct layers. Even when you shake a jar of vinaigrette salad dressing, the ingredients will separate after sitting for a time.
Oil and water don’t mix — unless they’re emulsified.
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Emulsification is the process of blending oil and water (or other liquids) so that they remain cohesive. The main ingredients for this mayo recipe are egg and oil. Plop them together in a container and they’ll separate. But the egg yolk is an emulsifier. Force that egg yolk into the oil with a blender or food processor and the two will become one, making a lovely, thick, creamy mayonnaise.
There is a certain margin of error with the need to emulsify the ingredients, but using a room temperature egg really seems to increase the rate of success. Out of the dozen or so batches I’ve made, all but one have emulsified into a nice thick spread. The one that didn’t emulsify? Was turned into a splendid salad dressing.
Ingredients
Eggs — Fresh eggs, store bought, use what you have readily available. I use eggs from my own chicken flock so I’m comfortable ingesting the raw eggs in this recipe.
Apple Cider Vinegar — This gives a great tangy taste. Be mindful of this little tidbit when buying apple cider vinegar. You could substitute fresh lemon juice for this ingredient.
Dijon Mustard — Look for organic and with as few ingredients as possible.
Avocado Oil — Avocado oil has a mild flavor that won’t compete with the other ingredients. Extra virgin olive oil will technically work, but the flavor is quite strong and we don’t care for it in this recipe.
Related: Zucchini Relish Recipe for Topping Burgers and More
Making Mayonnaise
Depending on your equipment, it can take from 60 seconds to 15 minutes to make this mayonnaise, start to finish.
With an Immersion Blender
My favorite (read: the easiest) way to make this homemade mayonnaise is with an immersion blender. It’s faster, since there’s no need to slowly drizzle the oil into the egg mixture. And it’s easier to clean up. Simply combine the ingredients in a wide mouth glass jar, pulse the stick blender a few times, and then blend it into a creamy dressing.
With a Blender
Add all ingredients except the oil and then drizzle that in with the blender running. And I do mean drizzle – almost drop by drop, or else it won’t emulsify properly.
With a Food Processor
This is essentially the same method as the blender. Just use the kitchen equipment you have!
FAQs
Why won’t my mayo recipe emulsify?
After having great success with this homemade mayonnaise recipe, I found myself making failed recipe after failed recipe. The egg and oil combined to make a thin, runny mixture. Definitely NOT what I was going for.
What was wrong? Why did the emulsification process stop working?
Turns out, I had been using a room temperature egg during the summer months to make successful batches of homemade mayonnaise. The temperatures were around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A room temperature egg when the temperature is 60 degrees? Simply isn’t warm enough. I combated the problem by letting the egg sit in a bowl of very warm water for 10-15 minutes.
While I don’t know the science behind it, that simple trick put me back on track to a thick, emulsified mayonnaise.
What oils can I use?
If you don’t have avocado, try a light olive oil or sunflower oil. These are all mild flavored oils.
Using Homemade Mayonnaise
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but – the best way to use this mayo recipe is on freshly grilled burgers! Also enjoy it on your favorite sandwich fillings. It is especially delicious with tuna or hardboiled eggs.
Storing This Mayo Recipe
Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. Watch for any visible spoiling or let your nose do the testing.
30+ DIY Condiments to Make at Home
This mayonnaise recipe is just one great condiment you can make yourself! Why not try your hand at making more?
Making sour cream at home requires just two ingredients — and a little bit of patience. It’s great to make in a pinch to avoid a trip to the store, and DIYing can really cut down on the number of plastic tubs you bring home. Get the recipe here.
You might be surprised to discover just how easy it is to make mustard at home! Another two ingredient recipe, this one has many variations to suit your taste buds. Get the recipe here.
If you love indulging in chips and dip, try your hand at making this green onion dip from scratch. Get the recipe here.
See the entire collection of homemade condiment recipes you can make at home here!
A successful batch of mayonnaise will net a thick, spreadable condiment that’s great for spreading in sandwiches, making this spicy mayo, or for adding to homemade potato salad.
★ Did you make this homemade mayonnaise recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
This homemade whole egg mayonnaise recipe is easy to make at home and is free of GMO ingredients. This version is quite similar to Best Foods brand mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg, room temperature (this is critical)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
Instructions
- There are three different ways to make this homemade mayonnaise recipe.
With an immersion blender:
- Pour the oil directly into a quart-sized, wide mouth canning jar to the one-cup mark (no measuring cup to wash).
- Add remaining ingredients.
- With the blade portion of the blender sitting at the bottom of the jar over the egg, pulse 10-12 times. You should see the beginnings of the emulsification process happen below the blade.
- Now hold the power on while moving the blender up and down in the jar until the oil and egg are completely combined. You'll have nice, thick mayo within 30 seconds.
In a blender:
- Add all ingredients except the oil to the blender container.
- Turn machine on (I use a medium low speed on my Vitamix) and s l o w l y pour in the oil through the feed tube. I mean drip by drip. Or at the very least, the thinnest stream you can possibly pour without adding it drip by drip. Adding the oil slowly is the key to emulsification. It should take about 10 minutes to add the oil.
In a food processor:
- Many food processors have a feature that most people don't even know about. The little push tube? Look to see if it has a hole in its base. This is for slowly adding oil! Same drill as above - all ingredients except oil go into the food processor bowl. Put lid in place, turn the machine on and pour the oil into the push tube; it will regulate the flow of oil. It's easier on the arms, faster because of the steady oil stream instead of my hit and miss pouring, and easier to get all the mayo.
- This homemade mayonnaise recipe makes a little more than a cup. It lasts a week or so in the fridge.
Notes
Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs may increase the risk of foodborne illness.
Choose a neutral flavored oil. If avocado oil isn't in your pantry, other good choices include extra light olive oil or sunflower oil.
You can substitute fresh squeezed lemon juice for the vinegar.
If it's cool at your place, drop the egg into warm water to bring it up to about 80 degrees in temperature. If the egg is too cool (as your home may be during winter months) you'll have a hard time emulsifying this homemade mayonnaise.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 13mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Originally published in December 2012; this post has been updated.
I made this mayo today only had regular mustard only thing I would change is use 1 tsp of regular mustard instead of 2 , it was lovely
Glad it worked for you!
Came out fantastic, used it for my coleslaw
Glad you like it!
I have made this recipe about 7 times and we love it. Turned out perfectly every time. Tonight I made 2 batches and they both failed. Runny. I followed the recipe just as I have the past 7 times. I am afraid to make it again due to the cost of oil where we are.
Well, you know it *works, if you’ve made it successfully 7 times. I’m not sure what would have changed that? Temperature? Humidity? Definitely save the runny mayo and turn it into a salad dressing.
Do you use the whole egg or just the yolk?
Use the whole egg.
This tasted amazing and turned out perfect first try! Thanks so much for a reliable recipe.
So glad you loved it!
I have been doing your Mayo for a couple of years. It’s always perfect. Recently I made a batch and it turned out a bit runny. I used it for coleslaw and potato salad and it was a hit! Just did it tonight with regular mustard and tested it on devil eggs…perfect!
Thanks Kris
Kris, I am a fan of Hellmann’s mayo after having tasted other brands while living in North Carolina and growing up eating Duke’s (some preferred Miracle Whip), I realized how much of a difference each one has. Now, I live in Louisiana where most grew up eating Blue Plate…a hard no for me, lol! I was enlightened by this article and look forward to making the homemade recipe that you shared! https://sporked.com/article/hellmanns-best-foods-taste/
I didn’t have Dijon mustard, so I used regular, everything blended well but it tastes more like mustard ♀️♀️but it is creamy
That sounds pretty good, actually! 🙂
Woaaaah! Mayo has never tasted this good !
Thanx
You’re welcome so glad you love it!
This is by far the best mayo I’ve ever tasted! The recipe turned out perfectly on my first attempt. I cook a lot, but have never made mayo. This is a game changer. Tip.. if you forget to take your egg out of the fridge so it’s room temp, just place it in a glass of hot water. Soon it will be room temp.
So glad you love it! Good tip 🙂
Well, I found out you can’t use regular mustard and a mixer..Soupy yellow mess!
Definitely use a blender or food processor next time, but also make sure your egg is warm enough by letting the egg sit in a bowl of very warm water for 10-15 minutes.
Any good recipe for eggless mayo? With ingredients available in India.
Yes for the vegans.
This recipe is based on eggs, so I don’t know how to make it vegan, sorry!
I tried making this using a jar and immersion blender. Followed directions exactly and used a room temperature egg, turned into a liquid mess. 🙁
It does happen sometimes, though it’s rare for me anymore. When it happens, you can use the runny mayo as a base for salad dressing.
I will NEVER buy mayo from a store again. It’s soo easy to make. The flavor is wonderful and I’m happy to know what the ingredients are.
So happy to hear that!
I was wonder if powdered eggs could be used.
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure!
I never buy or use veg oils other than avocado and olive. So thanks for these ingredients. My question is when using the stick blender, you say dump everything in then blend in the way you indicated. But why is it when using a blender or processor you have to slowly drizzle the oil in? I haven’t tried either three ways yet.
Thank you for the great content.
That’s the best way to get it to emulsify, good luck!
I used avocado oil and it turned out perfectly.
Oh good, enjoy!
This recipe was great! I made it with half olive oil and half vegetable oil… it DEFINITELY has a strong olive oil taste, even using half, so just a warning! I let the egg rest on the counter for over an hour before it was room temperature and everything emulsified perfectly!
So glad you like the recipe! 🙂
Hi!
I love this mayonnaise but I find when I try to make an aioli or something with it it becomes runny. Any idea why this happens?
It could be the extra liquid added or the temperature, but it’s hard for me to say for sure.
I keep getting runny mayo… wasting so much oil.
What would you recommend if someone didnt want to use 1 full cup, but half a cup… until one feels ready to try more amount? What would the ingredients be?
I would recommend keeping the rest of the ingredients the same and adding the oil slowly starting with half the amount. I hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you for all the advice and info. I am ready to try making homemade mayo again. I stopped because I kept ending up with bitter mayo. Apparently olive oil turns very bitter when moved quickly, like from being whipped to make mayo.
I have two questions:
1) How can olive oil keep from turning bitter when stirred/whipped in the mayo process?
2) Can separated mayo be re-emulsified? I have a jar of high quality mayo that got frozen, then thawed. The oil has completely separated, so now I have a jar of high quality disappointment.
Thank you for any and all advice!
I am not sure about the bitter-tasting oil, I find that LIGHT olive oil is good, but EVOO is not. I often use avocado oil. To re-emulsify, I would add another egg and try blending it again. Good luck!
This was so far the best homemade mayo yet! Thank you, Kris! It’ll be awhile and when I make it again will experiment with a different oil – maybe Olive or Grapeseed oil. Used Avocado and it was good, though for us another oil may be better.
Glad to hear it!
Do you use pasteurized eggs or just like…”regular” store bought eggs? how long is the mayo good for once made?
I use eggs from my hens. And it lasts for 10 days or so?
I made mayo for the first time ever using this recipe with a stick blender. I have a jar of white liquid; I let my egg sit out for a couple of hours, and measured exactly like the recipe said. I’m upset because of the wasted olive oil. Any way I can get it to thicken? What caused it to be pure liquid, and not thickened to mayo?
It does happen, sadly — it’s too bad it happened on your first try, though! Sometimes it just doesn’t emulsify, no fault of your own. One thing you can try is adding a second egg and pulsing it in. That works *sometimes. Please don’t let this discourage you from trying again. To salvage the ingredients, I use them in a salad dressing for pasta or green salad.
Oh my goodness I was about to give up but after reading this comment I added an extra egg (yard eggs) as they call them in Texas. Not store bought. NOW my mayo looks and tastes amazing. Thank you
Whew!
Made this today- full expected it to fail, but it worked!
Just the recipe I have been wanting to try. Thank you, I so appreciate your recipes & tips.
This is magic for me! I have tried several times to make my own mayo because of the list of unhealthy ingredients in the store bought mayo. I have failed at every attempt but tonight decided to give this one last try and voila! Success is finally mine. I haven’t ever seen the suggestion of making sure your egg is on the warmer side and this worked out well. Thanks for a good recipe. Mine was a bit more runny than I like and so next time I will try adding the water last or not at all if it’s too runny. Thanks for sharing these great tips!
I’m so glad this worked out for you! And I’m laughing that other people are saying that COLD is the key. I may have to try that as well.
My mom made mayo when I was a child. Her top tip – make sure EVERYTHING is cold. She made it in a mixing bowl that had been refrigerated along with the beaters. Of course, she didn’t have olive oil and used Mazola or something similar.
I’m going to try this, just for kicks!
A complete fail with this for me, just a disgusting white liquid the thickness of oil. I warmed the egg, maybe should warm the oil too?
I never warm the oil. I use it at room temp. You can use what you’ve got as a base for salad dressing so it doesn’t go to waste, but I hope you’ll try again.
Add more oil while blending, it would emulsify
Delicious mayo! I made this mayo using a stick blender and just replaced the olive oil with avocado oil. Quick and easy and the mayo is really delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Glad you liked it!
Great recipe!
So yummy and easy to make.
i noticed you use homemade mustard but not homemade apple cider vinegar? apple cider vinegar is crazy easy to make–especially if you have kids leaving apple cores all over the house. you can make it with apple scraps, honey, & water. it takes about a month to ferment, but it is so simple.
I know! Part of the reason is we don’t have apples growing locally (they’re not a Hawaii crop). I’ve tried pineapple vinegar, but it was…yucky.
I buy acv with the mother. Then, when the level is at about 2/3 I top it up with cider. Give it a shake and put it at the back of the cupboard. A few weeks later I have another full jar of acv!
Why mustard? I have never purchased a mayo that has mustard as an ingredient. The problem for me is I hate mustard, and I wonder if you can taste it when this recipe is completed. Any ideas?
It gives it a flavor boost, but you don’t taste “hey, mustard!” It won’t ruin the mayo if you opt to leave it out, though – it’s there purely for flavor.
Do you have to use the olive oil? Can I substitute coconut oil?
I’ve not tried coconut oil, but my mantra is “What would happen if…?” If it doesn’t emulsify, you can always use it as a salad dressing.
Kris,
you post are always interesting and you have such a great community of people who comment too. thanks for this. and my question: how demanding would it be to make by hand –that is without a belnder or food processot?
I’m going to have to give this a try–I have wondered how to best use that little tube feeder on my Cuisinart. Sometimes as a substitute for mayo I used pureed white beans. You can still add a bit of mustard for flavor.
For gourmet mayo, save that t. of water until all the oil is emulsified and add it at the last moment. Your spread will not look or taste oily because there is a microscopic layer of water around each oil drop.
I haven’t made mayo for years, but the best batch ever was made within an hour of the hen laying that egg. For those of you with chickens, it’s worth listening for the cackle.
I use grapeseed oil for other cooking and glad to hear this was good. Now that I have a stick blender, this should be really fun.
Interesting – I’ll have to try adding the water later!
What if I wanted to go vegan? Thanks for the recipe, always wanted to make my own. 😉
I’ve got no help for you, Karma! Maybe try this? https://cleangreensimple.com/2011/04/vegan-mayonnaise/
We use a Cuisinart Smart Stick blender … just put all the ingredients in a pint jar, put the blender in to the bottom, turn it on, and as it begins emulsifying you slowly bring the blender up through the mixture and out the top as it all turns to mayo. Only takes about 30 seconds to make it this way.
Ditto. Except my stick blender is just a cheap Hamilton Beach hand-me-down from a friend. This method works like a charm EVERY time and it is super fast. I would never go back to any other way.
I’m completely fascinated by this. So you don’t drizzle the oil? And I could make it in the wide mouth mason jar I intend to store it in anyway? Easier? Faster? Far less cleanup? My head is spinning :). Now I wish I didn’t already have a fresh batch in the fridge so I could try this. I’m going to have to use up my mayo so I can make some more 🙂
This is the way I do it and I’ve never had a failed batch. Store it right in the jar I made it in. It’s easy and delish.
Here’s video that shows it. Scroll down and watch. Easy!
https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/10/the-food-lab-homemade-mayo-in-2-minutes-or-le.html
I just wanted to share my experiment with everyone. I decided to try using the immersion blender method instead of the food processor. I used my own recipe with the powdered whole eggs (that works like a dream in my food processor), and for whatever reason, it does not work with the immersion blender. I tried it twice and no dice. Then I took my double failed mixture and used fresh egg yolks and it worked right away. I put the egg yolks in another jar and poured the failed batch on top so the blender would be pulling the oil into the eggs. I thought I’d share that in case anyone had ended up trying it with powdered eggs. I’m a convert! This is so fast and WAY fewer dishes to wash. I’m making it in the mason jar I intend to store it in. Can’t beat that! Thanks to those that shared it!
This looks like a pretty easy recipe, I will have to give it a try!
I’ve often wondered how this was made from scratch. Thanks for the insights.
Quite aside from the evil ingredients, the world seems to be divided between the Miracle Whip people and the Best Foods people. It’s as bad as Ohio State (YAY!) vs. Michigan (BOO!) Home made is indubitably better and why don’t I make it more often? Uh, lazy is the word that comes to mind.
I’ve never tried to make my own mayo. I can do a decent salad dressing now and then. Oh, and I have made jelly / jam / marmalade, but that’s a whole other thing.
This sounds very good. Do you know what the fat content is?
Heather, no, I don’t have nutritional data on this.
Never realized making mayo was so easy – thanks for the recipe!
I’ve had amazing experiences making my own mayo, and I’ve also failed miserably at it. Maybe b/c the ingredients were too cold? Thanks for the tips Kris (and April)!
Jennifer, the two main culprits are ingredients being too cold or adding the oil too fast. This is the post I wrote a few years ago about it. At the bottom there are instructions to fix a failed mayo. https://www.ourfoodstorage.com/2010/12/26/holiday-leftovers-and-homemade-mayo/
I’ve been making my own for a few years and have some tips. A very important factor is to make sure none of your ingredients is cold or your mayo won’t emulsify. The warm side of room temp is best. So that egg needs to sit out of the fridge for a bit to warm up. I actually use powdered eggs bc it’s so convenient and they are pasteurized, which is important to people who don’t raise their own chickens (I personally wouldn’t eat a raw egg from the grocery store, which is why I raise my own).
I’ve tried it in the blender (I have a blendtec) but it’s not my favorite way to make it. It’s too hard to get it out. I love doing it in my food processor. I never knew that about the hole in the bottom! But to regulate my oil stream I bought one of those condiment bottles at a kitchen store for a dollar I will have to try the hole in my pusher next time.
I use the super light olive oil. You can’t taste it.
Mine keeps in the fridge forever as long as it doesn’t end up in the too cold part of the fridge that freezes sometimes. I keep it in the door in a mason jar to keep it safe. Freezing will make the mayo break (separate), which can be fixed. Any acid works fine, like white vinegar or lemon juice. The only difference is taste preference.
I use mustard powder just bc that’s what I like. I also add a touch of raw organic sugar. Probably a 1/2 tsp to your recipe.
Thanks for all that, April! I’m with you on the food processor being more convenient than the blender. I love my VitaMix, but my one complaint is all the bumps in the container – too hard to get every last drop!
I used to make my own in the food processor…found it easier all around than using the blender. I can’t tell you how long it has been since we’ve even used ANY mayo! Since we’re not eating sandwiches very often (cutting w a y back on bread), we’ve stopped using mayo. When I do make sandwiches or wraps I am using/spreading just a thin layer of my own salad dressings on the bread or the tortillas. I didn’t think we could live w/o mayo but we have! (oh, and BLAH!, I hate the taste of Miracle Whip 😉
Ugh, that Miracle Whip. (We don’t make many sandwiches, either, but I use it for salad dressings and potato salad.)
I used to make mayonnaise when I lived in France. I admire you for putting in the extra time and effort. What I would like to know is whether the small amount of GMOs in canola oil will do damage to my intestines if I am careful with all the other stuff I eat. Do you know the answer to this question?
Oh, Alexandra. I wish we KNEW. It’s not something that’s studied, in part I think, because Monsanto, et al, don’t want us too informed.
We do know. There are plenty of independant studies, http://www.responsibletechnology.org.
There is also much information on GMO’s here: https://independentsciencenews.org/commentaries/regulators-discover-a-hidden-viral-gene-in-commercial-gmo-crops/
I’ve made my own in the past and it really is not hard to do. I haven’t done it in a while but probably should do it regularly to avoid the icky stuff.
Best Foods will keep forever and is an easy “pantry” item. With this, I find I make it as I need it. It’s definitely a habit to get into making it, but I’ve been pretty consistent!