Mayonnaise Cookies are a thing. And you should probably give them a try. They’re perfect for when you don’t have eggs or oil and you’re desperate for a dessert. Similar to a sugar cookie, this recipe is easy and one that you need to try at least once. It may even become a family favorite.

If you didn’t know you could bake with mayo, you can! Even if you aren’t a fan of this condiment, you need to know that there are many desserts that you can make that are fantastic!

I was sent Hellman’s to use for a challenge they held. This was originally posted in 2012. But I had to reshare because how weird do Mayonnaise Cookies sound?!

Cookies made with mayonnaise on a cloth.

Let me be clear. I don’t like mayonnaise. I HATE the smell (it makes me gag). I refuse to eat mayonnaise-based salads and I would never dream about eating a sandwich or burger that has mayo on it. Gross.

BUT! I can tolerate it mixed with tuna. And it’s kind of amazing when used in baking or making grilled cheeses.

So because I was using mayo in a recipe for Chipotle Lime Crusted Chicken I decided to make some Mayo Cookies too!

I participated in Hellmann’s (yup, Mayo!) Chicken Change-Up. My family was blown away. Because, again, I don’t like mayonnaise. But I was determined to figure out a way that I could authentically participate and use a product that I don’t love.

I’m all about easy dinner recipes so I found a chicken recipe to make. But I also remembered that I saw (and freaked out about) my brother-in-law use mayonnaise to make his wife a birthday cake when there were no eggs around.

Mind blown. So I decided to see if I could put mayonnaise in cookies and like how they tasted. Spoiler: I did! And I have used mayo in a few other desserts too: Chocolate Mayo Cupcakes and Chocolate Mayo Cake.

A photo of an apple spice dump cake with text around it to get the free recipe.

Jump to Section

Can mayonnaise replace eggs in baking?

Yes! Mayonnaise is made with eggs, oil and vinegar, so it kind of makes sense to think that it would be great in baked goods! Each of these items is crucial to baking a delicious treat so mayo is really an efficient way to bake!

Everything that I’ve read says that mayo helps to make a cake super moist – which is a fantastic trait to have in a cake (although I’ll eat cake just about any way it’s given to me…).

Need more info? Check out these tips and tricks for cooking with mayonnaise.

Substitute the same amount of mayonnaise for the amount of oil the recipe calls for and then leave out the eggs.

It has been said that if starting with a boxed cake mix, you need to add a little bit more water to get the correct consistency so you may need to play around with it to get it perfect.

And you can easily swap out the eggs and oil for a cookie recipe too!

How to Make Mayonnaise Sugar Cookies

I will admit, it was hard to smell the mayo as I was making them. I breathed through my mouth. A lot.

Collage of images of the steps to make mayonnaise cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
extra sugar for dusting the cookies

Steps

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add mayo and vanilla.
Mix together very well.
Shape into small balls.
Spread out the cookies on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Press down with a fork, sprinkle with sugar.
Bake approximately 12 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

I decided to make these mayo cookies 3 different ways.

First, I followed the recipe with just a sprinkle of sugar on top.

Second, I tried using my favorite spiced sugar that has a touch of vanilla and cinnamon for sprinkling.

Lastly, I rolled the entire dough ball in sugar before squashing them with a fork.

The cookies come out of the oven golden brown, super crispy and taste very similar to a sugar cookie. I think my favorite cookies were the ones where I rolled the whole cookie dough ball all the way in sugar (very much like you do with a peanut butter cookie).

Those browned up really nice on the bottom and were headed towards caramel-y. Does that make any sense at all? But I think next time, I would roll the dough in the spiced sugar all the way around.

That would have added a touch of something extra special. If I hadn’t told my friends that these were made with mayo, I’m pretty sure they would never have guessed.

The mayonnaise cookie recipe was a smidge on the greasy side, so I suggest using a touch less mayo then the recipe calls for.

For some reason, I didn’t think to check if Hellmann’s had cookie recipes on their site. But they totally do! Who knew you could make mayonnaise desserts!

Have you ever used mayonnaise in a dessert recipe before? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. And let me know if you decide to make these Mayo Sugar Cookies!