I recently tried making cookies without eggs or butter, using mayonnaise instead. They turned out surprisingly delicious – soft in the middle with crispy edges. My family had no idea what the secret ingredient was. Let me show you how to make these super-simple mayonnaise cookies.
Check out the video below to see how I made these easy mayo cookies! If you enjoy simple baking hacks, please like and subscribe for more easy cookie recipes.
Why Mayo Makes Great Cookies
These mayonnaise cookies are perfect for when you run out of eggs or butter, but still want fresh homemade cookies. Mayo works great as a substitute because it contains both eggs and oil, giving your cookies the moisture and richness they need.
With just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of your time, you can have delicious cookies that taste remarkably like traditional sugar cookies. Most people cannot even tell the difference!
If you need a vegan option, simply use vegan mayonnaise instead of regular – it makes vegan baking straightforward without having to figure out separate egg and butter substitutes.
Did You Know: Mayonnaise was first used as a baking ingredient during the Great Depression when families needed to conserve eggs and butter.
Mayonnaise Cookies Ingredients
- 150g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 70g (⅓ cup) sugar
- ½g (¼ teaspoon) vanilla sugar
- 120g (½ cup) mayonnaise (regular or vegan mayo)
Top Tip: For vegan cookies, simply use vegan mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise. The recipe works exactly the same way.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk or fork for mixing
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Fork (for making patterns on cookies)
Mayonnaise Cookies Step-By-Step Instructions
Before we start, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mixing The Dough
The dough comes together quickly and easily in just a few simple steps.
Step 1: Add 150g (1¼ cups) of all-purpose flour to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add 70g (⅓ cup) of sugar to the same bowl.
Step 3: Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
Step 4: Add ½g (¼ teaspoon) of vanilla sugar.
Step 5: Whisk all dry ingredients together until well combined.
Step 6: Add 120g (½ cup) of mayonnaise to the mixture.
Step 7: Mix everything together until you get a smooth, slightly sticky dough.
Note: The dough will be thicker than regular cookie dough since there’s no butter to melt. It should hold together well when pressed between your fingers, but not be too wet or too crumbly.
Shaping And Baking
Now that your dough is ready, it’s time to shape and bake your cookies.
Step 8: Take a tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a small ball using your hands.
Step 9: Place the dough balls on the parchment paper-covered baking sheet, arranging them with a little space between each.
Step 10: Use a fork to press down gently on each cookie to flatten them slightly. This creates that classic criss-cross pattern and helps them bake evenly.
Step 11: Bake the mayonnaise cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.
Top Tip: You’ll know the mayo cookies are done when the edges turn a light golden brown color while the centers remain slightly lighter. Check them at the 10-minute mark to make sure they’re not browning too quickly.
Cooling And Storing
Step 12: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.
Step 13: Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Related recipe: If you liked this eggless cookie recipe, then check out also how I made these super yummy brown sugar cookies here.
Mayonnaise Cookies – No Eggs, No Butter
12
servings10
minutes15
minutes120
kcal25
minutesDelicious eggless and butterless cookies using mayo as a secret ingredient. This recipe makes about 12 mayonnaise cookies.
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
150 g (1 and ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
70 g (⅓ cup) sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla sugar
120 g (½ cup) real mayonnaise or vegan mayo
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) for optimal baking conditions.
- Add 150 grams or 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour to a bowl.
- In the same bowl, add 70 grams or ⅓ cup of sugar.
- Sprinkle in one teaspoon of baking soda for leavening.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla sugar to enhance flavor.
- Mix in 120 grams or ½ cup of mayonnaise until a smooth and slightly sticky dough forms.
- Spoon dough and roll into small balls, tablespoon-sized, using your hands.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-covered baking sheet, spacing each a bit apart.
- Press gently with a fork on each ball to create a criss-cross pattern for even baking.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are light golden and centers are slightly lighter.
Recipe Video
Notes
- The dough feels sticky by design – Mayo cookie dough is stickier than traditional butter-based dough, which is completely normal and helps create their soft, tender texture.
- Chill for easier handling – If the dough is too sticky to work with, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes before shaping into balls for much easier handling.
- Press cookies before baking – Unlike butter cookies, these don’t spread much during baking, so pressing them with a fork ensures they cook evenly throughout.
- Best stored airtight – These cookies stay fresh for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Add mix-ins at the end – Fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit just before shaping the dough to create tasty variations of the basic recipe.
- Customize with extracts – Replace vanilla with almond, maple, or orange extract to create completely different flavor profiles with the same simple base.
- Make-ahead friendly – The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for a month, so you can prepare it when convenient and bake later.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 120kcal
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Protein: 1g
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Mayonnaise Cookies Recipe Variations
The basic mayo cookie recipe is versatile and can be customized in several ways:
- Chocolate Chip: Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the dough
- Lemon: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and replace vanilla sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Cinnamon Sugar: Roll the dough balls in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking
- Cocoa: Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for chocolate cookies
Troubleshooting Tips
Problem: Cookies are too greasy
- Solution: Use a little less mayonnaise next time, about 100g instead of 120g
Problem: Cookies are too dry
- Solution: Make sure you’re measuring the flour correctly. Too much flour can make the cookies dry.
Problem: Cookies aren’t sweet enough
- Solution: Increase the sugar to 100g (½ cup) or roll the cookies in extra sugar before baking
More Easy Cookie Recipes to Try
So, if you do not have eggs or butter, you can still make amazing cookies. If you liked this eggless cookie recipe, then check out also these other easy and delicious cookie recipes on my YouTube channel.
- Almond Cookies Recipe – No Flour Just Almonds — These are great when I need something gluten-free. They’re super nutty and have this amazing chewy center that’s hard to beat.
- Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies — My kids request these constantly. Something about that peanut butter flavor just hits different, and they stay soft even after a few days (if they last that long!).
- Crispy Oatmeal Cookies That Never Fail! — I make these when I want something not too sweet with my coffee. The oats give them a nice crunch and make me feel a little less guilty about having cookies for breakfast.
Let me know in the comments if you tried them or if you have any questions!Claude 3.7 SonnetList moreNew chatRegenerate