THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES IN THE WORLD
With the weirdest secret ingredient.
‘Tis the season for everything holiday, including all those sweet treats that are ubiquitous this time of year. My grandfather, whom we called Papa, loved to bake. He loved to make cookies, pies, and the most elaborate cakes. And he loved to send big, huge care packages full of his favorite treats to us from four hundred miles away. My mother learned to make many of his favorites and passed them on to my sister and me. There are many I love, but this particular recipe is my favorite. These are also some of the simplest cookies to make, with only a few ingredients. I usually make them once a year, at Christmas, because they are addictive.
It's a strange recipe in that there are no eggs, butter, or oil. Well, not in their purest form, at least. Instead, mayonnaise is the star, which might sound strange until you remember that mayo is really just eggs and oil together. It means that this cookie dough isn't very tasty at all, but I swear, the end result is. The mayo gives these cookies a special crispness that melts in the mouth.
One note: don't substitute the mayo for something low-fat or eggless. The cookies will turn out strange and rubbery. I know not why; it's just that you really don't want to do it.
Also, for some reason, I've not had great luck doubling the recipe. They don't turn out quite as well, and again, I'm not sure why. I have a huge DO NOT DOUBLE written at the bottom of this recipe card, now probably 30-35 years old. And yes, I have tried it since then, and I was right to write that down on that card.
I alluded to this, but to be very clear...if you love to taste-test (ha!) the dough, just don't on this one. 😖
My Grandfather's Mayonnaise Sugar Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
1 cup mayonnaise (no substitutes)
1 cup sugar plus extra for coating dough balls
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
Stir together mayonnaise, sugar, vanilla and almond extract.
Add flour, soda and salt.
Roll into balls and roll in sugar.
Flatten the tops with a fork, careful not to crush them too much. Sprinkle a dusting of sugar into the cracks if desired.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees, until the cookies are crisp. They should be mostly firm to the touch but not brown.
Enjoy!
Get Signed Books for Christmas Gifts!
Join me and dozens of fellow authors tomorrow in Cambridge, MA at 7pm at Porter Square Books.
I’ll have copies of FEAST OF SORROW for sale and signing!
Join the Boston Chapter of the Women's National Book Association for a special holiday shopping party at Porter Square Books Cambridge! Booksellers and local authors will be on hand to help find the perfect titles for everyone on your list. Shop small, support your local literary community, and kick off the holiday season with great company and festive refreshments! See you there!
WHAT’S BRINGING ME JOY THIS WEEK
One of my favorite Christmas songs, Muppet style.
I keep a crazy playlist for Last Christmas and its covers here. There are so many! And most of them are terrible. But my husband and I were talking about the video for Wham’s Last Christmas and he remembers sweaters, with suspenders. I didn’t recall it at all, and there are a lot of sweaters (suspender-less) and feathered hair.
I have to admit, the Apple Holiday film made me tear up.
If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷
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These sound like cookies B. Dylan Hollis would gross about while making and then swoon over when they're done. I have to imagine the kind of mayonnaise you use changes the flavor profile. I'm not a picky eater but the only store bought mayo I find palatable is Helmann's. I learned this the hard way during what will forever be known in my memory as the great Cane Gate during the pandemic when I was trying to create some family favorites for my first pandemic birthday. I may have to rotate a batch of these in as a break from my annual shortbread marathon.
Also, I'm so glad to hear you say you can't double the recipe! It makes no intuitive sense but there are some recipes that just don't work doubled. I tried to make a triple batch of my mom's apricot squares during the pandemic--we all love them and she couldn't make them--and they were so terrible I haven't had the hard to try them again.