The 3-Ingredient Muffins I Make on Repeat

Mayonnaise is serious business in the South. Just like a football team, you will be asked to pick a favorite. Regional favorites reign, from Blue Plate to Bama to Duke’s and even Hellman’s. Just like wearing the wrong colors at a tailgate, having the “wrong” mayo in your fridge can cause your friends to think twice—good-naturedly, of course—about your chicken salad, your pimento cheese, or even (gasp) one of your summer heirloom tomato sandwiches.

This fierce connection to specific brands probably stems from the fact that before the 1920s, most people made mayonnaise at home instead of purchasing pre-made; therefore, family and regional flavor profiles reigned. As a native of the Carolinas, my favorite is Duke’s. Eugenia Duke began selling Duke’s in Greenville, South Carolina in the 1920s and is now one of the leading brands in the South, beloved by chefs and home cooks alike for its tangy flavor without added sugar.

Regardless of brand affinity, mayonnaise is a pantry staple across the country. Its rise in availability coincided with the lean years of the Depression and the rationed years of WWII, and the premade combo of egg, oil, and acid (either lemon juice or vinegar) remained for many an affordable luxury. 

Around this era, the mayonnaise muffin began showing up on Southern tables, utilizing another convenience pantry staple, self-rising flour. Combine the two with a little half-and-half or milk, and you have these three-ingredient savory muffins.

3-Ingredient Savory Muffins

These tender, flaky muffins are a weeknight quick bread that utilizes the ease of self-rising flour and store-bought mayonnaise, along with some liquid, to make a muffin that is more biscuit than cake but doesn’t require a rolling pin. 

My variation swaps out half and half for milk, making the muffins a little less crumbly but still tender and rich. However, if milk is all you have, my grandmother would say “go with what you got.” These muffins feel like a baking party trick that tastes much richer than the time investment would suggest.

A Sweet Variation

Instead of putting jam on a warm muffin, bake it in! Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter, place a teaspoon of your favorite jam or jelly in the center, then top with another dollop of batter to bake in a sweet surprise. Or you can fill each cup 2/3 full, place a spoonful of jam on top, then swirl with a chopstick for a sweet topping. These are great as part of a brunch spread or holiday gathering.