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    Home » Recipes » Sauces » Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

    Modified: Apr 26, 2025 · Published: Dec 6, 2015 by Angela G. · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

    21.8K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Hollandaise sauce. It’s what makes breakfast more beautiful (and way more delicious). It’s easier than you think to make homemade Hollandaise sauce from scratch. If you can use a whisk, you can make this sauce.

    Easy Hollandaise Sauce
    Easy Recipe for Hollandaise Sauce
    Homemade Hollandaise Sauce
    Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
    Easy Hollandaise Sauce
    Easy Recipe for Hollandaise Sauce
    Homemade Hollandaise Sauce
    Easy Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
    Skim by Section
    • ★ Why You’ll Love this Recipe ★
    • ★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
    • ★ How to Make Hollandaise Sauce ★
    • ★ Alternate Cooking Methods ★
    • ★ Tips for Success ★
    • ★ FAQs ★
    • ★ More Recipes You'll Love ★
    • Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

    ★ Why You’ll Love this Recipe ★

    Hollandaise sauce. It's what makes breakfast more beautiful (and way more delicious). Great on the Classic Eggs Benedict or try my Eggs Benedict Croissant Casserole. Truly any egg dish is made better with a drizzle of Hollandaise.

    How to Make Hollandaise Sauce

    It's easier than you think.

    If you can use a whisk, you can make this sauce. It takes less than 10 minutes!

    Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

    Gourmet, at Home

    You don't have to go to a fancy restaurant to get a delicious hollandaise sauce or Eggs Benedict, you can make your own homemade hollandaise sauce anytime you want.

    Fancy French cuisine doesn't have to be hard. I'll walk you through each simple step to make this delicious sauce. Then you'll be putting it on everything!

    Try it on other foods, too.

    Hollandaise sauce is a tangy, silky topping for just about anything. It's best known served over Eggs Benedict but you can also enjoy it over vegetables, chicken and waffles, steak, salmon, and more! It's an easy, creamy and lemony sauce to add to any dish that could use extra moisture and richness.

    Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce

    Simplified Method

    I've taken all the complications out of this recipe and made it as simple and straightforward as possible. No fancy equipment required. Even if you don't have a whisk, you can use a fork.

    Feel free to customize.

    Add little ingredients to make it your own and further complement the dish you're serving it with.

    Some people like to add a little bit of mustard, some use a small amount of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper, and some like to use lime juice in place of the fresh lemon juice.

    ★ Ingredients You'll Need ★

    Simple pantry and refrigerator staples make up this easy, buttery sauce. You likely won't even need to make a trip to the store for anything special.

    Here's everything you need:

    • Egg yolks. You will only need the yolks for this recipe, so save the whites for something else or go ahead and add them to breakfast.
    • Butter. I use salted butter for just about everything because it's easy. However, if you want more control over the amount of salt you add to this sauce, go with unsalted and add in your own salt to taste. One thing to note is that salted butter does have a higher water content so it isn't quite as creamy as unsalted.
    • Lemon juice. Feshly squeezed lemon juice is going to give you much more flavor than buying lemon juice. If you have to use bottled, make it a last resort. It's not nearly as flavorful and doesn't add the same brightness that fresh juice will.
    • Milk or half and half: Half and half will give you a more rich flavor and texture but if you don't have any or prefer a lighter sauce, milk will work too. The higher percentage of fat the creamier your sauce will be.
    • Cayenne pepper. Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper goes a long way. Stir it into to your finished sauce or use it to garnish your dish. This adds color and flavor to the sauce.

    ★ How to Make Hollandaise Sauce ★

    Just follow these simple steps!

    • Melt butter in a pan on the stove. Keep the heat low, you don't want to accidentally brown it, just melt it.
    • Add egg yolks, lemon juice, and milk or half and half to the melted butter and whisk until thick and frothy. Immediately remove from heat.
      It is very important to whisk non-stop while this sauce is cooking or the sauce can cook unevenly and become lumpy.
      It's also important to remove the pan from heat. Do not turn off the burner or it will continue to cook and sauce may become chunky.
    • Finally, add cayenne pepper and serve immediately.

    ★ Alternate Cooking Methods ★

    Traditional Double Boiling Method

    This is probably he most commonly accepted way to make Hollandiase sauce and what they teach you in culinary school. It involves using a proper double boiler, or placing a large metal bowl over top of a sauce pan about ⅛ of the way full of water. The water in the sauce pan boils and heats up the metal bowl. You place your eggs, butter, milk and lemon juice into the bowl and whisk. You need to use a bowl that is wider than the sauce pan.

    Microwave Method

    Yes you can make Hollandaise sauce in the microwave! See below for instructions.

    If you're feeling confident with your ability to make the stovetop version of this sauce, you might be ready to try the microwave shortcut.

    Wait. You can really use the microwave to make this sauce? Yes. The mircowave has long been used to cook breakfast foods from eggs to bacon. So, yes, you really can actually make Hollandaise sauce entirely in the microwave.

    All you have to do it combine the melted butter (so microwave the butter first by itself) with lemon juice, whisked eggs, warm water or milk and cayenne pepper in a glass bowl. Then microwave in 15 second increments, whisking in between. For about 30-45 seconds until it's thick.

    Side note: You can also melt chocolate using this same method!

    The microwave method gets a little tedious with all the stopping and starting so that's why I settled on the sauce pan method as my preferred way to make Hollandaise sauce. The stove top method is how this recipe is written.

    Stovetop Method

    Just use a sauce pan. This is how I do it. I have a double boiler, but it's more dishes to wash later. Just be sure to use low heat, stir, and allow time for the sauce to thicken.

    ★ Tips for Success ★

    The key to make Hollandiase Sauce without lumps is whisking continuously.

    No matter your method.

    When using the microwave you will heat and stir, heat and stir. You can use a whisk or a fork.

    The 3 keys to success when cooking stove top Hollandaise sauce.

    1. Cooking over low heat. You want to cook this sauce slowly, over very low heat or the eggs will cook too fast and become chunky. You want the eggs to cook just enough for the sauce to thicken, but you don't to cook this egg-based sauce so long that it turns into scrambled eggs.
    2. Whisk constantly. Don't stop whisking. Whisking does two things: 1.) It keep the eggs from clumping together. 2.) It allows you to feel the sauce thicken so you can tell when it's ready.
    3. Do not overcook. As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, remove it from the heat. It's done. If you keep cooking it or keep it over heat, it will overcook and become too thick and more like scrambled eggs and no longer s sauce. Once you overcook the eggs in the sauce, there's no way to get them back to their original smooth and more liquid state.
    4. Once you feel the sauce thicken as you are whisking, remove the sauce from heat, stir for another 30 seconds or so to release some heat so it doesn't continue cooking. Then use your Hollandaise sauce immediately. Or, keep a lid on it until ready to use so the top does not dry out and form a layer you'd need to skim off.

    ★ FAQs ★

    What Does Hollandaise Sauce Taste Like?

    The best way to describe Hollandaise sauce is a silky smooth sauce that tastes like butter but in a light and somewhat frothy texture. Some people compare it to whipped and thinner mayonnaise with a buttery taste. It's unlike anything else that you find on breakfast food or vegetables.

    Do you need a double boiler to make Hollandaise sauce?

    No. Hollandaise sauce recipes often recommend you use a double boiler instead of direct heat in a saucepan. However, this creates more dishes to wash and can be a bit much to handle while whisking the whole time. I've found you don't need the double boiler if you cook over low heat and continually whisk your sauce as it cooks.

    Is homemade Hollandaise sauce hard to make?

    Nope. It's not hard to make homemade Hollandaise sauce with the right technique.
    There are several techniques you can use. Go with what works best for you.

    What is in traditional hollandaise sauce?

    In a traditional hollandaise sauce, you have butter, egg yolks, mustard, and cream with cayenne pepper.

    What is the difference between hollandaise and bearnaise sauce?

    Hollandaise sauce is the base for bearnaise sauce, you add white wine vinegar, shallots, and tarragon to the hollandaise base in order to make bearnaise sauce. Hollandaise sauce is one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine, so you will find it frequently used as the base of a recipe with ingredients added.

    Is hollandaise sauce the same as mayonnaise?

    Mayonnaise has egg yolk, and either vinegar or lemon juice, blended with oil to create a thick and creamy sauce; therefore, it is not the same as hollandaise.

    Can you make hollandaise sauce without lemon?

    If you are short on lemons for your hollandaise sauce you can use white cooking wine and vinegar, you will only need about one tablespoon of each, and these will provide the acid needed to balance the sauce.

    Can you make Hollandaise sauce without a blender?

    My recipe does not use a blender, I whisk the ingredients while they are cooking as in traditional French methods.

    How do I store leftover Hollandaise sauce?

    You can store hollandaise sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to a month.

    What to Serve with this Recipe

    You can serve just about anything with hollandaise sauce to top it. Some of our favorites are the classic Eggs Benedict, any breakfast sandwich, roasted or steamed vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts; we also enjoy hollandaise sauce on chicken and steak dishes, and as a lighter sauce for some pasta dishes.

    ★ More Recipes You'll Love ★

    • Eggs Rancheros with flat iron steak
      Steak and Eggs Rancheros
    • How to poach an egg using a mason jar lid
      Easy Poached Eggs using Mason Jar Ring
    • Amish Red Beet Pickled Eggs - Refrigerator method
      Amish Pickled Red Beet Eggs
    • Breakfast Stuffing Casserole

    Be sure to try my Eggs Benedict Casserole topped with this sauce!

    Or if the more traditional Eggs Benedict is your style, check out my classic Eggs Benedict recipe.

    Eggs Benedict Recipes

    Breakfast, the best meal of the day?

    I could argue that it is! Browse all my breakfast recipes for more breakfast ideas.

    Easy Hollandaise Sauce

    Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

    Author: Angela G.
    Hollandaise sauce. It’s what makes breakfast more beautiful (and way more delicious). It’s easier than you think to make homemade Hollandaise sauce from scratch. If you can use a whisk, you can make this sauce.
    4.54 from 15 reviews
    Reviews
    Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Sauces & Spreads
    Cuisine: American
    Skill Level: Easy
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 7 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Yield: 1 cup sauce

    Equipment

    • whisk
    • sauce pan

    Ingredients 

    • ½ cup butter (1 stick)
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice more or less to taste
    • 2-3 tablespoon milk or half and half

    Optional

    • dash cayenne pepper
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    Instructions

    • Melt butter. In a sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the stick of butter.
    • Add yolks, lemon juice and milk.
      Whisk continually for about 3-5 minutes or until sauce starts to get thick and frothy then remove from heat.
    • Season. Finally sprinkle and stir in cayenne pepper (if desired) and serve immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    • Use salted butter, or if you want to control the amount of salt, use unsalted and add your own salt to taste.
    • Feel free to adjust the amount of lemon juice to make your sauce more or less tangy.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 257mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 978IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
    Follow Mighty Mrs. for more easy recipes!Find @MightyMrs on Pinterest

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    21.8K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Annette Reule says

      February 08, 2025 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      For 25 years hollandaise sauce was my kryptonite. This recipe I never miss. Thank you so so much!

      Reply
    2. Becky says

      July 14, 2023 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      This turned out great and really elevated my egg breakfast!
      The sauce did break at the very end but whisking in 1 TBS of hot water brought it right back to perfect!

      Reply
    3. Lynne Thompson says

      December 26, 2022 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      Delish! I added a pinch of dry mustard, because we are used to it that way. Mine did appear to "curdle" a bit like someone else mentioned, but I just kept whisking vigorously and then removed two tiny bits of egg. It was so easy and so yum! And we didn't have heavy cream, used half and half and it was just as good!

      Reply
    4. Roberta B says

      November 06, 2022 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      I thought I had a package of Hollandaise sauce in my cupboard. Nope, all gone. I found your recipe and it sounded super easy so I decided to try it! It was absolutely delicious! I'll never buy a prepared mix again! My husband commented that it was the best ever!

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        November 10, 2022 at 9:32 am

        That's great! Thanks, Roberta, for the feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Durwood says

      May 12, 2022 at 5:41 pm

      There'san easier, quicker, and near foolproof blender way. Put eggs and lemon juice in blender. Get butter HOT in a small saucepan. Start blender on medium speed and drizzle HOT butter in slowly until you have the silky consistency you want. Then add the cayenne or white pepper and pulse briefly to mix.

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        May 12, 2022 at 5:43 pm

        Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    6. Sandra Ruth Stuebner says

      March 20, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      Sauce curdlered at the end - had to throw it out

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        March 22, 2022 at 9:35 am

        Hi Sandra, I'm sorry to hear you has to toss the sauce. The sauce can appear to "curdle" but it's actually little bits of cooked egg. You can prevent this by whisking continuously and making sure you are cooking the sauce over low heat.

        Reply
    7. Susie says

      February 22, 2022 at 7:48 pm

      I cooked for 3 mn still thin.

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        February 22, 2022 at 8:22 pm

        Hi Susie, You will need to continue cooking and whisking until the sauce thickens.

        Reply
    8. Melanie says

      February 06, 2022 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for breakfast to go over eggs Benedict! Amazing!

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        February 07, 2022 at 5:21 am

        Hi Melanie, glad you enjoyed the sauce!

        Reply
    9. Edwina Balthazar says

      January 30, 2022 at 8:29 am

      Just wondering, can this be made and saved overnight in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        January 30, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Yes, just re-heat it slowly using the microwave. Heat for 15 seconds, stir, heat for another 15 seconds, stir. Continue until it’s warm.

        Reply
    10. Deborah says

      December 05, 2021 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      Can’t believe how easy this recipe was and it turned out perfectly. I’ve been buying packaged hollandaise sauce for years. Not anymore. Thank you for sharing. Delicious 😋

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        December 05, 2021 at 10:38 am

        I'm so happy to hear you found this recipe easy! I used to use the packets too. Homemade is better! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Tonya says

      November 19, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      Can this be made in a food processor?

      Reply
      • Angela G. says

        November 19, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        You have to cook the eggs so it’s best to follow the stovetop directions.

        Reply
    4.54 from 15 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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