Classic hollandaise sauce has a bit of a reputation for being fussy, but I promise it doesn’t have to be. This super quick and easy Hollandaise Sauce recipe will get you a rich, creamy, lemony sauce in just a few minutes, with nothing more than a sauce pot and a whisk. It’s perfect for holiday mornings and cozy Christmas brunches, but simple enough for any weekend too! That means you can enjoy this dreamy sauce anytime, without breaking a sweat. Let me show you how it’s done.
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“I’ve tried many methods of making Hollandaise sauce with little to no success. Just frustration and wasted butter! I tried this recipe and it worked like a charm! Thank you thank you for solving my Hollandaise problems!!!!”
Alex Newman
My No-Stress Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
If you’ve never experienced the magic of hollandaise sauce, let me attempt to describe it to you. It’s a very simple savory sauce made with butter, egg yolk, lemon, and salt. It has a smooth, velvety texture with just the right amount of bright lemon flavor to keep it from being too heavy. If you’ve ever had Eggs Benedict, this is the dreamy yellow sauce that is drizzled over top. But it’s great on a lot more than just Eggs Benedict. I’ve shared some more delicious serving suggestions below!
Recipe Success Tips
- Go low and slow with the heat. Making hollandaise from scratch is all about gentle cooking. Keep the heat at medium-low and whisk constantly so the eggs thicken gradually instead of scrambling. If things feel like they’re heating up too fast, pull the pot off the burner while you whisk.
- Whisking matters more than speed. If the sauce curdles or looks grainy, it’s usually from heat that’s a little too high or not enough whisking. You can’t rush this one. Steady whisking is what creates the smooth, creamy texture.
- If your sauce splits, don’t panic. Take it off the heat and whisk in a teaspoon of hot water at a time until it comes back together. If it gets a little thin, return it to very low heat and whisk until it thickens again.
- Best made fresh. This sauce tends to split when stored, which is why my recipe is intentionally small-batch. I recommend making it right before serving for this reason.
- Make a larger batch, if needed. The recipe below makes about ⅓ cup, or just enough for two people (about 3 Tbsp each). If you want to make more, it’s just as easy. Simply adjust the number in the “servings” box in the recipe below, and the ingredient quantities will adjust for you. The method will be exactly the same, but it may take a few minutes longer for the sauce to heat as you whisk.
- Blender method is an option. Some readers have shared that they like to use a blender to make hollandaise. They do this by blending all the ingredients minus the butter, then slowly stream in hot melted butter while the blender runs. It comes together fast with very little effort. That said, I prefer my stovetop method since it gives me more control over the texture and the final temperature of the sauce, which matters when you want it just right!
- Classic vs. variations. Traditional hollandaise is made with egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice, as I use in this recipe. I have seen vegan versions made with plant-based butter and thickened with ingredients like cashews or silken tofu, though I haven’t tested those methods myself. Béarnaise sauce is a close cousin to hollandaise, made with a vinegar reduction rather than lemon juice and finished with tarragon and shallots for a more savory, herb-forward sauce.
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
Cost $0.68 recipe / $0.34 serving
Ingredients
- 1 large egg (separated, $0.16)
- 1 Tbsp water ($0.00)
- ½ Tbsp lemon juice ($0.03)
- 4 Tbsp salted butter (57g, $0.46*)
- ⅛ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
Video
Instructions
- Separate the egg and place the egg yolk in a small saucepot. The whites can be saved for a different recipe.
- Add the water and lemon juice to the pot with the yolk and whisk until smooth (no heat yet).
- Cut the butter into small pieces (about ¼ Tbsp size), then add them to the saucepot with the egg yolk, lemon, and water.
- Place the pot over medium-low heat. Continuously whisk as the mixture heats. First the butter will melt, then the mixture will begin to get a bit frothy. Finally, as the egg yolk begins to cook, the sauce will thicken. Make sure you're whisking the entire time to achieve a light, smooth sauce. Once it thickens to the consistency of gravy, remove the pot from the heat.
- Season the sauce with salt and cayenne, then drizzle the sauce over your favorite food!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Whisk
- Small Saucepan
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Hollandaise Sauce Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Separate the egg: Separate one large egg and place the egg yolk in a small saucepot (this is a 1 qt. saucepot)
Whisk: Add 1 Tbsp water and ½ Tbsp lemon juice to the pot with the egg yolk, then whisk the yolk and lemon juice until smooth (do not heat the mixture at this point).
Add butter: Cut 4 Tbsp salted butter into small pieces (about ¼ Tbsp sized pieces). Cutting the butter helps it to melt faster. Add them to the pot with the yolk, water, and lemon juice.
Heat: Place the pot over medium-low heat and continuously whisk while the butter begins to melt.
Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to heat. You’ll notice it begin to get frothy…
And then when the egg yolk begins to actually cook, it will thicken the sauce to a consistency similar to gravy. Make sure you’re whisking throughout this entire process. It should only take 3-5 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Remove the sauce from the heat once thickened.
Add seasonings: Season the sauce with about ⅛ tsp cayenne and ⅛ tsp salt (or to taste).
And now your rich and dreamy lemony sauce is ready to eat. You did that! Drizzle that heavenly sauce over all your favorite foods!
How to Use Hollandaise Sauce
As mentioned above, this creamy sauce is best known for being served with Eggs Benedict, which I like to make with leftover baked ham during the holidays. Or for something extra special, try swapping the ham for smoked salmon and topping it with a poached egg to make Eggs Royale (aka a super special breakfast I like to reserve for Christmas). This sauce is also great with roasted potatoes or drizzled over sautéed asparagus, steamed broccoli, or other simple vegetables during the holidays or any time of the year. Also, try it spooned over grilled salmon, crab, or even steak. Hollandaise sauce is practically all butter, and I think we can all agree that butter tastes great on everything!
sTORAGE & rEHEATING
This sauce is very rich, so you don’t need a lot. It also has a tendency to separate, which can make storing and reheating leftovers a little tricky. That’s why I chose to make this a small-batch recipe. It makes about ⅓ cup, which is just enough for two people, so you can enjoy it fresh without stressing about leftovers.
If you do end up with extra, transfer it to an airtight container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface before adding the lid. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 1–2 days. To reheat, warm it very gently over low heat on the stove, adding a little hot water and whisking as it warms to loosen it up and help it come back together.
More Easy Sauce Recipes
Our Easy Hollandaise Sauce recipe was originally published 6/30/21. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 12/23/25.
So easy and came out perfect. Thank you!!!
I’ve been using this sauce for quite a while now. So easy, better, and less expensive than a powdered mix. I like to add another dab of lemon juice at the end. It also makes less than the mix and ends up being perfect for a single meal. If there should happen to be any left over from the breakfast Eggs Benedict, I put it over green veggies for supper that night–not just asparagus, but green beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, even carrots, are delicious with hollandaise.
I’ve tried many methods of making Hollandaise sauce with little to no success. Just frustration and wasted butter! I tried this recipe and it worked like a charm! Thank you thank you for solving my Hollandaise problems!!!!
Made with melted butter with an immersion blender in a glass jar, then heated the jar in the water which was boiling for poached eggs. So. Very. Easy! And holding together very nicely. It is runny at first, trust the process of heating the eggs to get to the right consistency.
what is the point of posting that you made it with an immersion blender??
Did not care for this recipe. Too much & it wouldn’t blend in with the rest of the ingredients. I put it on my asparagus & it was ok but I ve had better recipes
We loved the recipe! So easy. It all looked good, but as soon as i took it from the heat the sauce broke. What could have went wrong?
Hmm. It’s so hard to tell without being there! I’d say that either the heat was a touch too high, so it curdled a bit or it needed a bit more whisking. Sometimes you can add a 1/2 tsp or so of hot water to it while whisking to bring it back together!
I have a recipe for blender hollandaise. It works but the sauce is never hot because of the blender even though you stream in melted butter. I’m excited to try this one as hollandaise sauce has become my our latest hyper fixation. I was buying the knorr hollandaise powder packet that you mix with butter and milk. I’m sure this recipe is going to taste so much better and is soooo much cheaper.
That actually worked, no broken sauce, tasted good and it was fairly easy. I have tried a few different recipes (different styles) and have messed up numerous times. Thank you for this!
Absolutely wonderful recipe
This is the only kind I have made since it was the first recipe I saw and it seemed easy enough. Never fails, always delicious. My question is considering how easy this recipe is, why is it considered “Hard” to make? How do they usually make it?
Not kidding I eat a lot of steaks and it takes like 4 extra minutes if I want to add this sauce to top my steak with and its so simple that the 3rd time on is just memory.
Thank you for the easy step by step receipt.
Always thought hollandaise from scratch was too complicated for me. This came out perfect and was so easy!
This was delicious and easy to make. Absolutely my go to hollandaise now. :)
How many grams is 4 Tbsp butter, please?
about 56.5 grams.
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