Classic Hollandaise Sauce Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

5 mins

Cook Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Servings:

12

Yield:

1 1/2 cups

Our recipe for Hollandaise Sauce looks to the classic method of whisking butter piece by piece into egg yolks, which have been gently cooked in a double boiler. This process produces a rich yet airy sauce which is delicate in flavor and not the least bit greasy. Be sure to use either a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering—not boiling—water. (Cooking the yolks over too high of a heat will cause them to overcook and harden, rather than cook gently into something smooth and silky.) Spoon this sauce over Eggs Benedict, serve it alongside steamed or roasted asparagus, or use as an accompaniment to grilled or poached fish.

asparagus-hollandaise-sauce — Fresh Asparagus with Hollandaise. Credit: Getty Images

Ingredients for Hollandaise Sauce

Egg yolks: Use egg shells, an egg separator, or your fingers to carefully separate the yolks for this recipe. (Save the whites for meringue or an omelet.) Since the yolks are the star of this sauce, try to use the best eggs you can find, ideally farm-raised ones from a farm stand or farmers' market.
Butter: You'll need 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter for this recipe. Letting it come to room temperature will result in a softer, more stable sauce than one made with butter that's still cold from the refrigerator. If you only have salted butter, you still use it to make this sauce, just omit the coarse salt called for in the recipe.
Lemon juice: A squeeze of lemon juice added at the very end adds welcome brightness to the rich sauce. Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled, for the best flavor, and give the Hollandaise a taste after adding—you may want to add another teaspoon or two, depending on your tastebuds.
Cayenne and black pepper: A pinch each of cayenne pepper and black pepper adds a subtle, peppery kick to our Hollandaise. You can use just one or the other, if you prefer, or substitute white pepper for the black if you'd rather not see the black specks.

Make Ahead

You can make this sauce 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to serve it. Keep it in the double boiler or heatproof bowl over barely simmering water and whisk occasionally to keep it from forming a skin on top. You can also keep it warm in a thermos until you're ready to serve.

If the sauce breaks while you're making it, try whisking in a tablespoon of warm water to help bring it back together.

Directions

Bring water to a boil; reduce to a low simmer:

Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat so water is barely simmering.
Whisk yolks off the heat, then cook gently:

Off the heat, whisk egg yolks in a heatproof bowl or on top of a double boiler until they become pale. Place over the simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until the mixture is thick enough to hold a trail from the whisk and begins to hold its shape when drizzled from the whisk, about 3 minutes.
Whisk in butter gradually; season with remaining ingredients:

Whisking constantly, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until each addition is incorporated completely before adding the next. When all the butter has been added, season with lemon juice, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. The sauce should be thick but still able to drizzle from a spoon (and it should form a pool, not a mound). If it is too thick, thin it with a little water.

Storage and Reheating

Hollandaise sauce is best served just after it has been made, but it is possible to save it for future use. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Rewarm it very gently in a double boiler or on a low setting in the microwave, whisking frequently and thinning with a touch of warm water or heavy cream as needed.