Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast menu item, and it’s super easy to make from home! It starts with a toasted english muffin, topped with a slice or two of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and smothered in traditional Eggs Benedict sauce, called hollandaise sauce.
A plate with two eggs benedict which includes english muffin topped with a slice of canadian bacon, poached eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce.
Eggs Benedict

Most of the time when we eat out at a restaurant my husband could never guess what I’ll order because I mix it up so often. The exception is when we go somewhere for breakfast or brunch, I always order Eggs Benedict. There’s never something on the menu that could tempt me more! Traditional Eggs Benedict is obviously a classic, but I love different variations of it too, like Eggs Benedict with asparagus.

How to make Eggs Benedict:

Start by making this simple recipe for hollandaise sauce (see the step-by-step photos, below). Next, poach the eggs, warm the Canadian bacon, and toast the english muffin.  Finally, assemble your Eggs Benedict by placing the Canadian bacon on top of half of an english muffin.  Place a poached egg on top of the Canadian bacon, and smother the egg in hollandaise sauce.

For a healthier Eggs Benedict, consider trying eggs florentine!

How to poach an egg:

To poach an egg, first fill the pot with about 3 inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil and then reduce heat until it reaches a simmer. You should see small bubbles coming to the surface but not rolling.  Add a little splash of vinegar to the water (this is optional, but it helps the egg white to stay together once it is in the water).

Side by side photos of preparing a saucepan of boiling and then simmering water to poach an egg, with text on the photo explaining to boil the water and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Crack one egg into a small cup (I use a measuring cup).  Lower the egg into the simmer water, gently easing it out of the cup.

How long should you cook your poached egg? Cook the egg in simmering water for 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft you want your egg yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon.

Process photos for poaching an egg including a measuring cup with a cracked egg in it being lowered into a saucepan of simmering water, next to another photo of the poached egg being removed from the water.

How to make Hollandaise sauce:

This traditional Eggs Benedict sauce is called hollandaise sauce.  Many people buy hollandaise sauce in a packet that just has you add water….I’ll never understand WHY?! It’s SO easy to make homemade hollandaise sauce and it definitely tastes better from scratch!

The ingredients for Hollandaise sauce are butter, egg yolks, lime juice, heavy cream, and salt and pepper. The method I’m sharing is a more traditional method for making hollandaise sauce. Some people prefer to make hollandaise sauce in the blender, which would work well for this recipe.

Overhead view of the ingredients needed for hollandaise sauce including butter, eggs, cream, lime juice, salt and pepper.

To make hollandaise sauce, start by melting butter in a saucepan.  Meanwhile, beat egg yolks in separate bowl and add lime juice, heavy cream, and salt and pepper.

Overhead photo of a clear glass bowl with beaten eggs yolks, cream, lime juice, salt and pepper, next to a saucepan with four tablespoons of butter in it.

Once the butter has melted, you’re ready to temper the eggs by adding a small amount of the hot butter to the egg mixture.  Stir it well and repeat this process, slowly adding one spoonful of hot butter to the egg mixture.  We do this to avoid curdling the eggs.

A spoonful of melted butter being added to a beaten egg yolk mixture to make hollandaise sauce.

Finally, add the mixture back to the saucepan and cook it for a few more seconds.

Some people worry about raw eggs in their hollandaise sauce.  In this sauce, the eggs are cooked, they are just cooked very slowly to avoid curdling!  Cooking the hollandaise allows for a thicker, yummy sauce for your Eggs Benedict.

How to make Hollandaise sauce in advance:

For very best results, Hollandaise sauce is best served fresh, right when you’re ready to eat Eggs Benedict.  However, you can make Hollandaise sauce a day ahead of time.  Refrigerate is until ready to eat, and then reheat it for about 10-20 seconds in the microwave.

Homemade hollandaise sauce being spooned over a poached egg, canadian bacon and an English muffin to make eggs benedict.

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Recipe

A plate with two eggs benedict which includes english muffin topped with a slice of canadian bacon, poached eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 35 minutes
Save Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 English muffins
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 slices Canadian bacon
  • Vinegar , just a splash

For the Hollandaise sauce:

  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice , or lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions
 

For the Hollandaise sauce:

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Mix in lemon juice, whipping cream, and salt and pepper.
  • Add a small spoonful of the hot melted butter to the egg mixture and stir well. Repeat this process adding a spoonful at a time of hot butter to the egg mixture.( Adding the butter slowly, a spoonful at a time, will temper the eggs and ensure they don't curdle).
  • Once the butter has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, for just 20-30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside. It will thicken as it cools. Stir well and add another splash of cream, if needed, to thin.

To poach the eggs:

  • Fill a medium size pot with about 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce heat until it reaches a simmer. You should see small bubbles coming to the surface but not rolling.  
  • Add a little splash of vinegar to the water (this is optional, but it helps the egg white to stay together once it is in the water).
  • Crack one egg into a small cup (I use a measuring cup).  Lower the egg into the simmer water, gently easing it out of the cup.
  • Cook the egg in simmering water for 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft you want your egg yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon.
  • **It is not abnormal for a white foam to form on top of the water when poaching an egg. You can simple skim the foam off of the water with a spoon.
  • While the egg is cooking, place the slices of Canadian bacon in a large pan and cook on medium-high heat for about 1 minute on each side.

To Assemble:

  • Toast the English muffin. Top each toasted side with a slice or two of Canadian bacon, and then a poached egg. Top with hollandaise sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 16gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 408mgSodium: 562mgPotassium: 228mgVitamin A: 900IUVitamin C: 3.4mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 1.7mg

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Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

 

 

I originally shared this recipe in August 2013. Updated August 2018.

 

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I have been using this recipe for my French lady who is 95 years old.. she loved it! She even used the hollandaise sauce with steam fish and rice.. super easy and super delicious. Thank you.!

  2. 5 stars
    Super easy and delicious. I’ve followed the recipe exactly, twice, once with lime and once with lemon. Both versions were exceptional! This recipe is a keeper!

  3. 5 stars
    First time making this recipe and omg this did not disappoint, so easy and delicious thank you for this amazing recipe will definitely be making this again.

  4. 5 stars
    I was very hesitant to make this, but tried your recipe because of a special request. It had to be gluten free with turkey breakfast sausage. I had rave reviews, even having used gf English muffins. The sauce was a little intimidating but it came together very well with your easy instructions. Much appreciated!

  5. 5 stars
    My wife loves eggs Benedict, so while we were RV’ing in Indiana it seemed a good time to try your recipe. She said it was the best she ever had, so I thank you for getting me a gold star! Such an easy recipe to follow and your guidance hints were awesome.

  6. 5 stars
    I substituted crab cakes from scratch instead of pork and steamed some asparagus. Absolutely delicious when served on a plain English muffin that I lightly fried in rendered bacon fat.

  7. 5 stars
    This was the first time every single one of my eggs came out perfectly!! Your instructions are clear and guiding- Great recipe. My family and I thank you 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    I make Eggs Benedict fairly often for my family. I have an old text book by Betty Crocker from high school. They have you use a whole stick of butter, 2 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of Lemon Juice. Going to try the heavy cream, lime juice version.

  9. 4 stars
    I made this just now, I live eggs Benedict and was super happy! I had to improvise a little but with the proper ingredients I’m sure I’ll be spot on next time
    My question, how long will the hollandaise sauce be good in the fridge?

  10. 5 stars
    My husband said it was delicious, he’s an Eggs benedict fan. However, the Hollandaise sauce was thin and did not thicken. I followed the directions. I think it sat for 20 minutes off the heat. I would like to make this again. Any suggestions?

  11. 5 stars
    This is the second time we’ve used the recipe. I had to scour the internet to find it again because I forgot to save it after the first time we made them. This is a very easy to follow recipe and each time the results have been great! I had never eaten eggs Benedict before this. It’s a new family favorite for special occasions!
    Wish I could post with photo because it’s absolutely delicious and restaurant quality. 💕

  12. 5 stars
    This is the best and easiest eggs Benedict recipe I’ve tried over many years. My husband’s favorite breakfast dish is eggs Benedict ,I served him and my 26 year old son from this recipe today and they both loved it. My husband keeps raving over it and says it is restaurant quality, so delicious, just wonderful! Thank you!

  13. 5 stars
    OMG. I just want to make them Friday morning for my family .Wish me good luck..Has been at least 25 years I made eggs Benedikt.

  14. Really good recipe, it’s similar to one I made by the gallon in a restraunt. I like to add lemon pepper and bit more lemon. I also sometimes add a tsp of Dijon mustard and garlic powder and or paprika and smoked sea salt or chipolte. You can add different stuff in and it’s still that beautiful silky hollandaise you love with your own twist. I use immersion blender and a tablespoon of water can be used to thin if needed. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

  15. Excellent recipe, the sauce turned out perfectly… I steamed some broccoli to go with it that was in my fridge. Thanks so much! This is my go to recipe from now on!

  16. Very yummy. If the sauce is grainy, pulse it in a blender. And have patience with those poached eggs…that is the hardest part!!

  17. 5 stars
    This is a very good recipe. The only obstacle I found was cooking the eggs! The technique is fine but it takes too much time. I would definitely use this recipe but I would make the eggs in advance, so that everyone could eat together.

  18. 5 stars
    Great directions.
    I found 3 minutes on medium boil for eggs to be perfect.
    Careful with vinegar. As recipe says, just a touch or you will get strong vinegar taste.
    Thank you, Lauren!

  19. It tasted so good, but my sauce got cold sitting. My eggs turned out perfect. How do you keep everything hot. Do you poach all eggs at once

    1. I cook for 4, each likes their eggs done differently. I was taught to swirl the pot of water then ease the egg in. I do 2 at a time for 2-3 minutes. My son likes scrambled eggs. My secret to making the sauce is very low heat. that way the butter will melt and the egg yolks won’t curdle. Just make sure you don’t stop whisking the sauce for a very long time. we have an electric stove top and I make the sauce on warm to low heat. when the eggs are done you should have all the other ingredients ready.

  20. Excellent description and recipe. I’ll just note that in a pinch a powdered Hollandaise can be quite good because none of them add just water, they all require adding copious amounts of butter. In Europe, I have tried several liquid packaged Hollandaise and was quite satisfied.

  21. 4 stars
    Great recipe for New Years morning. The only real adjustment we made was the addition of cayenne… adds a nice flavor without making it spicy.

  22. 5 stars
    Good recipe, and easy to make. I used lime as I had no lemon and it was a little off. With lemon I’m sure this will be great!

  23. 5 stars
    Totally loved the Hollandaise from scratch!!! My 14 year old son is somewhat picky and did not like hollandaise when he first tried eggs Benedict at a restaurant a while back, but totally gobbled it up when I made it at home:)
    Thanks for a great breakfast recipe we just had for dinner 😁

  24. I like this recipe simple and its good. Specially the hollandaise, if you have a probmem with the recipe you should create your own vlog.
    Yes the recipe is on the planet earth. Hahaha unless you have a house in mars. Peace

  25. 5 stars
    This recipe tastes great maybe its different or maybe your different either way who cares 🤔. great recipe different strokes for different folks

  26. 5 stars
    Great. I made this for my mother on mothers day, She said she loved it! Tip: I did not have heavy whipping cream so if you don’t it still tastes great with half and half. Also I did not have the english muffins so i used burger buns and it tasted the same.

  27. 5 stars
    I personally LOVE a little tang in everything I make. The line juice added a level of complexity to the hollandaise. This recipe is the best one I’ve found yet, and super easy.

  28. 5 stars
    I make this ALL the time. My mother in law says this recipe is better than when she has eggs benedict at a restaurant.

  29. 1 star
    Sauce wasn’t good at all. 2 T lime juice for these proportions is so off. I don’t understand how this has a 4.9 rating.

    1. 5 stars
      Cooking, like science, is experimental! A good chef (or cook in your case) TASTES his/hers/their product as you prepare. If you don’t like the taste chances are those you are cooking for won’t either! TASTE, adjust, or start over. It’s art and science…cook. ;>€

  30. 5 stars
    Excellent step-by-step! The results were delicious and I agree, why buy hollandaise when it’s so easy to make from scratch?

  31. Hello, and thank you for this. Do you know how long I need to cook the eggs to get them “hard”. I do not like runny yolk at all?

  32. Made this on valentines for eggs Benedict. It was so easy and so delicious. I learned at a young age to make hollandaisethe hard way by Non stop whisking with everything on the stove. This
    Method was so much easier. And delicious. Thank you

  33. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe, I don’t eat eggs but made it for my family had to use apple juice instead of lime and the judges were overwhelmed. Thanks

  34. 5 stars
    Amazingly easy to make, turns out delicious every time, a family favorite.
    The sauce is a little too thick for pouring it nicely over the eggs, but adding a little more cream right at the end and heating it up carefully makes this recipe a true success!

  35. 5 stars
    Made it for breakfast this morning and it came out amazing! I made a mistake of using like concentrate, not juice, which made the hollandaise sauce more tarty. I would be careful the next time and use lime/lemon juice.

  36. 2 stars
    Too much acidity for hollandaise. 2 tbsp cream and 1/2 tbsp lemon not lime juice and it’s perfect. Use a deeper pot and swirl the water around when dropping the eggs in and they become that distinct unclouded shape. Double boiler helps while whipping the hollandaise to get creamy not frothy consistency.

  37. 5 stars
    This recipe was so easy and delicious, I made it twice in one day! Thank you for helping me master what I once thought to be an intimidating recipe. Bon Appetit!

  38. 5 stars
    The sauce came out amazing! I was going to use a blender recipe but then found yours. Its not difficult at all! I used one TBSP lemon juice juice because I prefer it over lime. The sauce did thicken after it sat so I added more cream and slowly heated it as I stirred. Now I just have to get my timing down on my poached eggs….

    1. Sauce didn’t turn out at all. I assume from not having the butter hot enough? Idk, followed everything to a T

  39. 2 stars
    The hollandaise sauce turned out quite runny, and was still cold when I finished making it. I let it sit, hoping it would thicken, and it did not. Then I microwaved it at 5-10 second intervals to try to thicken it and heat it up. It worked a little but not much. In the end I just microwaved it for 20 seconds and put it on the eggs, even though that caused it to be curdled and what wasn’t curdled was still incredibly runny. But at least it was a little warm and I’d rather have it curdled than freezing. I will not be making this hollandaise sauce again, I don’t think.

  40. 5 stars
    I made it for brunch and it was a complete hit! Even my picky eaters devoured every single bite. Only adjustment I made was adding more heavy cream to the hollandaise mixture.

  41. 5 stars
    I did this recipe today for breakfast for my daughter and my self And love it. I didn’t have the Whippet cream so I use Substitute Instead I my own whip cream with almond milk and butter! It Came out delicious I added lime zest and fresh chives!
    Thank you for sharing it!

  42. 5 stars
    MMMMM!
    This was my first attempt at making eggs Benedict and even though I was missing the bacon (wha?!) and had to sub in 1/2 lemon juice, this was fabulous!! Winning high praise from my breakfast partner and myself. Highly recommended.

  43. 5 stars
    Great, easy to follow recipe however the sauce needed 3 minor tweaks; I’ve always had hollandaise sauce with lemon. The lime wasn’t tangy enough and lemon just makes it so much better. I found the sauce to be too thick and dark so I added 2 more tablespoons if cream to get it to be the right thickness. Finally, the sauce does thicken after cooking so I just added more butter (and salt since the additions increased the volume) at the end to make sure it was the correct texture.. Overall, this recipe and instructions are amazing and easy to follow!

  44. 5 stars
    I absolutely love egg benedict, and I can ‘t wait to try making them for my birthday. Thank you so much for sharing. I love your site.

  45. The recipe turned out really well, my husband made this for the first time, it was delicious.

  46. 5 stars
    My first attempt and it was great. Because my favorite restaurant Eggs Benedict uses orange juice, I substituted for lemon. I think next time I would do 1 tablespoon of each juice because it turned out a little sweet. Perfect way to make the Hollandaise sauce. Be patient as I found it thickened after I finished cooking. I have always been intimidated to make Eggs Benedict but thanks to this recipe, I am over my fear.

    1. 5 stars
      Tough to get limes and english muffins here in the Philippines. But subbed fresh squeezed lemon juice for the lime, and it resulted in a nice tangy kick!
      Great stuff, many thanks from Manila 🙂

  47. My husband and kids made this for me this morning for my Mother’s Day breakfast! It was amazing!

  48. 5 stars
    Loved your recipe! It was easy to follow and appreciate the demo. It was my first time to make Eggs Benedict and thanks to you it was a success. It’s my husband’s favorite breakfast dish and now I can make it for him😊

  49. 5 stars
    Just made Eggs Benedict for the first time! Thanks for the recipe. It worked out great, and tasted delicious.

  50. If you stir the water into a cyclone, the egg will stay together in the middle very easily. You can just crack the egg into the spinning water.

  51. 5 stars
    Excellent! My first attempt at making eggs benny and they turned out perfect! I made it exactly as the recipe shows.
    Thanks so much!

  52. Excellent! This was my first attempt at making eggs benny and this recipe turned out perfect!
    Thanks so much!

  53. I tried your recipe and it turns out great! A few changes though, I microwaved the butter to melt it, and if the sauce is not thick enough – I double boil it above the stove and stir rigorously to reach the correct consistency. Double boiling avoid curding the yolk in the sauce.

  54. 5 stars
    Used this recipe to make eggs Benedict for the first time! I’ve never even poached an egg but everything came out great! I went with 2 Tablespoons of like juice for my juice and it seemed like a little bit too much so I’m going to try a little less next time.

  55. 5 stars
    The flavor of the sauce was fantastic, my sauce was a bit runny but I’ll try other tips from other commenters by either using heavy milk (I used half and half because it was what I had on hand) or using an extra large egg or additional egg yolk to thicken.

    This was a hit in our house and we’ve been testing different recipes for the sauce. Thank you for sharing this with us!

  56. 5 stars
    Made your recipe this morning and it was a hit! The trick with the measuring cup was so helpful— thank you for such a great recipe!

    (As an aside, my Hollandaise sauce was a little runny but I figured out it was because I didn’t have extra large eggs so there wasn’t as much yolk— to those that make this recipe with smaller eggs maybe consider tossing in an extra yolk or two if you want your sauce thicker!)

    Thanks again for sharing such a great recipe my family loved it!

  57. 5 stars
    I liked the lime more than the previous lemon juice recipes I’ve tried. Husband likes runny eggs, but I hate that! So, I poached the leftover whites from the sauce yokes, for myself… Win/win @ our Huas ? I heated the liquids (milk, instead of cream) with the butter, then tempered the yokes, and it still turned out fine. Thanks for the photos & great instructions!

  58. I was willing to try lime, and I didn’t like that taste in my hollandaise. I’ve never tasted lime hollandaise until today, and I was cooking eggs benedict for someone and the limecbotched it, it was embarrassing. I could not serve it

    1. Hi Christie, I’m sorry you didn’t like the lime. All traditional hollandaise sauces contain lemon or lime. Next time you could try lemon juice and use less, if you don’t like the flavor.

  59. 5 stars
    Great recipe. I had to find a substitute for the cream so we opted for a tablespoon of whole milk yogurt and the lemon juice went well with that. Everyone loved it! Will make again.

  60. 5 stars
    Today, January 13th, is my brothers birthday. He met an untimely death last year, June 29th, just 7 days after our mother died.
    Shamus was a chef and taught my sister and I alot.
    His favorite dish was eggs Benedict. Hed make it at family gatherings and it was always a hit.
    Today, my sister and I both used this recipe in his honor. I live in Wisconsin, she lives in Ohio…
    It turned out amazing and delicious. My super picky fiance gobbled it up! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

    1. Thank you so much for sharing Laci. I feel so happy that this recipe could bring you and your sister comfort on such a difficult day. XOX

    1. Yes you can, the sauce just may not thicken up as much as it does with cream, but I still think it would work great.

  61. 5 stars
    I’ve never made Eggs Benedict before let alone poached an egg in my life! And I’m 42! Until today…..my husband loves Eggs Benedict- hasn’t had it in years (would order at a restaurant ). I wanted to do something special for New Year’s Day so decided to give this recipe a try. It’s a keeper! Much to my surprise being an Eggs Benedict and egg poacher virgin, everything came out perfectly! My husband was so surprised and impressed! Said it was a home run and it was excellent! I’m so happy!! The hollandaise sauce came out great!! Loved the look on his face when I said it was from scratch and not a packet. Ha!
    Thank you for sharing this! So glad I found it and was able to execute.
    PS- I also watched a video on YouTube prior to cooking to learn about poaching an egg for extra guidance.

  62. 5 stars
    Great! We love eggs Benedict. This recipe uses a lot less butter which is why U like it. The lime adds a nice kick. Making it Christmas Morning,

  63. 5 stars
    Wow! Thank you for posting this easy to follow recipe. This is a personal favorite but haven’t really had much success making it in the past. I really appreciated the pictures. Thank you for sharing.

  64. This is such a great recipe and is so easy to follow!! This has been my favorite dish since I was seven and has taken me ten years to find a recipie that i felt comfortable making!! My whole family enjoyed it! Thanks for posting it!!

    1. Hi Jessica, Thanks so much for your comment- I’m glad you like the Eggs Benedict! It really is simple, and one of my favorites!

  65. Nice to find you through the linky party. Eggs Benedict is my favorite breakfast and it’s been way too long since I’ve made it. Enjoy your holiday.

  66. This is one of my favorite breakfast, that you for the recipe. Pinned it! Thank you for sharing at our Social Sunday.
    Have a wonderful Labor Day.
    Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile

  67. Thank you for sharing this recipe. We have 12 hens so have plenty of fresh eggs right now and I’m always on the lookout for good egg recipes.

  68. This looks so good! Eggs Benedict are my absolute favorite way to eat eggs, but I’m so intimidated by the poached egg process… I’ll have to give it a try sometime! Yours look wonderful!!!

    1. It may sound tricky to poach the eggs but it’s really very very easy! Let us know how it goes for you!

    2. 5 stars
      wounderful recipe and easy to make my favorite and the flavor absolutely delicious and enjoye making it and thaks

  69. Those look delicious! You are very lucky to have a husband that makes you a breakfast like that 🙂