National Eggs Benedict Day is on Friday, April 16, 2027, and it falls on April 16 every year. It celebrates the brunch classic of poached eggs and ham on an English muffin, covered in hollandaise sauce. It’s a good reason to book brunch or try poaching eggs at home.
When Is National Eggs Benedict Day?
It’s always April 16. It isn’t an official holiday, but many brunch spots feature Benedict variations around this date.
Who Invented Eggs Benedict?
No one knows for sure, and no founder has been documented for the day either. Merriam-Webster says the dish’s origin is uncertain, though it’s presumed to be named after someone called Benedict.
The earliest evidence is the phrase “eggs a la Benedict” in a California short story from January 1894. That same year, Delmonico’s chef Charles Ranhofer published a recipe for “eggs à la Benedick” in his New York cookbook The Epicurean.
The three New York claims
All three stories surfaced decades later:
- Lemuel C. Benedict: a 1942 New Yorker column said this stockbroker ordered the dish at the Waldorf Hotel in 1894. The dish was already known in California by then.
- Elias Cornelius Benedict: a banker and yachtsman, proposed in a 1967 letter to the New York Times Magazine.
- Emma Frances Gardner Benedict: also named in a 1967 letter, said to have suggested the dish at Delmonico’s.
Why Eggs Benedict Has Its Own Day
It’s the dish that defines American brunch. The day celebrates the classic and the many variations it inspired, from crab cake Benedict to vegetarian versions with spinach.
How to Celebrate National Eggs Benedict Day
- Poach eggs the easy way: crack each egg into a cup, slide it into barely simmering water and cook about 3 minutes.
- Make blender hollandaise: blend yolks and lemon juice, then drizzle in hot melted butter.
- Try a variation: Florentine with spinach, Royale with smoked salmon or Southern-style on biscuits.
- Swap the muffin: serve the eggs on crispy potato cakes or toasted sourdough.
- Book brunch: order a version you’ve never tried at a local café.
- Keep hollandaise warm: hold it in a thermos so it doesn’t break while you poach the eggs.
- Read the 1894 recipe: look up Ranhofer’s “eggs à la Benedick” in The Epicurean and compare it to today’s version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hollandaise safe to make at home?
Use pasteurized eggs if the sauce won’t get hot enough to cook the yolks. Food safety experts advise pasteurized eggs for hollandaise, especially for children, pregnant people and older adults.
What’s the difference between eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine?
Eggs Florentine swaps the ham or Canadian bacon for spinach. The poached eggs and hollandaise stay the same.
Ham or Canadian bacon?
Either is traditional. Merriam-Webster’s definition lists “ham or Canadian bacon” on toasted English muffin halves.