Old-Fashioned Creamy Mustard Sauce
The recipe for this creamy, zesty mustard has been in my family for as long as I can remember. Growing up, it appeared at every summer barbecue alongside cocktail hot dogs, crusty bread, summer sausage, and aged cheddar. At Easter, it made frequent appearances atop baked ham, adding a familiar, tangy touch to the holiday table.
Ways to Use This Mustard Sauce
- Drizzled over roasted salmon or grilled chicken with fresh tarragon
- Spread on a baguette to elevate a simple sandwich
- Served as a dip on a charcuterie board
- Pair with cocktail-size hot dogs wrapped in golden puff pastry and sprinkled with Everything Spice
The uses for this creamy, complex mustard spread are limitless, so I love to keep a batch on hand!
Make This A Meal
- Pair it with my Roasted Salmon for an easy, flavor-packed dinner
- Start the meal with a cup of this cozy Italian Wedding Soup for a complete meal
- Finish with my Moist Apple Cake for a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert
The Story Behind This Vintage Recipe
This creamy, zesty mustard isn’t just a recipe—it’s a piece of family history. It all began with my Great Aunt Liz, a remarkable woman who would grow up to be a professional cook, head dietician, and unforgettable hostess. But as a child, she and her sister Marguerite (my grandmother) spent summers riding the train to visit their aunt and uncle at the Pennsylvania inn they ran.
That inn, famous for its mouthwatering cuisine, became Liz’s first classroom. Wide-eyed in the hotel kitchen, she discovered a lifelong passion for cooking—and some of her most treasured recipes, including this mustard, were born there. She made it for family, friends, and special occasions throughout her life.
Today, I love bringing this vintage recipe into the modern kitchen, using it in new ways that Liz could only have dreamed of—from drizzling over roasted salmon to transforming a simple sandwich, or even adding a playful twist on a charcuterie board. Every bite carries a taste of history—and a little magic from my childhood summers.
Old-Fashioned Creamy Mustard Sauce Ingredients
- APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
- GROUND MUSTARD: Mustard is the star ingredient in this recipe, so choose a high-quality product. The OG recipe calls for Coleman's Ground Mustard, which is what I always use.
- MAYONNAISE: High-quality, full-fat mayo works best. I use Duke's Real Mayonnaise
- LARGE EGG: use at room temperature
How to Make Old-Fashioned Creamy Mustard Sauce
This recipe is very simple to prepare, but the apple cider vinegar and ground mustard need to be mixed together and stored in the refrigerator overnight to really bring out the rich flavor profile of this sauce. So, plan ahead if you need it for a meal or appetizer.
1.) Mix dry mustard and cider vinegar in a medium sized bowl. Stir with whisk until smooth.
2.) Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow the flavors to develop.
3) The next day, whisk the room temperature egg and granulated sugar with the mustard/vinegar mixture until smooth.
4) Transfer mixture to a stainless steel pot and stir in mayonnaise with a whisk on low heat.
5.) Stir until smooth and warm.
It can be served warm or chilled depending on preference.
Whenever possible, I adore serving vintage recipes in and on heirloom serving pieces that belonged to that person. Somehow it just layers the connection between yesterday and today in a way that feels really meaningful. These diminutive and delicate porcelain dipping bowls belonged to my Aunt Liz. I love serving her Old-Fashioned Creamy Mustard Sauce in them.
Old-Fashioned Creamy Mustard Sauce
Inspired by a cherished family recipe, this creamy mustard sauce is tangy, versatile, and irresistible—perfect for salmon, chicken, ham, or as a flavorful spread.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup best quality dry ground mustard (recipe calls for Coleman’s Mustard)
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 cup good quality full-fat mayonnaise
Instructions
- Mix dry mustard and cider vinegar in a small to medium size bowl with a whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- The following day, whisk the egg and the granulated sugar into the mustard and vinegar mixture until smooth.
- Transfer to a small saucepan and heat with medium low heat.
- Whisk in the mayonnaise and heat, while stirring the entire time. The heat will help the flavors meld together. Let it cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Notes
USES:
- Serve warm as a wonderful addition to a charcuterie board with crusty bread, cheese and cured meats.
- It makes a great warm dipping sauce for puff pastry baked cocktail size hotdogs.
- Drizzle or spread over grilled or broiled salmon or chicken with fresh herbs (it tastes great with tarragon).
- Use it as a side sauce for baked ham.
- Store it in the refrigerator (for up to 10 days) to have handy for a sandwich spread,
Find it online: https://familytreefoodie.com/creamymustardsauce/
Matriarch Muse : Liz
Liz Murray was born in 1914 in Pennsylvania. She studied home economics at Marywood College and went on to serve as head dietitian at a state hospital for 35 years, overseeing three meals a day for 1,600 people.
She never married and lived in a lively Irish Catholic home with her mother, aunts, and her younger sister Marguerite’s family. After her sister’s death at just 47, Aunt Liz became a steady, loving mother figure to her six nieces and nephews.
Kind and generous, elegant and funny, her cooking became the stuff of family legend—from Thanksgiving feasts to her niece’s towering cherry walnut wedding cake. She remains our culinary gold standard, and preserving her recipes is a true honor.
