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McDonald's Big Mac and french fries are seen on a tray
Joe Raedle/Staff/Getty Images

Many of us got to hone our cooking skills over the course of the pandemic. The next level: attempting to replicate our favorite restaurant meals. If you’re a fan of Mickey D’s, try your hand at recreating the iconic chain’s world-famous menu items with these copycat McDonald’s recipes. 

Jeff Rindskopf and Lacey Muszynski also contributed to this story.

Related: 21 Takeout Meals Made Cheaper at Home

Sausage and Egg McMuffin

sausage mcmuffin with egg and cheese
sausage mcmuffin with egg and cheese by Derek Lo ((CC BY-NC-ND))

Four ingredients are all that stand between you and your favorite fast-food breakfast after the burger giant tweeted out its McMuffin recipe. To make it truly drive-thru-worthy, you’ll need a metal ring to fry up that perfect circular egg patty.

Recipe: Delish

Related: The Greatest Breakfast Sandwich In Every State

Big Mac

Big Mac by Frédéric BISSON ((CC BY))

The world’s most popular hamburger tastes even better homemade. Just stack the ingredients in the right order and don’t forget the special sauce. Don’t be afraid to add other components, such as tomato or grilled onions, to improve on the classic. 

Recipe: Top Secret Recipes

Related: 20 Fast Food Restaurants Then and Now

Special Sauce

McDonald’s Big Mac Sauce
McDonald’s
Trying to replicate a Big Mac at home would be futile without the classic sauce. This recipe uses a mayo base along with pickle relish, mustard, and seasonings like paprika, onion, and garlic powder.

Recipe: Fox Valley Foodie

French Fries

MaraZe/shutterstock

Perhaps the only fast food item more popular than the Big Mac is the golden fries that come with it. Replicating the basic yet unique texture and flavor of McDonald’s fries involves special attention to the shoestring thickness and the heat of the cooking oil. 

Recipe: Food.com

Related: Why McDonald’s Fries Used to Taste Better

Chicken McNuggets

4kodiak / istockphoto

Though beloved by many, McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets have been criticized for using preservatives and processed meat. Enjoy the taste clear of those concerns by using chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces and a simple breading of flour, eggs, and seasonings (you can always skip the MSG). 

Recipe: CD Kitchen

Related: The Best and Worst Menu Items of 2020

Egg McMuffin

Egg McMuffin by Adam Kuban ((CC BY-NC-ND))

With only four basic ingredients, McDonald’s original breakfast sandwich is almost as easy to make at home as to pick up from the drive-through — and that includes the perfectly circular egg patty. 

Recipe: Top Secret Recipes

Related: 10 Unhealthy Fast Food Breakfasts — and What to Order Instead

Szechuan Sauce

Szechuan Sauce by melvin imanuel ((CC BY))

Originally released to coincide with the movie “Mulan,” McDonald’s Szechuan dipping sauce made a 1-day comeback a few years ago because it was featured on a popular adult cartoon “Rick and Morty.” The lengths fans went to get the sauce were legendary, but it sold out fast. Now the only option is to make your own.

Recipe: Top Secret Recipes

Related: 23 Fast Food Items Overdue for a Comeback

Meet the Writer

Saundra Latham regularly exploits her grocery’s fuel-points program for free tanks of gas and skips the salon in favor of the $5.99 sales at Great Clips. She has made her home in areas with a low cost of living, such as Dayton, Ohio, and Knoxville, Tenn.

Before joining Cheapism as the site’s first staff writer, Saundra freelanced for websites including Business Insider, ConsumerSearch, The Simple Dollar, The Motley Fool, and About.com. She was previously an editor at The Columbus Dispatch, one of Ohio’s largest daily newspapers. She holds a master’s in communication from Ohio State University and a bachelor’s in journalism from American University.