I love to make a good copycat like this McDonalds Pancake Recipe. These recipes take simple ingredients and turn them into the recipes we love, like delicious pancakes from Mcdonalds, nostalgic to early morning road trips!
When I was younger, McDonald’s hotcakes were the only thing I would eat at McDonalds. I thought it was the best pancake recipe, but Also, I was also kinda of a picky eater and didn’t like meat. So now, I am excited to recreate this recipe and give you some tips on how to make it a little healthier at home.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
Pancakes are the best breakfast for a lazy Sunday morning. Add the iconic pat of butter and drizzle of maple syrup and you have an easy breakfast that feeds the entire family in less than an hour!
Additionally, you can make this recipe with mini-sized pancakes! Serve it with freshly cut fruit and sausage patties (animal or plant-based) for a fun brunch breakfast tapas meal. Or turn this into a fun weeknight breakfast-for-dinner dish! No matter how you serve it, this recipe will be a huge hit!
Got leftover pancakes? Just toss them in an airtight container, or freezer bag, or wrap them in plastic wrap for easy homemade pancakes that are ready for the next time you need a quick breakfast ready in 5 minutes. Note, these won’t be quite as good as when you first made them but they still make for an excellent quick and easy meal that’s quicker and cheaper than buying McDonald’s pancakes.
Tools You May Need
Mixing Bowls – One small, one large
A whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
A Spatula
Ingredients for Mcdonalds Pancake Recipe
2 cups all-purpose flour – option to swap for whole wheat flour
2 tbsp baking powder
¼ cup granulated sugar (white sugar)
½ tsp kosher salt
2 cups milk (skim milk for lower calories, or plant-based milk for dairy-free)
2 large eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
Delicious Toppings Ideas
The below toppings are great additions to this Copycat Version of McDonald’s pancake recipe.
Fresh Fruit
Real Maple Syrup
Chocolate Chips
Whipped Cream
Nuts
Maple Peanut Butter Sauce
Step-By-Step Instructions for This Easy Recipe
Keep in mind, if you would like to make full-sized pancakes, this recipe works for those too!
Preheat Griddle
Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter, avocado oil, or non-stick cooking spray. I like to use a combination of a bit of butter and avocado oil.
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt.
Combine Wet Ingredients
In another mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vegetable oil.
Mix the Batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Take care to not overmix; it’s okay if there are a few lumps in the batter.
Cook the Pancakes
Pour 1/4 – ⅓ cup of the batter for each pancake onto the hot griddle (I used a ¼ cup measuring cup). Cook until bubbles form on the surface, this only takes 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side until the pancakes are golden brown.
Serve
Serve these pancakes with your favorite toppings such as maple syrup, whipped cream, Maple Peanut Butter Sauce, sliced apples, fresh berries, or nuts. Enjoy!
Serving This Copycat McDonald’s Pancake Recipe
Here are three healthier ways to serve this Mcdonalds pancake recipe as a healthy and delicious breakfast.
Sliced apples with Maple Peanut Butter Syrup and Turkey or Plant-based sausages
Fresh Berries with 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt, and toasted walnuts.
Served simply with a side of scrambled eggs.
Five Tips for the Perfect Fluffy Pancakes
Here are my 5 tips for the perfect fluffy pancakes.
Properly Measure The Ingredients: Accurate measurements are crucial for successful pancake batter; use liquid cups for wet ingredients and measuring cups for dry to prevent over or under-measuring. These specialized cups ensure precision by accommodating the unique characteristics of each type of ingredient.
Avoid Overmixing for Fluffy Pancakes: For the fluffiest pancakes, don’t over stir the batter; this can lead to tense, tough pancakes.
Proper Cooking Temperature: A hot griddle is essential before cooking the pancakes. Too hot and the pancakes may brown too quickly and stay raw in the middle, however too low and they might become pale and lack the desired temperature. So, cook your pancakes on a medium to medium-high hot surface.
Wait For Bubbles: Wait for bubbles to appear on the surface of the pancake before flipping; this signals that the bottom is cooked and ready for flipping.
Serve Fresh Off The Griddle: Freshly cooked pancakes fresh off the griddle offer enhanced flavor, lightness, and fluffiness. While cold pancakes may become dense with muted flavors.
Like This Recipe? You Will Love These Other Breakfast Recipes!
If you like this McDonalds pancake recipe, you will love these other Breakfast recipes. I even included another breakfast copycat!
Pancakes are the best breakfast for a lazy Sunday morning. Add the iconic pat of butter and drizzle of maple syrup and you have an easy breakfast that feeds the entire family in less than an hour!
2cupsskim milkor other milk of choice (i.e. 2%, plant-based)
2largeeggs
¼cupvegetable oil
Instructions
Preheat Griddle
Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease with butter, avocado oil, or non-stick cooking spray. I like to use a combination of a bit of butter and avocado oil.
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt.
Combine Wet Ingredients
In another mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vegetable oil.
Mix the Batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Take care to not overmix; it's okay if there are a few lumps in the batter.
Cook the Pancakes
Pour 1/4 - ⅓ cup of the batter for each pancake onto the hot griddle (I used a ¼ cup measuring cup). Cook until bubbles form on the surface, this only takes 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side until the pancakes are golden brown.
Serve
Serve these pancakes with your favorite toppings such as maple syrup, whipped cream, Maple Peanut Butter Sauce, sliced apples, fresh berries, or nuts. Enjoy!
National Martini Day has come and gone, June 19th, but that doesn’t mean I can’t show off this Snickerdoodle Martini.
I recently discovered the Whole Foods Market near my house makes phenomenal Snickerdoodle cookies in their bakery. So, I was feeling a little inspired! I even used them as a prop for the photo shoot.
If there is one thing I enjoy more than a good cookie, it might be a delicious martini. So, let’s talk about this Snickerdoodle Martini and why tastes heavenly.
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Why You Will Love Making This Martini Recipe
As you may already know, I love to cook. But did you know I love a dessert martini? From Chocolate Martinis to Espresso Martinis to Tiramisu Martinis I love the sweet decadence in a martini glass.
Some martini recipes require a bit of skill whereas other recipes, like this RumChata Snickerdoodle recipe do not! All you need to to gather the three ingredients with a bit of ice, pour them in a shaker, and you are done. If you are feeling fancy, pour it into a fancy glass and add some of your favorite garnishes and that is it!
Now, let’s review the tools and ingredients needed for this recipe as well as how to make it!
RumChata: RumChata is a creamy cinnamon vanilla rum liquor. This is the base for this cinnamon sugar-based cookie.
White Chocolate Liquor: White Chocolate Liquor is the secret ingredient. This is what gives the martini that decadence and dessert flavor that will make your taste buds smile. I like to use Godiva white chocolate liquor.
Vanilla Vodka: Adding Vanilla Vodka is akin to adding vanilla extract to a recipe. It adds that little umph the martini needs.
Ice: Ice for shaking or stirring, we are not picky here! Let’s cool it all down while also thinning with some of that icy cool water.
Garnishes
Whipped Cream: the perfect topper for this decadence.
Cinnamon Sugar: A pop of browns on the whipped cream gives the martini that classic snickerdoodle look. I used date sugar, which happens to be the perfect color!
Snickerdoodle Cookies
How to Make this Snickerdoodle Martini
Prepare the Martini
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and the martini ingredients.
Shake
Close the shaker and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds to chill and mix the ingredients.
Strain & Serve
Strain the mixture into martini glasses.
Serve with a Snickerdoodle cookie garnish, whipped cream, a cinnamon stick, or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Sharper Nutrition Fix: Rum Chata History
Did you know the iconic RumChata Liquor has been manufactured in Wisconsin since 2009? This liquor was created to taste like a mixture of rum and horchata. So, here are several trivia facts about the lovely RumChata.
Per Thrillist, RumChata was the world’s first rum-based cream liquor!
RumChata does not need to be refrigerated and a 1.5oz serving has 140 calories.
Another famous RumChata creation is the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shot. Mix RumChata and fireball whisky.
Horchata: a milky beverage made from ground almonds, tiger nuts, or rice.
Have a Snickerdoodle Martini! This martini is sweet, creamy and absolutely scrumptious. Be sure to garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar to give the martini an extra special touch.
Quick and Easy Din Tai Fung Inspired Cucumber Salad
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to dine at Din Tai Fung for the very first time. Din Tai Fung is a popular Taiwanese restaurant chain. I joined a group of friends, and together, we had the pleasure of ordering a variety of delectable dishes and popular side dishes from the menu.
From Cucumber Salad to Wood Ear Mushrooms in Vinegar Dressing, to Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings), to Shrimp & Pork Shao Mai, to Spicy Pork Wontons, to Pot Stickers, to of course, one of the excellent noodle dishes, we tasted so many delicious dishes, it’s hard to pick a favorite.
Why I Made This Copycat Recipe
One dish that especially stood out to me was the crunchy Asian Cucumber Salad. Creating my own Din Tai Fung copycat recipe at home flashed through my mind instantly after eating the Taiwanese cucumber salad. It is crunchy cucumbers season in Oregon, so this crunchy cucumber salad salad is perfect for a hot summer day. Bonus, this is a super easy recipe, with simple ingredients that maintains its nice crunch the next day!
Sure, the classic Din Tai Fung’s Cucumber Salad recipe uses Persian cucumbers, but you can use any variety of cucumbers. I use pickling and salt and pepper cucumbers in my Din Tai Fung Inspired Cucumber Salad recipe.
Ingredients in Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
For the Cucumbers
Cucumber Slices – If you don’t have farm fresh cucumbers some excellent options are Persian Cucumbers or English Cucumbers. Both types of cucumbers are available at most grocery stores. Both have a thinner skin and fewer seeds.
Kosher Salt
Dressing Ingredients
Vinegar (I use rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar but distilled white vinegar is an excellent option as well)
Soy Sauce (use light soy sauce if you do not want excess salt)
Sesame oil
Honey (or white sugar)
Optional: minced fresh garlic, chopped green onions or red pepper flakes
Topping
Chili oil or chili crisp – the amount of chili oil is up to you!
How to Make this Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Recipe
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels.
Cut thick slices of cucumbers. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and then cut them into 1/2-inch slices.
In a large mixing bowl, add sliced cucumbers and sea salt. Let the cucumber mixture sit for at least 10-15 minutes but preferably 30 minutes.
While the cucumbers are sitting, prepare the marinade. Add vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey to a small bowl and whisk until combined. TIP: Measuring the honey after the sesame oil allows for the honey to slide out of the measuring spoon more easily.
Once the cucumbers are finished, and the excess water has been drawn out, rinse the salt from the cucumbers. Pat the cucumbers dry with clean dishcloths.
Add the cucumbers and marinade to a large bowl, mix, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
To serve, add cucumbers to a plate or serving dish and drizzle some of the marinade and chili oil over top. Option to add any other garnishes you prefer, such as sesame seeds or finely sliced green onion.
How Do You Serve Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad?
I serve this chilled cucumber salad recipe in many ways, below are some of my favorites:
Appetizer before your meal
Side dish with your meal. Serve it with some rice, a noodle dish, or a grilled or baked protein of choice.
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Slice the cucumbers: Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and then cut into 1/2 inch slices.
In a large mixing bowl add slice cucumbers and salt. Let the cucumber mixture sit for 30 min.
While the cucumbers are sitting, prepare the marinade. Add vinegars, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Adding the honey after the sesame oil allows for the honey to slide out of the measuring spoon more easily.
Once the cucumbers are finished, and the excess water has been drawn out, rinse the salt from the cucumbers. Pat the cucumbers dry with clean dish cloths.
Add the cucumbers and marinade to a large bowl, mix, and let sit for at least 10minuites in the refrigerator.
To serve, add cucumbers to a plate or serving dish and drizzle some of the marinade and chili oil over top. Option to add any other garnishes you prefer such as sesame seeds or finely sliced green onion. Enjoy!
June harvest brings strawberries and rhubarb, a tried-and-true dessert combo. Once I see the first batch of fresh rhubarb I have to make this Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. The combination of flavors is mind-blowing. Sweet, tart, nutty, buttery, and (if you top with ice cream) creamy all at the same time.
This dessert dish is easy but also quite impressive. Make this for a gathering and your guests will ask you how you made such a seasonally delicious dessert!
Diving right into it, I’ll review a little about the ingredients, how to make this crisp, and any additional add-ins or possible variations of this recipe. All followed by my Sharper Nutrition Fix about the beautiful springtime vegetable Rhubarb.
Ingredients: Fruit
Fresh Strawberries: Immediately upon returning from the farmer’s market I washed my strawberries in a 4:1 water: vinegar bath. This helps to remove bacteria and mold spores, while also washing away any grime and grit.
You can use this vinegar bath method with other berries whether store-bought, from the farmer’s market, or the pick-your-own variety.
Fresh Rhubarb: Rhubarb is a vegetable I am still learning about. Having not cooked with it much while growing up, I am excited to finally adventure around with its flavors in my 30s. More info on rhubarb is below.
*If you notice strings coming off the sides after chopping up the rhubarb, don’t worry – that’s normal. Just remove them from the fruit mixture.
I use fresh fruit in this recipe but frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb could also be used for this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp.
Ingredients: Crisp Topping
Butter: The butter makes this recipe. If you are thinking of omitting this, don’t. If needed, you can replace the butter with chilled coconut oil, or margarine.
Old Fashioned Oats: This ingredient (along with the nuts) adds texture to the crisp topping. I also enjoy the nutritional benefits the rolled oats add to this dessert. As a whole grain, oats are loaded with fiber and protein.
All-Purpose Flour: The flour provides a nice bready, crispy layer over top of the fruit.
Sugar: The ¼ cup of sugar in this topping enhances the flavors of the fruit while marrying it with the crumble topping. Note, I add zero sugar to the fruit base in this recipe. I like to use light brown sugar but you could use granulated sugar or date sugar.
Salt: Salt is another flavor enhancer. A little goes a long way in this recipe. I prefer kosher salt for this recipe.
Nuts: Last but not least, nuts. My favorite part about this recipe. I used Pecans because I love their crunchy nutty flavor alongside the melt-in-your-mouth fruit base and buttery oat topping. Use whatever nut varietal you prefer. Walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts would also pair excellently with this dessert.
Step-By-Step Instructions
I love making crisp recipes from scratch because all you need is a bowl, a baking dish, a knife, and a cutting board.
You could also use some measuring spoons and a rubber spatula but I often “eyeball” ingredients in a crisp recipe, and mix the topping with my hands.
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter the bottom of your baking dish.
2. Lay the cut-up strawberries and rhubarb along the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
3. Make Crisp topping by adding all the crisp ingredients to a medium bowl and mixing. For less clean-up, I just use my hands to mix the butter oat mixture. However, the option to use a food processor pulsing 5-10 times for a finer crisp topping.
4. Cover the fruit with the crisp topping and bake at 375 degrees F for 35-40min.
5. Let the cooked crisp rest on the counter for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Add-ins and variations
There are tons of ways this recipe can be altered. Below are a couple of variations that would work well.
Citrus Juice/Zest: Previously, I followed an NYT Rhubarb Crisp recipe that incorporated either orange juice/zest into the rhubarb. The orange was a wonderful addition. To keep my recipe simple, I omitted any extra zesting or juicing. The strawberries are pretty flavorful on their own and I didn’t want their flavor obscured by another fruit.
Cut the crumble topping in half: My crisp recipe has a large amount of crisp topping. This is the way I like it – crunchy meets fruity. Additionally, it works amazingly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream over top – I recommend some high-fat ice cream such as Tillamook vanilla or homemade. If you are thinking of keeping this a bit lighter, perhaps cut the crumble topping in half.
Sharper Nutrition Fix: Rhubarb
Ever tried Rhubarb? No? It’s not too late!
This veggie is often seen in spring-time dessert recipes because of its yummy tart flavor.
Once cooked, the tartness mellows, and just like freshly squeezed lemons in a lemonade, it pairs oh-so-well with sugar. Moreover, Rhubarb can be enjoyed in many non-dessert dishes. Try um’ pickled, sautéed, or in a salsa!
Rhubarb and Health
In traditional Chinese medicine, Rhubarb has been used for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.
Rhubarb has shown notable clinical applications as well. These include effective treatments for Constipation, Severe acute pancreatitis, Sepsis, and Chronic Renal Failure.
No matter how you slice it, Rhubarb is impressive and yummy.
Easy Italian Grinder Salad with Creamy Greek Yogurt Italian Dressing
No need for a hoagie roll for this recipe, we have all the good parts mixed into a bowl for an amazing veggie-packed grinder salad recipe. This Grinder Salad with Creamy Greek Yogurt Italian Dressing offers a well-rounded combination of nutrients, flavors, and textures! It makes a delicious lunch, and dinner, an addition to a potluck or picnic, and stores well for leftovers! It’s a no-brainer why this was a viral recipe on TikTok!
Why You Should Make This Italian Grinder Salad Recipe
This colorful salad recipe is also high in fiber, protein, and probiotics. Moreover, this recipe is customizable. You can keep this vegetarian by omitting the deli meat or perhaps swapping it for a plant-based alternative. You can also add your favorite grinder ingredients. Some other toppings I enjoy are spinach, alfalfa sprouts, sliced cucumber, jalapenos, Pickles, or red pepper flakes.
Grinder Salad Ingredients
Greens (the base of the salad)
Romaine lettuce, brussels sprouts, kale, napa cabbage, or iceberg lettuce – really any other crunchy lettuce of choice
Vegetables
Bell peppers, small dice (approx 1 pepper)
Red onion, small dice
Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (you could use any tomatoes you enjoy like grape tomatoes)
Banana peppers
Hot peppers, chopped (such as Trader Joe’s Bomba Peppers or Mama Lil’s Sweet Hot Pickled Peppers)
Proteins
Turkey, thinly sliced
Italian cured meat, such as salami or pepperoni, thinly sliced
Other types of meat you can use include roast beef, ham, or other cold cuts. I like to include at least two different meats.
Cheese
Provolone cheese, sliced or shredded
Other cheese you can use include cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, or parmesan.
Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing
Mayo
Greek yogurt
Parmesan cheese, grated
Italian seasoning
Red wine vinegar
For a tangy dressing, you can add more tangy red wine vinegar, lemon juice, or even a touch of banana pepper juice!
Garnish
You can garnish this salad however you like. Some of my suggestions include:
drizzle some olive oil
sprinkle some red pepper flakes
add more Italian seasoning
a dash of salt
a sprinkle of black pepper
Step By Step Instructions
Prepare The Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan cheese, and red wine vinegar to make the dressing.
Add Greens: In a large bowl, add your greens base of Romaine lettuce.
Layer Ingredients: Arrange the bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and chopped hot peppers, into the bowl.
Add the thinly sliced turkey Italian cured meat and provolone cheese over the salad.
Serve: Wait to toss the ingredients together until just before serving for maximum impact. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
To store this salad: Place it in an airtight container for a day in the fridge. This recipe is best if using a heartier green like Brussels sprouts, kale, or cabbage.
How to Serve This Grinder Salad Recipe
I like to serve this Grinder Salad recipe in many different ways.
Alone as a Hearty Salad
As a side with some soup, perhaps Italian Wedding, Tomato Basil, or New England Clam Chowder
Alongside some crusty bread
As meal prep mason jar salads! Just add all the ingredients to a 32oz mason jar and keep the creamy Italian dressing on the side until you are ready to serve!
FAQ (Ask a Dietitian!)
What is a grinder sandwich made of?
A grinder sandwich is typically made up of sliced deli meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments. For example, a grinder sandwich might consist of thinly sliced turkey, salami, ham, with provolone cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, onions, banana peppers, and mayo served in crusty Italian bread.
Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2servings
Calories 731kcal
Equipment
1 large bowl
Ingredients
4cupsromaine lettuce
1cupred bell peppers, small dice
½cupred onion, small dice
1cupcherry tomatoes, quartered
½cuppepperoncini peppers, sliced
¼cuphot peppers, chopped
4ozdeli turkey
4ozsalami
2oz provolone cheese
¼cupmayo
½cupgreek yogurt
¼cup parmasean cheese
2tbspred wine vinegar
1tbspItalian seasonings
Instructions
Prepare The Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan cheese, and red wine vinegar to make the dressing.
Add Greens:
In a large bowl, add your greens base of Romaine lettuce.
Layer Ingredients
Arrange the bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and chopped hot peppers, into the bowl.
Add the thinly sliced turkey Italian cured meat and provolone cheese over the salad.
Serve
Wait to toss the ingredients together until just before serving for maximum impact. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
To store this salad
Place it in an airtight container for a day in the fridge. This recipe is best if using a heartier green like Brussels sprouts, kale, or cabbage.
