Copycat McDonald’s Egg McMuffin
A homemade, freezer-friendly version of the fast food breakfast sandwich made with toasted English muffins, Canadian bacon, eggs, and American cheese.
ServesServes 4
Prep10 minutes
Cook20 minutes
I have sampled the morning menus from each fast-food drive-thru spot in my neighborhood, tasting every iteration of bread, egg, meat, and cheese that you can imagine. The first bite of every breakfast sandwich always takes me back to the iconic McDonald’s Egg McMuffin — a fast-food classic made with toasted English muffins, Canadian bacon, eggs, and American cheese. Since the 1970s, it’s been the gold standard of fast-food breakfast sandwiches.
Luckily it’s simple to make this McDonald’s staple at home. Plus, homemade Egg McMuffins are built for batch preparation, so you can make enough to keep you stocked with hot breakfasts all week long.
Ingredients in a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin
- English muffins
- American cheese
- Canadian bacon
- Eggs
- Butter
- Kosher salt
How To Make Perfectly Round Eggs for McDonald’s Egg McMuffins
One of the most distinguishing factors of an Egg McMuffin is the perfectly round egg at the center of the sandwich. While you can certainly fry or poach eggs, part of the fun of recreating restaurant favorites is getting it as close to the real thing as possible. I found three easy ways to prepare eggs for Egg McMuffins using tools you probably have in your kitchen.
- Ring molds or biscuit cutters. From a set of biscuit cutters, choose four rings between 2 3/4 inch and 3 1/2 inches in diameter.
- Canning lid rings. Both regular and wide-mouth rings work here, and it is best to place the lids upside-down in the skillet.
- Muffin tin. Big batches of eggs can be baked in standard size muffin tins. If you don’t fill every well with egg, add water to the empty wells to promote gentle cooking.
How to Make McDonald’s Egg McMuffins in Advance
These breakfast sandwiches are a breeze to make in advance for the week ahead. Once assembled and cooled, wrap individually in parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze. Frozen Egg McMuffins must be thawed overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave or oven.
Copycat McDonald’s Egg McMuffin Recipe
A homemade, freezer-friendly version of the fast food breakfast sandwich made with toasted English muffins, Canadian bacon, eggs, and American cheese.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Serves Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons
(1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 4
English muffins
- 4 slices
American cheese
- 4 slices
Canadian bacon
Cooking spray
- 4
large eggs
Instructions
Cut 4 tablespoons unsalted butter into 4 pieces and let sit at room temperature until softened.
Use a fork to split 4 English muffins in half. Place in a toaster and toast to desired doneness. While still warm, spread 2 pieces of the butter on the split halves of the English muffins. Place 1 slice American cheese onto the bottom half of each English muffin.
Melt 1 piece of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 4 slices Canadian bacon in a single layer and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Coat 4 metal (2 3/4 to 3 1/2-inch) round cutters or canning rings (regular or wide-mouth) generously with cooking spray. Melt the remaining piece of unsalted butter in the skillet and over low heat until bubbling. Place the rings in the pan (upside down if using canning rings). Crack 1 large egg into each ring and season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the skillet, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and cook until the eggs are set, 2 to 3 minutes for runny yolks and 4 to 5 minutes for hard-cooked yolks. Use tongs to remove the rings from the eggs.
Place 1 egg onto each cheese-topped English muffin half. Top the eggs with a piece of Canadian bacon and close with the top halves of the English muffins, buttered-side down.
Optional: Pour out the water from the skillet and wipe dry with a paper towel. Place over medium heat. Add the assembled sandwiches to the pan, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and cook until the edges of the cheese soften slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Equipment variation: The eggs can be prepared in a standard-size muffin tin. Spray 4 wells in the center of a standard-size muffin tin with cooking spray. Crack 1 egg into each well and season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Fill the remaining wells with about 1/2-inch water. Bake at 350°F until desired doneness, 12 to 14 minutes.
Storage: Wrap cooled breakfast sandwiches tightly in parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up 1 month in a sealed container.
Reheating
Microwave from refrigerator: Microwave, still wrapped in parchment paper, for 30 to 45 seconds. Flip over and microwave until heated through, 30 to 45 seconds more.
Microwave from frozen: Unwrap the frozen sandwich and place on a microwave-safe plate lined with a paper towel. Heat on defrost or 50% power, flipping halfway through, until the cheese is melted and the egg is warmed through, about 2 minutes.