McDonalds Pancakes Recipe [Copycat Hotcakes]

Do you love breakfast? If so you are going to love these McDonalds Pancakes recipe! They are light, fluffy and just like the ones you would get at McDonald’s

When it comes to breakfasts foods there’s nothing better than a good stack of freshly made pancakes. I mean they are warm, fluffy and almost melt in your mouth good.

McDonald’s hot cakes are honestly one of the best pancakes you can get. They are the real deal (or as real as a fast food chain can get). This copycat recipe is one of the best pancake recipes you’ll ever find. It’s that good.

I mean sweet cream pancakes are also incredibly delicious, and lemon pancakes definitely have a great place on every table.

But McDonald’s pancakes?

They are a total crowd favorite. It’s almost impossible to find a single person that doesn’t like them.

Jump to:

• 🥞 What ingredients you need
• 🥣 How to make the best homemade pancakes
• 🥤 Making McDonald’s Pancakes with Sprite
• 🍯 What to serve with pancakes
• 📖 Variations and Substitutions
• 🌡️ How to store pancakes
• McDonalds Pancakes Recipe
• 💬 Wrapping it up

🥞 What ingredients you need

Ok, now that you are ready to make a stack of fluffy pancakes it’s time to set up the ingredients.

The best part of this recipe (and also one of the reasons why it’s one of the best pancake recipe ever!) is that you don’t actually need a lot of things and you probably already have everything you need on hand for this recipe.

• Flour: I use all purpose flour for this recipe.
• Baking powder: Make sure you are using fresh baking powder so your pancakes turn out light and fluffy.
• Pinch of salt: Just a little bit to balance out the flavors
• Granulated sugar: McDonald’s hotcakes are slightly sweet and since we want to achieve the same result a little bit of sugar is needed.
• Eggs: Eggs bring all the ingredients together and also help with the texture.
• Milk: I found out milk provides the best results when it comes to these pancakes. Some prefer to use buttermilk but I find buttermilk to give it a tangy flavor that, while delicious, is not like the original one.
• Oil: Choose a vegetable oil
• Pat of butter or more vegetable oil for cooking. You can also use some cooking spray

As you see all the McDonald’s pancakes ingredients are super easy to get.

🥣 How to make the best homemade pancakes

I have to be honest with you, this recipe almost feels like cheating.

It’s not only a delicious breakfast but the pancake batter is SO easy to make it’s almost (almost!) unbelievable.

First start by preheating your griddle. Make sure to heat it on medium heat. You want it to be nice and hot before pouring the pancake batter but not too hot it cooks too quickly.

Then using a wire whisk, whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until incorporated.

once they are incorporated add the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is just barely incorporated. It doesn’t matter if there are some lumps left, you want to be really careful to not overmix.

And finally is cooking time!

Pour around 1/3 cup of the batter on the hot griddle and cook for around 2 minutes per side or until small bubbles form on top.

Flip and cook for 1 more minute.

I try to cook them until the are light golden brown so they are more similar to the originals. This is a copycat recipe after all!

🥤 Making McDonald’s Pancakes with Sprite

The copycat recipe I’m sharing tastes just like the real thing and I highly advise you go with that route.

However there’s a rumor going around that the famous McDonald’s breakfast is made with Sprite!

Yes, you read that right Sprite and pancake mix are allegedly the secret ingredients.

While I’ve tried this recipe I feel that the one with milk and flour gives you a better result. But if you feel like exploring you can try your hand at making them the internet way.

Here’s how to do the McDonald’s pancake recipe with Sprite:

• Substitute the flour for pancake mix. You can use Bisquick too! Some people swear by the dry biscuit mix but I have only tried it with pancake mix.
• Substitute the milk for Sprite or 7Up. Both options work just as good. You can also use carbonated water. The carbonation in these fizzy drinks might help in the fluffiness of these pancakes.

🍯 What to serve with pancakes

The best thing about pancakes is that they are delicious with pretty much anything. If you want to recreate the Big Breakfast Combo (which is honestly the perfect breakfast combo) you’ll want to add:

• Scrambled eggs
• Hash browns
• Warm biscuit
• Pork sausage
• A side of real butter
• Real maple syrup

Honestly if this doesn’t scream best breakfast to you I’m not sure what will.

Other delicious pancake toppings:

• Peanut butter
• Chocolate chips
• Bacon (or candied bacon)
• Whipped cream
• Jams and jellies
• Bacon
• Banana slices
• Strawberry slices
• Just any fresh fruit you like
• Syrups (like strawberry or blueberry syrup)
• Honey
• Sausage patties
• Hotcake syrup

If you are looking for healthier alternatives I also have a post with the best sugar free syrups for pancakes and waffles.

Trust me when I say this McDonald’s copycat recipe pairs well with pretty much anything.

📖 Variations and Substitutions

Golden brown hotcakes can’t get any much better. However this is also a great base pancake recipe to play with thanks to the fact that’s made with simple ingredients!

• You can substitute the sugar for any other sweetener you like if you are looking to make them sugar free.
• You can also add some mix ins to the hotcake batter. For example chopped strawberries or chocolate chips are great additions to change them up.
• Finally play with the toppings! That’s the best way to add some variation to the cooked hot cakes.

🌡️ How to store pancakes

While homemade pancakes are best when enjoyed fresh and served with some hotcake syrup they are a great make ahead breakfast too!

Just cook them according to the recipe and place them in a baking sheet on a single layer. I you need to stack them separate them with paper towel.

Once the are at room temperature transfer to some airtight containers and refrigerate or transfer to the freezer.

They last refrigerated for no longer than 2 days and up to 3 month frozen. I also have a full post about how to freeze pancakes in case you want to check it out.

💬 Wrapping it up

McDonald’s is more than french fries, big macs and egg mcmuffin. It also has some delicious breakfast menu items.

Good thing is there’s a way to make our fast food favorites homemade! This Copycat Mcdonalds Pancakes recipe is easy to make and only uses simple ingredients and a single bowl.

You really don’t need a ton to make the perfect mcdonalds hotcakes.