Homemade McDonald’s Sausage and Egg McMuffin recipe with sausage patties made from scratch! You will be amazed how similar this tastes to the real thing – but so much better because it tastes like REAL FOOD!!!
This is a great grab-and-go make-ahead breakfast. Plus, sharing a cheeky way to cook round eggs even if you don’t have egg rings! 😉
Copycat Sausage and Egg McMuffin recipe!
I have a secret list of Dirty Foods I Love.
KFC Popcorn chicken is on it. Pizza Hut is on it (double pepperoni thin and crispy with anchovies!). Crispy Kreme classic glazed doughnuts.
And yes, McDonald’s is on the list too. It doesn’t happen often, maybe 3 times a year. And when it does, I do the Drive-Through-of-Shame. I would never risk being seen inside McDonald’s!!!
I really wish I was the kind of person who never craved junk food. I’m sure if I really put my mind to it, I could live a whole-food life. But it would be an EFFORT!!!
So my compromise? Takeout copycats. Junk food made at home, a whole lot healthier.
Say HI to my McDonald’s Sausage and Egg McMuffins copycat!
Sausage Patties
This copycat is all about the copycat McDonald’s sausage patties. Tasty, juicy, well seasoned breakfast patties that we love!
You will be astonished how similar it tastes to the real thing. There’s not even that many spices in the seasoning – but the secret spice is sage. This is what gives these breakfast patties that extra little flavour edge that really makes it taste like the Maccers!
How to make Sausage and Egg McMuffins in your PJ’s
It’s terrifically easy – so you can manage this half asleep or even if you’re feeling sketchy after a few too many wines the night before (let’s all just admit that Maccers is excellent hangover food).
Though if the thought of handling raw meat first thin in the morning is too much for you, just make the patties the ahead – they will keep for days in the fridge and months in the freezer!
I do like to melt the cheese ON the pattie. This is not how Maccers does it….. but who can resist molten cheese draped over a breakfast sausage pattie? Not I!
Also, my sausage patties are thicker. Because this is the beauty of homemade – we can make things just the way we want!
Don’t have egg rings?
Don’t worry! Either just pan fry eggs and push the edges in as they cook, or cut both sides out of a tuna can then use that as an egg ring! This was a genius idea from a reader, the lovely Dorothy from Tennessee.
Great make ahead breakfast – on the go!
Sausage and Egg McMuffins are a terrific make ahead breakfast. They will last for 4 days in the fridge the just need a quick microwave to reheat.
If you want to freeze them – instead of of cooking eggs sunny side up, either scramble them or make a folded omelette (of sorts). Egg whites tend to go a bit rubbery when frozen (in my opinion), but if mixed up with the yolks then cooked, they freeze fine.
And in true McDonald’s form, these Sausage and Egg McMuffins are fab for food on the go. Wrap it up, shove it in a paper bag, grab a cup of coffee and scoff these down with one hand while driving.
Because if I do the actual McDonald’s drive through, that is exactly how I eat it. 😉
All jokes aside though, no matter what your position on McDonald’s is – and I’ve been very honest with mine (i.e. Love / Hate) – these are really tasty. Really, really scrumptious.
They’re also a terrific breakfast for large groups because it’s easy to make big batches, especially if you cook on the BBQ so you can cook loads of sausage patties at the same time.
And instead of individual eggs, just make a giant batch of scrambled eggs.
Happy weekend everyone!! – Nagi x
More Grab-and-Run Breakfasts!
-
Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies – it’s like a bowl of porridge, in cookie form!
And more eggs for breakfast
-
Frittata – the classic done right!
-
Shakshouka – baked eggs made exotic
Watch how to make it
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Homemade Sausage and Egg McMuffin
Ingredients
Sausage Patties
- 1 lb / 500g ground pork (juicier) OR beef (mince) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp dried ground sage
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder (or garlic powder)
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar (any)
Muffins
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 eggs
- 4 English muffins , cut in half
- 4 slices cheese (Note 3)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 130C/275F.
- Place muffins on a baking tray, cut side up, and top with cheese. (Alternative - melt cheese on sausage patties, see video)
Sausage Patties
- Mix Sausage Patty ingredients in a bowl - use your hands to mix it real good!
- Shape into 4 patties (thick ones, or 5 Maccers size patties). Make them slightly larger than the muffins because they will shrink when cooking.
- Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over high heat. Add patties (in batches if needed). Cook the first side for 2 - 3 minutes or until browned. Flip then cook the other side until browned. (Optional: After flipping, top with cheese, cover with lid to melt).
Egg
- Meanwhile, heat another pan over medium high heat with 1 tbsp oil. Spray egg rings with oil and place in the skillet. (Note 4 for other cook methods).
- Crack egg into the rings. Add around 2 tbsp water into the skillet then cover with a lid. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until egg is cooked to your liking (I like runny yolks).
Assemble
- Remove warm muffins from the oven. Top with sausage, then egg, the lid of muffin.
- Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- tuna can: take both ends off, wash (well!) and use as the ring. GENIUS idea from Dorothy in Tennessee, a RecipeTin Eats regular reader!
- in a well sprayed muffin tin(baked); or
- in onion rings (just cut a 1/3" slice and use the outer ring). Otherwise, just crack the eggs into the skillet then as it starts to cook, fold the edges in to make a (albeit rough!) round shape. OR just scramble them, or make a large omelette and cut to fit onto each. 3. Cheese - I used processed cheese to mimic McDonald's. 4. MAKE AHEAD:
- Refrigerate up to 4 days, reheat on low in the microwave for a couple of minutes, or cover with foil and reheat in oven.
- Freezer - scramble eggs or make omelette and cut up into 4. Do not freeze sunny side up eggs - I find the whites can go rubbery.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published May 2016, updated with brand new video, fresh new photos and a new Life of Dozer!
Life of Dozer
Just having a sniff……
Can I add some sausage meat to this recipe
Just like a Macca’s McMuffin. Yum!
Pretty close tasting to the maccas version. Next time I’ll perfect it. If only I could find the muffins maccas uses.
I added a quarter teaspoon of ground fennel seeds and extra pepper and salt for a real kick. Tastes amazing!
Absolutely great recipe! Thank you,Nagi!
Better than maccas, double the batch and freeze!!!
Best part is you can have it with the runny egg 🤤🤤
Loved it! I used pork mince for a change and it was delicious! Quick easy and as always a 5 star meal!
Found this recipe while searching for a recipe for McDonald’s sausage patties, which have more of a bite than other brands of breakfast sausage (Walmart’s Great Value Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Patties are the closest to McD’s sausage I’ve ever tasted.) I made 6 sandwiches and cooked everything in the oven. Cooked 6 medium eggs in my Wilton whoopie pie/muffin top pan, breaking the yolk but not scrambling the eggs. If you put scrambled eggs in those whoopie pie molds, the eggs will expand and go everywhere. Used 1.5 lbs. of pork to make my sausage; an ice cream scoop helped me make equal-sized thin patties that I cooked on a rimmed baking sheet covered in foil. My intention was to put 2 thin sausage patties on each sandwich, but they still ended up thicker than expected, so I will only use 1 per sandwich and make some breakfast burritos with the rest. I increased the seasoning, but I think I should have actually doubled it because the patties still taste just like pork patties and not like salty, peppery sausage.
Lastly, I toasted the English muffins in the oven. Used Cooper cheese slices (a sharp American cheese) on my sammies.
When I make these again (and I will), I will double the sausage seasoning and probably use 2.5 times the salt and pepper called for. I will also make each patty much thinner and bigger so when they shrink up, they’ll be a better size for the English muffins. And I will probably use large eggs, add a small slurry of cornstarch and water (1/4 tsp. to 1-2 tsps. water) to the eggs, scramble them, and cook them in a 9″x13″ baking pan, cutting them into squares to buck tradition. Heck, I might even get some English muffin bread or sourdough and make the sandwiches that way. But no matter what, I will definitely be making these again and again.
Forgot to explain the cornstarch and water help to keep the eggs from getting hard and rubbery. The amount I mentioned is about right for 3 or 4 eggs, so if you’re multiplying the recipe to make a dozen sandwiches for example, you’ll want to use about 1/2 tsp. cornstarch to a tablespoon of water for a dozen eggs.
Thanks for putting this up I dont like Sausage Mcmuffins now I know why its the sage and dried thyme that give the patty a weird taste. I will make it without these herbs.
Loved it! Definitely adding this to my list of go-to’s
I almost wish I could post a photo. Made these this morning for my 12 year old. He loved them, will definitely make them again. Thank you for the recipe. You have the seasonings spot on (I added onion + a little garlic) – it really did taste like a McDonalds sausage.
I just watched your bacon and egg muffins which look like a dead ringer but obviously will be much better than McDonald’s McMuffins, and they got me to wondering if you can remember the KFC bean salad? I’ve had a craving for them ever since they stop making them many many years ago.If you could replicate that recipe I would be forever grateful. It was slightly spicy, vinegary, a bit sweet and oily. I remember it had fresh string beans in it as well as 4 bean mix and I just loved it!😁 I know lots of people would love it as we still talk about the KFC bean salad 😂
Thankyou 🙏😃
Speaking of KFC, I miss their old coleslaw. It was finely chopped, green and creamy. I liked it much better than the current (at least where I am in Canada) recipe. It’s coarsely shredded with a vinaigrette that I find a bit too vinagery.
Spectacular Recipe and I enjoyed the Muffins. The next time, however, I will use Small or Medium Eggs, Smaller Egg Rings, and / or larger English Muffins (or better, Rye Toast) so that the great fillings don’t overflow ???? That, Nagi, represents one eight millionth of the world’s opinion. Highest Regards. 🙂
I came to the comments specifically to say if you use the Wilton whoopie pie/muffin top tin to make your eggs (as I read on a different blog), be sure to use small or medium eggs so they won’t overflow the pan. And just use a sharp knife to pierce the yolk. But I like Nagi’s suggestion to make scrambled eggs. Just be sure to not try and cook raw scrambled eggs in the whoopie pie pan or the eggs will puff up and definitely overflow the pan.
Also, if you’re doing these in large quantities, you can bake the scrambled eggs on a rimmed cookie sheet and then use the top ring of a mason jar or a biscuit cutter to cut the eggs into round shapes.
Forgot to add: if making scrambled eggs, add to your eggs a slurry of 1/4 teaspoon of corn starch and a teaspoon or 2 of water mixed together. The slurry helps keep the eggs soft, so even if they’re overcooked (which they will inevitably be after microwaving the sandwich to heat it up), they will not get hard and rubbery.
Been looking forwards to these for a while. I didn’t have garlic or onion powder so used garlic salt instead, and omitted the salt. Had whole sage not powder so had to guesstimate the quantity. These subs probably made a difference to the flavour so it wasn’t an exact dupe of Maccas but nevertheless was tasty. Used a cookie cutter as an egg ring and this method had the eggs come out very similar to Maccas ones. Will re attempt following the recipe exactly when I can get my hands on the proper spices!
If u freeze them do you microwave them to reheat or sandwich press?
They are nicest if you can defrost first (we just pop them in the fridge overnight) then use the sandwich press.
Seriously awesome recipe. My kids LOOOOVE these.
‘WAAAY better than Maccas!’ – Charlie, Australia’s fussiest 11 year old boy ( disclaimer – polling results were questionable, only response was from Mum).
Thanks Nagi, love your site! Give your pooch a smooch from the Webb’s. 😊🥰
Just wondering about the suggestion of using a tuna can as an egg ring… Is the plastic liner going to be food safe in a frying pan?
Cooked this for dinner as we do like a sneaky McDonalds sausage McMuffin (no egg as neither of us are fans)! My husband and I both loved them and I love that I can freeze the leftovers for a handy freezer meal down the road, winner!
Same flavour profile as maccas, but better
The spices are perfect match. I thought it was way too much salt but maybe I did something wrong! Lol. Thanks you!