The Best Copycat McGriddles Start With a Trip to Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe's customers will always pick up what the quirky market puts down (literally). Their new product drops have a cult following, with millions of fans and many social media handles dedicated to the nautical neighborhood grocer. This past month, they released a package of frozen, fluffy griddle cakes that are so scrumptious that people are buying them up three at a time.
As often happens, some Trader Joe's shoppers have gotten creative with this new fan-favorite grocery. Enter the DIY McGriddle—a simple breakfast sandwich that's nearly identical to the McDonald's fave. We grabbed our griddle cakes and tried it out to see if it's as good as the real thing.
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What Is a McGriddle?
A McGriddle, introduced by McDonald's in 2003, consists of "soft, warm griddle cakes—with the sweet taste of maple—that hold a fluffy folded egg, savory sausage, and melty American cheese," according to McDonald's. A McGriddle can be customized, allowing you to swap out the sausage for bacon or even omit the cheese (but...why?). Those in the know can tell you that there's also a large McDonald's M log emblazoned on the griddle cakes, which lets you know it's the real deal.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
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What Are the Ingredients for a Copycat McGriddle?
For the copycat recipe using solely Trader Joe's ingredients, you'll need to pick up a package of their Dutch Griddle Cakes, a pack of their new(ish) chicken breakfast sausages (both can be found with the breakfast items in the freezer case), a package of sliced cheese (I chose Havarti), and some eggs.
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Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
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What Is the Copycat McGriddle Recipe?
This is less of a recipe and more of an assembly project, but either way, it's very simple. The easiest way to warm up the griddle cakes is in the air fryer since you can set it and forget it. They take about 8 minutes at 350°. I even tossed in my chicken sausage and my scrambled egg in a little ramekin and forgot about the whole thing until the timer went off. The sausage and egg needed a few extra minutes, but it was handy to be able to use one appliance.
If you don't have an air fryer, follow the directions on the packages of sausages and griddle cakes, and make yourself a scrambled egg in the meantime. When the sausage came out of the air fryer, I put a slice of Havarti on top and let the residual heat melt it a little before stacking it with the griddle cakes and the egg. Some people on TikTok have been dipping their little sandwiches into a side of maple syrup, but I thought the griddle cakes were sweet enough on their own.
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How Do Copycat McGriddles Compare to McDonald's McGriddles?
I placed an order for my (first!) McGriddle while I gathered all of my ingredients from Trader Joe's and by the time I was finished making the homemade version, the McDonald's version was waiting for me at the door (work smarter, not harder, right?).
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
McDonald's McGriddle
I placed the two side-by-side on a plate and started the comparison. At first look, the two are nearly identical, save for the giant 'M' on top of the McDonald's sandwich, of course. The McDonald's one smelled sweeter—more mapley, with an artificial twist—and the classic Mickey D's bright orange cheese was on display, peeking out from underneath the pork sausage.
My favorite thing about the McDonald's version, however, was that the griddle cakes had little pockets of maple syrup, which is frankly a genius idea. Every bite had a bit of maple sweetness to it—no need to dip it in any syrup. However, it was greasier due to the pork sausage and the cheese had that pliable plasticy consistency that was a bit of a turn-off.
Trader Joe's Copycat McGriddle
The Dutch griddle cakes on this sandwich were fluffier and had a cakier texture than the McDonald's version. They also had a hint of sweetness (not maple, though) that wasn't at all artificial tasting. The chicken sausage (which always seems to be sold out when I go) is herbier than the McDonald's sauce, and I enjoyed the notes of sage, thyme and rosemary. The slightly melted square of Havarti brought the whole thing together. This was such an incredible breakfast sandwich that I didn’t even mind that my scrambled egg was slightly overdone (my fault).
The Verdict
I much preferred the sausage and cheese on my homemade version, but really liked the griddle cakes from McDonald’s. They were a bit more, well, griddled, and sweeter thanks to the pockets of maple syrup. In fact, for the last few bites, I swapped the Trader Joe’s griddle cakes for the McDonald’s ones and made my own perfect mashup.
As always, the internet is definitely onto something with copycat versions of fast food classics, and this one is no exception. The sandwiches are nearly indistinguishable—even in the nutrition facts (almost identical across all categories, except the Trader Joe's version has half the amount of sodium).
Doing the math, it's also pretty cost-effective—$5.49 for McDonald's and $3.80 each for TJ's. This would also be a good meal prep idea. You could easily make several sandwiches in advance, wrap in foil and stick in the freezer for quick heat-and-eat breakfast sandwiches on demand.
Better yet, these can be totally customizable by swapping out sausage for bacon or turkey bacon or even using premade egg patties to save even more time. Plus, how cute would these be in a little lunch bag with a tiny cup of syrup on the side? I cannot think of a more perfect fall breakfast.
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