I love a slow weekend breakfast. No rushing around, nobody asking what time we have to leave, just coffee on the go and something really good cooking in the kitchen. And I'm a sucker for copycat recipes because half the fun is trying to recreate something you'd normally buy.
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Sometimes you actually nail it, but sometimes you realize the original has a secret ingredient you'll never figure out. But either way, I love the challenge.
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These are the breakfasts I'd happily spend a lazy morning making at home, from restaurant favorites to the things you usually only get when you're treating yourself out. Put on the coffee, stay in your pajamas a little bit longer, and make breakfast the main event.
1) Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- Whisk eggs, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla in another bowl.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
- Stir until just combined.
- Heat a lightly greased skillet over medium heat.
- Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
- Cook until bubbles form on top.
- Flip each pancake.
- Cook until golden and cooked through.
- Serve with butter and maple syrup.
My husband loves recreating these Cracker Barrel pancakes with my son, which sounds very wholesome until you realize I'm usually the one left cleaning up the kitchen afterward. But I'll admit they make a pretty good team.
These pancakes are all about getting that soft, fluffy middle with those slightly crisp edges, and I think the secret is not to overmix the batter. A few lumps are absolutely fine. Let the batter rest for a few minutes too, and don't flatten the pancakes once they are on the pan. I'll happily let the boys have their pancake-making moment while I enjoy mine with a very large coffee.
2) Copycat IHOP Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- Whisk the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter in another bowl.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
- Stir until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
- Rest the batter for 5 minutes.
- Heat a greased skillet over medium heat.
- Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
- Cook until bubbles form on top.
- Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve with butter and syrup.
We don't really do one or two pancakes in this house. We do the stack. If I'm making IHOP-style buttermilk pancakes, I want a proper powder on the plates, butter melting down the sides, and maple syrup everywhere. The buttermilk gives them the lovely tang and helps keep them really tender.
My biggest tip here is to keep the pan at a medium heat. If it's too hot, you'll have beautifully brown pancakes with raw centers. I also never press them down with the spatula. Let them puff up naturally. Flip once and leave them alone. This is definitely a breakfast where more is more.
3) The McMuffin You Can Actually Make at Home
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the sausage patties for 4 minutes per side.
- Toast the English muffin halves.
- Melt the butter in the skillet.
- Crack the eggs into the skillet.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the eggs for 2 minutes.
- Flip the eggs and cook for 1 minute more.
- Place cheese on each sausage patty.
- Stack each sandwich with sausage and egg.
We do the McMuffin at home, but when we're ready to go all out, I take breakfast in a completely different direction and make salmon benedict. There's something about a lazy weekend when you have the time to perch eggs properly, make hollandaise from scratch, and sit down for a breakfast that feels like an occasion.
For the homemade McMuffin though, the trick is getting everything the right size. Use a round egg mold if you want that proper English takeaway shape and toast the English muffin well so it holds up.
And don't overcook the egg. That little bit of runniness is what makes it feel like the real deal. And then, just to top it off, finish it with some wild rocket from the garden.
4) Copycat Starbucks Bacon, Gouda, and Egg Sandwich
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Cook the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently until just set.
- Split the rolls and place them on a baking sheet.
- Add one egg portion, one bacon slice, and one cheese slice to each roll.
- Bake for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
I'm just going to say it: I actually think we make these better at home. I love the Starbucks version, but when I make it myself, I can use better bread, a good gouda, and properly crispy bacon. And I'm not limited to one little sandwich.
The trick is getting the egg soft and fluffy rather than rubbery. And I like warming the whole sandwich in the oven so the cheese gets properly melted. Make a few at once and wrap them individually for the fridge or freezer. Suddenly you've got your own little breakfast cafe at home, and you don't have to leave the house for it.
5) Copycat Starbucks Spinach, Feta, and Egg White Wrap
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add spinach and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk egg whites, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the eggs into the skillet.
- Stir until just set.
- Spread cream cheese over the tortilla.
- Add the eggs, spinach, and feta.
- Fold the tortilla into a wrap.
- Toast the wrap for 2 minutes per side.
I used to make these for my customers when I had my shop, and they're always a favorite. The clever part is that the wrap itself is made from egg whites. Then it's filled with spinach and feta, so there's no traditional tortilla involved at all. They're actually surprisingly easy to make at home.
My biggest tip is to cook the egg white wraps gently and let them set properly before trying to move them. Otherwise, it can tear. And really squeeze the spinach dry before adding the feta. You don't want all the extra moisture making a wrap soggy. I like making a few ahead for an easy breakfast because they keep really well and are much more satisfying than they look, and they are super healthy.
“The whole point of a slow weekend breakfast is that nobody’s watching the clock. Make the thing that takes a little longer. It’s worth it.”
6) Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit
Ingredients
Method
- Place chicken in pickle juice for 30 minutes.
- Mix flour, powdered sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Dip chicken in milk.
- Coat chicken in the flour mixture.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Drain chicken on paper towels.
- Split and butter the biscuits.
- Place chicken inside the biscuits.
I love the idea of a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit, but when I make it at home, I usually give it a healthier spin. I'll still go for that juicy, crispy chicken and soft biscuit, but I'm much more likely to bake or air-fry the chicken rather than deep-frying it.
My tip is to season the chicken properly and give it enough time in the marinade. That's where you build the flavor. And don't make the chicken too thick, or you'll have a huge piece of chicken falling out on the sides of your biscuit. I like mine with a little hot honey or a drizzle of something sweet and spicy. It's indulgent enough to feel like a treat without completely blowing up your morning.
7) Copycat Chick-fil-A Hash Browns
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the shredded potatoes under cold water.
- Squeeze them dry in a clean towel.
- Mix the potatoes, flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Shape the potato mixture into 8 small patties.
- Cook the patties for 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
I've tried to get these exactly like Chick-fil-A's hash browns, and I'm just going to admit defeat. I can't quite get them the same. But mine are still really good. And that counts for something.
The biggest thing with homemade hash browns is getting rid of as much moisture as possible. If you're using grated potato, squeeze it as you mean it. Otherwise, you'll end up steaming rather than crisping it. Also don't overcrowd the pan because you don't want those little edges to get proper uh because you want those little edges to get properly golden and crunchy.
They might not be an exact copycat, but put some eggs next to them and bacon on a Saturday morning, and nobody is going to complain.
8) Copycat Panera Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on Brioche
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 minutes.
- Drain the bacon on paper towels.
- Wipe out the skillet.
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Crack the eggs into the skillet.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cook the eggs for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir the mayonnaise and Dijon together.
- Toast the brioche buns cut-side down for 2 minutes.
- Spread the sauce on the buns.
- Add one egg, two bacon slices, and one cheese slice to each bun.
- Serve warm.
My dad loves this breakfast, so we make it for him, and I'm always happy to have an excuse to make a proper breakfast sandwich. The soft, slightly sweet brioche with salty bacon, egg, and melted cheese is a very good combination. I like getting the brioche lightly toasted but not too crisp because you still want it soft.
And cook the egg gently. There's nothing worse than a rubbery egg in a breakfast sandwich. Make the bacon really crispy, then put everything together while it's hot so the cheese gets a little melty.
For hash browns and potato patties, the drier your shredded potato, the crispier the result. After squeezing with a towel, let the shreds sit on paper towels for five more minutes. The difference in crunch is real.
9) Copycat Dunkin’ Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Method
- Stir yeast, warm milk, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl.
- Rest the mixture for 5 minutes.
- Mix in butter, egg, remaining sugar, and salt.
- Add flour and knead until smooth.
- Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour.
- Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Cut out donuts and rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F.
- Fry donuts for 1 minute per side.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Dip warm donuts into the glaze.
- Let them drain on a rack.
I made these for my son's Baker Man, and I have to say I was very impressed with how easy they actually are and with myself. Homemade donuts sound like a whole production, but once you get the dough right, it's really quite straightforward.
The trick is giving the dough enough time to rise and not adding too much flour because that's how you end up with the heavy donuts instead of those lovely light, fluffy ones.
And then let them cool before glazing, or you'll have the icing sliding straight off. They're fun to make with kids too, especially when they get to dunk them in the glaze.
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10) Copycat Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Method
- Stir yeast and warm milk in a bowl.
- Rest the mixture for 5 minutes.
- Add sugar, butter, egg, salt, and flour.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour.
- Roll the dough to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Cut donut shapes.
- Rest the donuts for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F.
- Fry donuts for 1 minute per side.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Dip warm donuts into the glaze.
- Set donuts on a rack to drip.
Mine came out a little wonky. I'm not going to pretend otherwise, but honestly, once you put the glaze on them, nobody cares. The taste was close to the original, so I was pretty pleased with myself. The biggest thing with donuts is not rushing the rising time. That's what gives you that light, airy texture, rather than something dense and bready.
And the oil temperature matters too. Too hot and they brown before the middle cooks. Too cool and they absorb loads of oil. They may not have looked perfectly uniform, but they tasted a little bit like Krispy Kreme, and that's what I was after.
11) Copycat Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Method
- Stir milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar together.
- Rest the mixture for 5 minutes.
- Mix in butter, eggs, flour, salt, and remaining sugar.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
- Cover and let it rise for 1 hour.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle.
- Spread butter over the surface.
- Sprinkle on brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough tightly.
- Cut into 12 rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together.
- Spread frosting over warm rolls.
The smell of cinnamon rolls baking is enough to make me completely lose my willpower. I can be nowhere near the kitchen, and somehow I'm standing there waiting for them to come out of the oven. These are all about getting that soft, pillowy dough and a generous layer of cinnamon sugar before covering the warm rolls with that creamy icing.
Try not to overbake them, though. You want the scent to be soft and slightly gooey. And don't roll the dough too tightly, or the filling has nowhere to go. Let them cool just enough so that the icing doesn't completely disappear into the rolls. Then go in while they're still warm.
12) Copycat McDonald’s Hash Browns
Ingredients
Method
- Grate the potatoes.
- Rinse the shreds under cold water.
- Squeeze out the water with a clean towel.
- Mix the potatoes, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- Shape into four flat rectangles.
- Chill the rectangles for 15 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the hash browns for 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Flat rectangles, crispy edges, no fancy seasoning. That’s the whole point. The cornstarch swap instead of flour gives these the slightly stiffer, crunchier texture that makes a McDonald’s hash brown feel different from a basic potato cake. Chill them before cooking and don’t rush the flip.
13) Copycat Taco Bell Breakfast Crunchwrap
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the hash brown patties according to package directions.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Scramble the eggs until just set.
- Place a hash brown in the center of each large tortilla.
- Add cheese, eggs, and bacon.
- Spoon on sour cream and salsa.
- Cover each stack with a small tortilla.
- Fold the large tortilla edges over the center.
- Cook each crunchwrap seam-side down for 2 minutes.
- Flip and cook for 1 minute.
I'm not sure who decided a breakfast needed this many layers, but I'm very glad they did. The taco bowl crunch wrap has become one of those things I really enjoy trying to recreate at home because it's basically breakfast all wrapped into one. Eggs, sausage, cheese, a crispy hash brown, and all those little extras.
The folding is the only part that takes a bit of practice. Don't overfill it, or you'll be chasing the filling in your kitchen when you try to do that. And get the hash brown properly crisp before it goes in. I like to do this in the air fryer. I like the outside toasted and crunchy, but the middle part soft and cheesy. It's a really messy breakfast. And I'm definitely not eating this with a knife and fork.
14) Copycat Wendy’s Sausage Biscuit
Ingredients
Method
- Bake the biscuits according to package directions.
- Cook the sausage patties in a skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Melt the butter in a clean skillet.
- Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Pour the eggs into the skillet.
- Stir gently until the eggs set.
- Split each warm biscuit.
- Add one sausage patty, egg, and cheese slice to each biscuit.
- Serve warm.
I have a weakness for American breakfast sandwiches, and a sausage biscuit is about as simple as it gets. I like making these at home because you can make a really good buttery biscuit and a proper sausage patty without doing anything complicated.
The biscuit is the part I'm fussy about. Keep the butter cold, don't work the dough too much, and get it into the oven while everything is still nice and chilled. That's what gives you those flaky layers. Then add a hot sausage patty, malted cheese, and a little butter on the biscuit. Nothing fancy, just very, very good.
Sausage gravy and biscuits is considered a staple of Midwestern and Southern comfort cooking, but the dish gained mainstream restaurant popularity largely because of Bob Evans, which started as a single farmhouse restaurant in Rio Grande, Ohio in 1948. The chain basically put the dish on the national map.
15) Copycat Bob Evans Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven and bake the biscuits according to package directions.
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Break the sausage into small pieces as it cooks.
- Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage.
- Stir for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the milk.
- Stir until the gravy thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- Split the warm biscuits.
- Spoon the sausage gravy over the biscuits.
I still remember the first time I had biscuits and gravy and thought people ate this for breakfast, and then I tasted it and completely understood. It's unapologetically rich. Soft, buttery biscuits covered in creamy sausage gravy with loads of black pepper. I used to watch this on TV and think I wouldn't try this for a second. But I promise you, it is something you do need to try.
And I wouldn't try to make this one healthy. It defeats the point. Just eat it. My trick is to let the sausage brown properly before you make the gravy, because those little brown bits are where the flavor is.
And season the gravy at the end, because sausage can already be quite salty. I'd make this on a morning when nobody has anywhere to be afterward.
16) Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Stir the soup, sour cream, butter, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Fold in the hash browns and 1½ cups of cheese.
- Spread the mixture in the dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before serving.
I've always liked a breakfast casserole that you can put in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves. And this Cracker Barrel hash brown casserole is exactly that. It's super creamy, really cheesy, and very potato-heavy, which is probably why it disappears so quickly.
I like using frozen hash browns because there's no reason to make life harder for yourself. Just thaw them properly and squeeze out any excess moisture before mixing everything. Otherwise, you can end up with a watery casserole.
Get plenty of cheese on top and let it bake until you've got those golden, crispy edges. I think this one is pretty close to the original Cracker Barrel hash brown casserole.
17) Copycat Starbucks Blueberry Scones
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the butter until crumbs form.
- Fold in the blueberries.
- Stir in the cream and vanilla.
- Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick circle.
- Cut the circle into 8 wedges.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes.
- Mix the powdered sugar and milk.
- Drizzle the glaze over warm scones.
These are ridiculously easy to make, and I think sometimes people make scones far more complicated than they need to be. I actually use frozen blueberries because they're less likely to burst while you're working the dough, and they hold their shape beautifully in the oven.
The important thing is keeping everything cold and not overworking the dough. I promise you that is the key here. You want those little pockets of butter to stay intact. I know it doesn't look right, but I promise you it works.
I also don't worry about making them perfectly shaped. Rustic is absolutely perfect here. Give them a simple glaze once they've cooled, and you've got something that feels very Starbucks without having to leave the house.
18) Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk sugar, eggs, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
- Cool the loaf for 20 minutes.
- Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf.
This is one of the copy cuts I really don't think you need to be intimidated by. It's actually very easy, and I'm lucky enough to use lemon straight from our garden, which makes it even better. I use plenty of fresh lemon zest because that's where you get that proper lemon flavor.
Don't rely on the juice alone, and my biggest tip is to let the loaf cool completely before putting the glaze on. Otherwise, it melts straight into the cake. I like a generous layer of that sharp, sweet lemon icing over the top. With garden lemons, a cup of coffee, and a slice of this, I don't really need Starbucks.
19) Copycat Einstein Bros. Bacon and Cheddar Egg Sandwich
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Pour in the eggs.
- Stir gently until just set.
- Toast the bagel halves.
- Place one cheese slice on each bottom half.
- Add the eggs and bacon.
- Top with the bagel halves.
This is my late-night-out breakfast when we've had a big night, and nobody is particularly interested in making an elaborate breakfast. This is exactly the sort of thing I want. I buy the bagels from the daddy down the road, use good organic bacon, and put the whole thing together at home.
The bagel's important, toasted properly so it can handle the egg, bacon, and malted cheddar without becoming soggy. I also cook the bacon until it's really crispy because that salty crunch is what makes a sandwich. It's not fancy, but after a late night it tastes like the best breakfast in the world.
