McDonald's: Here's how to make their signature sauces at home, from ranch to Big Mac special

Here are the easy ways you can make your favourite McDonald’s sauces at home in minutes.

McDonald's signature sauces and how to make them at home
© Star Tribune via Getty Images
McDonald's signature sauces and how to make them at home

McDonald’s signature sauces and dressing are very important part of a typical McDonald's item or meal. Perhaps the most common complaint most McDonald’s fans have with its dipping sauce is that some people view these sauce packets as being just too small, leaving many feeling as if there’s never enough of it.

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Discovering the secret to make McDonald’s sauces at home is the perfect way to ensure that you can have as much McDonald’s dipping sauces as you want, whenever you want. There's just no need to order food at McDonalds just to get to your favourite sauce.

Some of McDonald's sauces have become just as iconic as their menu items, like in the case of Big Mac Sauce and Sweet'N'Sour sauce. McDonalds has introduced many new dipping sauce and dressing over the years, like Tangy BBQ sauce, Spicy Buffalo Sauce which is hot and peppery. They are perfect with menu items like chicken McNuggets, fries, chicken sandwich and cheese burgers.

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Some of McDonald's sauces have become just as iconic as their menu items, like in the case of Big Mac Sauce picture alliance

Though officially the brand has kept its sauce and dressing recipes a secret, there are some chefs and home cooks who have figured out how to recreate these special sauces at home with easily available items.

Here's the secret to how you can make four of the most classic McDonald’s dipping at home.

Big Mac sauce

McDonald’s Big Mac sauce is perhaps the most familiar taste for any fans since it is one of the brand’s signature burgers. Here is how to make the Big Mac sauce as per recipe by Delicious.com.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (300g) mayonnaise
  • 1 tbs gherkin relish
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • Small pinch of white pepper
  • 2 tsp mild mustard
  • 1 ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika

Preparation

Add all the items together, season with salt as per taste and then let it chill in the fridge. Your Big Mac sauce is ready for use in your homemade cheese burger or chicken sandwich and fries.

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McDonalds has introduced many new dipping sauce and dressing over the years, like Tangy BBQ sauce and Spicy Buffalo Sauce Bloomberg

McDonald’s Ranch sauce

McDonald's ranch is slightly tangy and has flavours of onion and garlic. Use this McDonald's copycat recipe by French TikToker @lafaim_ju for McDonald’s creamy ranch sauce .

Ingredients

  • 3 tbs Greek yoghurt
  • 3 tbs mayonnaise
  • 5 sprigs chives and parsley
  • 1 tbs onion powder
  • 1 tbs garlic powder

Preparation

Thinly slice the herbs. Use a bowl to combine all the ingredients. Add salt according to taste and enjoy your creamy ranch sauce with chicken nuggets or whatever you fancy.

McDonald’s Honey mustard sauce

McDonalds honey mustard sauce is a complex and delicious blend of the sharpness of dijon mustard with the sweetness of honey providing the best of both world and a perfect sweet-spicy balance. This sauce goes well with fried chicken. Here's the recipe by Recipes.net.

Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 4 tsp Dijon mustard, Grey Poupon Country
  • ½ tsp white vinegar

Preparation

Combine all the ingredients until everything is mixed well and your delicious homemade McDonald’s honey mustard sauce is ready for order.

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McDonald's has kept its sauce and dressing recipes a secret Bloomberg

McDonald’s sweet & sour sauce

McDonald’s sweet & sour dip is so popular with spicy food lovers for good reason; it blends flavours of apricot and peach with savoury spices leaving a lingering heat on the mouth. As shared by Where is my Spoon, here is a copycat recipe for the McDonald's Sweet'N'Sour sauce.

Ingredients

  • 300 g apricot jam
  • 2 tbs light sugar syrup or corn syrup
  • 3 tbs apple vinegar
  • 3 tbs corn starch
  • 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tbs mustard
  • ½ tbs salt
  • ¼ tbs garlic powder or 1 garlic clove grated

Preparation

  • Use a blender to combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth
  • Transfer the mix into a pan and add a small amount of water: about 4 tbs.
  • Bring the mix to a boil and let everything simmer on low flame for 5 minutes
  • Leave the hot sauce to cool and once that's done, your special sweet & sour sauce is ready to be tasted.

Sources used:

Delicious: ‘We decoded the Big Mac: a recipe for the world's most popular burger’

Recipes.net: ‘How To Make McDonald's Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (Copycat)’

Tiktok: la_faim

Where is my spoon: ‘Copycat McDonald’s Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe – with Chicken Nuggets’

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