Who doesn’t love an egg McMuffin? It’s the perfect balance of morning breakfast-ness all in a handheld sandwich. And growing up, is was my absolute favorite fast food breakfast. Hands down, I always voted to go to McDonald’s so I could get one. But when you look more closely at the ingredients in their version, you may shudder a bit. For instance, here’s the ingredients for the egg alone (per their website): Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid Soybean Oil and Hydrogenated Cottonseed and Soybean Oils, Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene (Color). What the what?! It’s an egg. Just cook it and put it in my egg McMuffin, right?! Wrong, apparently. But have no fear, I’ve got a 5-minute version that will fix you right up. Seriously, 5 minutes and you are in egg McMuffin heaven. You can’t get to a drive-through that fast! This breakfast is easy enough that I can make it on busy school mornings, either for me or my kiddos, or both. They are really that quick and easy. Plus, you can take this on the go with you. Just wrap it in a paper towel or some wax paper and breakfast is set. Here’s tons more ideas for healthy on-the-go breakfast ideas if you’re like me and always running out the door. Or if you just love a melty sandwich all day long like I do, check out these ideas for different sandwich melts - there are 15+ combinations! Also, I gotta say, my microwave ramekin egg trick cooks the egg just right and is the perfect size and shape for putting on your English muffin. Full coverage all the way around. It’s also the same size as the Canadian bacon and then the cheese gets added on top. Every bite has every ingredient, just as it should. Such deliciousness! And if you love breakfast sandwiches, check out this breakfast grilled cheese. It is heavenly! (Just not as quick and easy to prepare as today’s recipe.) OK, let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make an egg McMuffin at home. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
English Muffins - These are of course standard and classic for this breakfast sandwich, but you could definitely sub in a round roll or bun, or use a bagel if you want. Also, whole wheat or regular both work great. Egg - We are cooking our egg in the microwave for speed and ease and cause it makes it just like the fast food version. You could also do it stovetop or fry an egg if you prefer. Bacon - Canadian bacon is what’s used for these sandwiches. You could swap it out for regular bacon or for a sausage patty if you want. Cheese - My kiddos love American cheese on theirs, and that’s what McDonald’s uses. I’ve also made them with slices of cheddar and that is yummy, too.
So as you can see, it’s easy to make some substitutions and create your own favorite version of this classic. And as mentioned, you can make this in just 5 minutes. Here’s the quick run-down.
Easy Instructions
Once you do it once or twice, you’ll be able to see how very quickly and seamlessly it goes. And here are a few more ideas for add-ins if you want to change it up even more.
Variations:
Add some spinach to the egg in the ramekin before you microwave it for a veggie version. Substitute ham, turkey, chicken or bacon for the Canadian bacon. (Or skip the meat for a vegetarian version.) Switch up your cheese - use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, goat cheese, feta or any of your favorites! Top the cooked egg with chopped tomatoes and basil. Use mozzarella cheese for a Caprese egg McMuffin!
Last thing, let’s talk about some make ahead and storage tips. Here are some other make ahead egg breakfasts if you want to really be ready for the morning. (Overnight oatmeal jars are another favorite for us that’s great for prepping ahead.) And if you are an egg lover like me, check out this collection of the 12 best egg recipes, which includes breakfast favorites, brunch and holiday worthy egg dishes and some classics like deviled eggs and egg salad. I hope you give this homemade egg mcmuffin a try for a new fast and delicious breakfast you can make anytime. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn This recipe was originally published in April 2015. It has been updated with new photos and additional recipe notes. Variations:
Add some spinach to the egg in the ramekin before you microwave it for a veggie version.Substitute ham, turkey, chicken or bacon for the Canadian bacon. (Or skip the meat for a vegetarian version.)Switch up your cheese - use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, goat cheese, feta or any of your favorites!Top the cooked egg with chopped tomatoes and basil. Use mozzarella cheese for a Caprese egg McMuffin!
Make ahead: You can make the entire sandwich in advance. Let cool then wrap it completely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to serve. Freezer: Assemble the sandwich, let cool, then wrap in aluminum foil. Place in a freezer safe ziplock bag. (This helps prevent freezer burn and keeps the bread from getting icy, which will make it soggy upon thawing.) Label and date it then freeze for up to 4-5 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in the microwave.
