117 Copycat Recipes That Taste Just Like The Real Thing
Anything they can do, you can do better.
We LOVE copycats here at Delish. Not only is it fun to try and figure out just exactly what makes our favorite restaurant dishes as good as they are, there are myriad other reasons to make these imitation recipes at home: cost efficiency, being able to control ingredients, being able to try foods from places located too far away (or that are closed certain days of the week, ahem Chick-fil-A), avoiding shrinking portion sizes... the list goes on. We’ve got tons of options here, from sit-down spots like The Cheesecake Factory to caffeine hot-spot Starbucks, with tons of fast-casual and fast food in between. Check out our list of 117 copycat recipes for ideas, and get ready to never have to deal with the drive-thru or not getting the good booth again. 😉
While we try not to eat out for every meal, with this list of restaurant copycats, you could enjoy a homemade meal that tastes just like your favorite take-out or to-go spots for every meal of the day. Looking for a fun breakfast option? Try our McDonald's McGriddle, our Starbucks vanilla bean Frappuccino, our Cracker Barrel hash brown casserole, or our IHOP pancakes. Need something extra yummy for lunch? You could go with a burger or sandwich, like our copycat Steak 'N Shake Frisco melt, our Carl’s Jr. bacon Western cheeseburger, our Panera chicken frontega panini, or our copycat Big Mac. Leaning for something a little lighter? Check out our Chipotle chicken burrito bowls, our Panera green goddess Cobb salad, or our Copycat Cheesecake Factory Mexican tortilla salad.
Is your family clamoring to go out to eat for dinner, but you want to make a home-cooked meal? Satisfy everyone with dishes like our CPK BBQ chicken pizza, our Olive Garden 5-cheese ziti al forno, our Cheesecake Factory shrimp scampi, or our Panda Express orange chicken. Feel free to mix and match when it comes to sides too—Texas Roadhouse rolls with Olive Garden madeira chicken, our P.F. Changs wonton soup alongside our '90s mall-style Instant Pot bourbon chicken, Chili's Nashville hot mozzarella sticks alongside some copycat pizza Hot Pockets… It’s your restaurant, er, kitchen, so make your meals exactly how you want them!
And don’t think we forgot about dessert. We’ve got all the best bakery and supermarket cookies, as well as some of the most spectacular restaurant (and theme park, we love you Disney!) desserts too. Love chocolate chip cookies? You’re in luck—we’ve included copycats from DoubleTree Inn, Levain, Mrs. Fields, Tate’s, and more here. Not a chocolate chip fan? Check out our Crumbl chilled sugar cookies, our Pepperidge Farm’s milanos and chessmen cookies, or our Carr’s ginger lemon creams instead. Craving cake? The Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecakes are the BEST—we’ve got the OG cheesecake, a mango- Key lime version, and an Oreo version you’re going to love. Feel free to get creative with these—decorate them exactly like they do, or have fun with it and change it up.
McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
Invented in 1962, the Filet-O-Fish was the first non-burger sandwich to be added to the McDonald’s menu. It was developed because of falling hamburger sales on meat-abstaining Fridays leading up to Easter. Fast forward to today, it’s one of the core items on the menu. TMYK!
Get the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish recipe.
Copycat Hawaiian Punch
Store-bought Hawaiian Punch has only 3% juice, and its second ingredient, after water, is high-fructose corn syrup. If that's uh, not your cup of tea punch, you've got to try this recipe. It doesn't even have to be bright red if you don't want (but if you do, a few drops of food coloring will do ya).
Get the Copycat Hawaiian Punch recipe.
Copycat Chili's Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks
These mozzarella sticks are glazed in the sauce you’d normally see on Nashville hot chicken. It’s spicy and smoky with a little bit of sweetness. Serve these with ranch dressing to help mellow out the spiciness of the sauce—whether you're at Chili’s or at home, it's a must.
Get the Copycat Chili's Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks recipe.
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chick-fil-A’s chicken tortilla soup boasts a (very!) dedicated fan base, and we can see why: It’s packed with rotisserie chicken, beans, corn, and a blend of cozy spices, making it the perfect comfort food to warm up with. Whipping up a homemade version is the next best thing.
Copycat Pizza Hot Pockets
To recreate the beloved pizza Hot Pocket, we used canned pizza dough, store-bought marinara, cheese, and pepperoni. The egg wash gives the crust a beautiful shine and helps it get golden brown. It's the upgrade the classic snack needs.
Get the Copycat Pizza Hot Pockets recipe.
Cracker Barrel Meatloaf
While you might think meatloaf is meatloaf, lots of Americans really love the version sold at Cracker Barrel restaurants. Made with ground beef, crushed Ritz crackers, a sweet–tangy ketchup glaze, and more, this Cracker Barrel copycat version is well worth making. Here’s how to make their recipe at home, no road trip required.
Get the Cracker Barrel Meatloaf recipe.
Copycat Chobani Yogurt Protein Drinks
Getting all your protein in doesn’t have to be a wallet-busting nightmare—these protein-packed, 5-minute copycat Chobani yogurt drinks will help you start the day off feeling full, focused, and fiscally responsible.
Chocolate Crumb Cake Crumbl Cookie Copycat
Imagine biting into a warm, soft cookie that perfectly balances rich chocolate and the subtle warmth of cinnamon that a crumb or coffee cake is known for...this recipe makes it a reality. This isn’t just any cookie, either—it’s a decadent experience, capturing the essence of Crumbl’s famous chocolate cookie.
Copycat Egg McMuffin
When the McDonald’s drive-through window is closed, you can rely on this easy-to-follow copycat recipe for backup. All you need are some English muffins, Canadian bacon, American cheese, and eggs!
Get the Copycat Egg McMuffin recipe.
Copycat Olive Garden Limoncello Lemonade
The recipe is very simple, but we do recommend that you use limoncello AND a citrus-infused vodka. What we’re looking for here is to build lemon flavor in every step.
Copycat Steak 'N Shake Frisco Melt
If two butter-smothered toasted slices of sourdough bread with a tangy creamy dressing on one slice and some classic caramelized onions on the other, with the pièce de résistance smashed burger with two slices of silky melted cheese in the middle sounds good to you, then this is about to become your new favorite lunch star.
Copycat Big Mac
This is my stab at making a copycat version of the classic at home: “I’m lovin’ it,” and I know you will too! The best part? Don’t love pickles? Want a different kind of cheese? Prefer lettuce wraps to a bun? With a copycat, you can “have it your way” (including using whichever fast food jingles you want 😉!).
Get the Copycat Big Mac recipe.
Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Chick-fil-A's lightly breaded morsels of golden chicken breast take the top spot for people's favorite fast food nuggets. This copycat recipe allows you the joys of eating incredible chicken nuggets without having to step foot into a restaurant—and you'll save a couple of bucks too.
Get the Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets recipe.
Copycat Trader Joe's Green Goddess Salad Dressing
A fan favorite at Trader Joe’s is their green goddess salad dressing. It’s simple and fresh with bright lemon flavor and lots of creaminess (thanks avocados!). It’s no wonder they can't keep it in stock. Next time your local store runs out, make our copycat version instead.
Get the Copycat Trader Joe's Green Goddess Salad Dressing recipe.
Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites
Giving cold hard cash to Starbucks seems far-fetched in this economy, even if that cash is in exchange for their fluffy, cheesy, protein-packed egg bites. Lucky for you (and your wallet), we've figured out a perfect dupe for the iconic breakfast bites that will make you swear you shelled out $5 for a serving.
Get the Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites recipe.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi
This Cheesecake Factory staple is a seafood lover’s dream! The richness of the cream sauce is balanced by the acid of the tomatoes and the herbaceousness of the fresh basil. To top it all off, you'll add some golden breadcrumbs for a bit of crispy texture. Mmm.
Crumbl Cookies & Cream Cookies
Today, with 950 locations in the United States and a menu of rotating cookie flavors, Crumbl and their thick, chewy cookies are here, there, and nearly everywhere. But what if you want to make these legendary treats at home? Here are some tips for making your own copycat version of Crumbl’s cookies & cream cookies.
Copycat Klondike Bars
Klondike Bars are a freezer case staple, but what if we told you that it’s easy to make a homemade version with a simple no-churn ice cream and a two-ingredient DIY chocolate topping? IT'S TRUE.
Get the Copycat Klondike Bars recipe.
Copycat Olive Garden Meatballs
Aside from their signature breadsticks and their creamy zuppa toscana, one of Olive Garden’s most iconic dishes is their meatballs. Sauced in bright marinara and perched atop a glossy mound of spaghetti, they transform into a showstopping entrée that still manages to deliver those down-home comfort food vibes.
