15 Copycat Recipes To Make At Home
Copycat recipes are great to recreate, especially if you spend too much money on fast food, restaurants, and coffee shops.
As you may already know, we don’t eat out at restaurants often because of the high costs.
I enjoy making copycat recipes from some of our favourite restaurants.
It saves us money, but it makes us feel like we’re not missing out.
Today you find 15 maybe more of our favourite copycat recipes from Pinterest.
I also included creations from our kitchen, both keto and non-keto recipes.
Copycat Recipes Without The High Price Tag
One of the main reasons people eat out is convenience, either because of time barriers or lack of meal planning.
Eating out can drastically alter your monthly budget if you don’t know it already, especially if you spend more time at restaurants than grocery stores.
Media Marketing Works
How often have you seen an advert on the television or in a magazine for food and said, “I want to try that,” probably quite a few times?
I know because I do that quite often, the art of marketing does work.
Factor in the costs of tips and drinks for the meal, and you’ve just spent enough for a week’s worth of groceries for one meal.
Consider how much it costs to make a batch of your favourite muffins, subs or take-out chilli compared to a drive-thru.
What doesn’t work is prices which keep us at home working on ways to create mouth-watering meals in our kitchen.
Grocery shopping for some people is just B.O.R.I.N.G., but I don’t know many people who shop to party.
Of course, it’s not the most exciting chore, but when it affects your finances, it should be the smartest.
What Is A Copycat Recipe?
Well, it’s a recipe you love, but there is no recipe, or if there is, you aren’t going to get your hands on it because it’s a SECRET.
If you want your favourite foods at home to save money, you’ll have to figure out the ingredients used in the original recipe.
Is it easier to eat out than make it? Yes and No
For the home cook creating copycat recipes might be a fun way to get creative in the kitchen.
Not everyone likes to cook, but sometimes it takes ‘effort’ to increase enthusiasm.
Too often depend on others for our meals, but I bet you’d have to figure it out yourself if you were alone.
Eating at restaurants comes into play for people who are alone and enjoy the atmosphere and conversation more than the savings.
Related: Eating out Vs. Eating in
Eating Out Influences
Anyone influenced by co-workers, family, or friends to frequent fast food and eat-in restaurants should ask themselves whether it impacts their financial goals.
The hardest thing to get out of your mouth might be no, but it must be if you’re running on credit card swipes for money.
It’s not until someone creates and uses a budget for more than a month do they see the damage eating out can cause.
Related: The costs of coffee and lunch between co-workers- Take-out vs. Homemade
Costs Of Eating Out Can Become A Debt Trap
I can’t tell you the last time we went to a restaurant apart from in the U.K, and it cost us a fortune.
The reason was that I wanted to treat my UK family to dinner as it’s so expensive back home.
With a family of 4 to feed, my sister has a tight grocery budget, so she makes copycat recipes at home.
After eating out, we decided to go grocery shopping at Aldi’s to help offset the extra food costs of having us there.
Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Oddly enough, Mrs. C.B.B. and I have tried our hand at copycat recipes in the past.
Our favourite was the Starbucks Lemon Loaf that went viral on Canadian Budget Binder.
Although eating out is excellent, doing it too often can lead to high grocery bills and even higher eating out expenses in your eating out budget category.
Food Waste Sucks Money From Your Wallet
If you grocery shop and then eat out, you have food at home that possibly could waste unless eaten on time or frozen (if it can be).
If you’re working on cutting out either, you must balance both.
That means buying less food for home, leaving more money to eat out or less, leaving more money for groceries.
Ideally, you’d want to eat more at home, plus it WILL be cheaper by a landslide.
Copycat Recipes Are An Eating Out Fix
Tim Hortons chocolate chip muffins that our son loves. Now, I make them at home.
I realized that people who are mindful of their grocery budget or want to eat out but can’t still want to make copycat recipes.
They are saving money and getting the restaurant or fast-food cravings that used to cost a fortune.
Kudos to you because you’re the winner enjoying all the benefits of cooking foods you love but can do without the extra “convenience” expenses.
Why Choose Copycat Recipes?
To choose copycat recipes that pique your interest, you may consider the following;
- I tried the product before but can’t or don’t want to keep buying it—for example, Tim Hortons Chocolate Chip Muffins. The Tim Horton’s Chocolate Chip Muffin CopyCat version is the MOST popular recipe in my copycat section.
- The copycat recipes look mouth-watering.
- Copycat recipes are easy to follow.
- Copycat ingredients are inexpensive in comparison to eating out.
Nicola and I have created our favourite copycat recipes: treats, sauces, appetizers, and condiments instead of meals.
Now that I’m looking at this list and other copycat recipes, I’m finding that people are recreating their favourite packaged foods at the grocery store—oreo cookies, Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, etc.
British Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake Blondies
Popular Copycat Recipes On Canadian Budget Binder
- Dairy Queen Chocolate Dipped Bananas
- Just Like Starbucks Lemon Loaf
- Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake Blondies
- Copycat Tim Hortons Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Crispy Fresh Spring Rolls
- Copycat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Homemade Old Elpaso Taco Seasoning
- Copycat Twinkies
- Milk Toffee
- Nuts and Bolts Recipe Mix
- Dundurn Castle Shortbread
Copycat Dundurn Castle Shortbread Cookies
Most Popular Copycat Recipes From Restaurants
I find that most copycat recipes come from fast-food joints or eat-in casual restaurants that offer a specific sauce, appetizer, drink, or dessert on the menu.
Most popular copycat recipes that consumers flock to.
- Cheesecake Factory recipes in the USA are to-die-for, but the closest you’ll get is a copycat version or the real thing if you have a CF nearby.
- Kentucky Fried Chicken, specifically the KFC secret recipe, KFC gravy, and Classic KFC Macaroni Salad are trendy recipes.
- Tim Hortons recipes are popular, especially the muffins, donuts, soup, chilli, and bagels.
- Red Lobster recipes- You can buy a box of pre-made Red Lobster biscuits at Costco or make them yourself.
- Applebees recipes are all appetizers and meat-based, like their famous burgers.
- Olive Garden is all about salads, sauces and bread.
- McDonald’s recipes- Did you see the new Big Mac sauce offered in a squeeze bottle at the grocery store yet?
- Chinese restaurant food is famous for Canadians, especially creating a healthier version.
Some of the best copycat recipes come from inside information, which means you know someone who works at an establishment or works (ed) there yourself.
Most restaurants won’t give up the recipe or leave out ingredients, so food is not part of a copycat recipes community.
You might even try copycat recipes that come SO CLOSE to the real thing you consider it just that or better but more so for your pocketbook than your taste buds.
Top 15 Copycat Recipes On Pinterest
Below you will find the top 15 copycat recipes on Pinterest sought after by people like you and me who want to stay home and save money.
Do me a favour and if you try any of the copycat recipes in this blog post, come back and leave me a comment and tell me what you thought about the recipe.
Copycat Cinnamon Cinnamon Rolls
Copycat Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls
Try our CBB Cinnamon Apple Rolls and Keto Cinnamon Rolls and put them to the test.
Cheese Biscuits Copycat Recipe Red Lobster
Kentucky Fried Chicken Secret Recipe
Mcdonald’s Big Mac Secret Sauce
McDonald’s BIG MAC Secret Sauce
Salad Dressing From The Olive Garden
Copycat Pancakes From The Popular IHOP
Try my ultra pillow-soft fluffy pancakes and put them to the test.
Orange Julius Recipe
The Most Popular Wendy’s Frosty Recipe
Crazy Bread Copycat Recipe From Little Caesars
Muffin Recipe From Costco
Copycat Wing Sauces From Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat Wing Sauces
Copycat Red Velvet Cheesecake From Cheesecake Factory
Cheesecake Factory Copycat Red Velvet Cheesecake
Pretzel Bites Copycat Recipe From Auntie Anne’s
Auntie Anne’s Copycat Pretzel Bites
Coleslaw Recipe From Kentucky Fried Chicken
K.F.C. Copycat Coleslaw Recipe
Delicious Copycat Arby’s Sauce
Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe #2
Starbucks Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Copycat Recipe
Subway Sweet Onion Sauce Copycat Recipe
Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Outback Blooming Onion Sauce Copycat Recipe
McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Copycat Recipe
Five Guys Burger
10 Taco Bell Copycat Recipes
Copycat Starbucks Banana Bread
The Ultimate Guide For Making Starbucks CopyCat Drinks
I created a blog post specifically for Cheap CopyCat Starbucks Drinks, cold and hot brew.
Related: The Ultimate List of Cold Brew Recipes
Many talented people on Pinterest save money by creating their favourite beverages,
I will continue to add more recipes as I find them, so you won’t have to.
Discussion Question: What copycat recipes do you make at home, or would you like to make at home?
Also, If you try any copycat recipes, leave me a comment below and tell me what you think.
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KFC chicken does not use buttermilk!
Hi Joe,
I have no idea what they use but this recipe is popular and was created by another blogger. What information do you know other than there is no buttermilk? I’m curious. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
The only copycat recipe I have ever desired is for White Spot’s fried chicken “Chicken Pickin” or “Chicken in the Straw”. All the other things I can still buy but White Spot no longer sells this delicious chicken.
Hi Susan,
Is that an American company? I’ve never heard about it but now you make it sound delicious. I love chicken.
Week 32 – Aug 25 – 31, 2017
Name Your Store: Wholesale Club
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points =
Total Out Of Pocket: $67.93
Human
1 Kg Honey Nut Cheerios = $7.97
2 Realemon Juice = $4.34
2 ICBINB Margarine = $1.94
2 NN Yogurts = $3.74
4.54 Kg Box Diced Chicken = $46.97
2 WW Wonder Bread = $2.97
Name Your Store: Food Basics
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points =
Total Out Of Pocket: $5.88
Human
1 Case Kraft Dinner = $5.88
Name Your Store: SJFM Mennonite Vendor
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points =
Total Out Of Pocket: $9.25
Human
24 Cookies, 6 Dates & Raspberry Turnovers, 2 Loaves of Bread (Herb & Garlic; Cheese) = $9.25
Name Your Store: Zehrs
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points = (20,000)
Total Out Of Pocket: $2.60
Human
No Shop
Cats
5 Bags of Friskies -$5.00 = $22.60
Grocery Game Challenge Results
Total Grocery Budget for the 2 Adults ($1820.00, for the pay period – $70.00)
Total Human (Adults) this Week Period: $36.09
Left for the Month: $0
Total Human (Adults) to Date: $1,033.54 (minus Debt pymt & Gift Cards) = $907.15
Total Grocery Budget for the 3 Cats ($364, for the pay period – $14.00)
Total Cats this Week Period: $22.60
Total Cats to Date: $227.25
Total Grocery Budget for Stockpile ($507.69)
Total Stockpile this Week Period: $
Total Stockpile to Date: $163.05
Total Grocery Budget for the Personal Hygiene ($182)
Total Personal Hygiene this Week Period: $12.40
Total Personal Hygiene to Date: $180.13
Total Grocery Budget for Meat ($499.98)
Total Meat this Week Period: $46.97
Total Meat to Date: $315.53
Total Coupons Used this Week Period: $
Total Coupons Used To Date: $17.99
Total Grocery Savings for this Week Period: $
Total Grocery Savings to Date: $69.15
Total Price Match for this Week Period: $
Total Price Match to Date: $48.67
Total PC Points Received this Week Period:
Total PC Rewards Points Used this Week Period: 20,000
Total PC Rewards To Date: 2,174
Overview: Picked up a few things that was needed. Can’t say quick and painless but necessary.
Hi Dee,
That’s some nice stocking up you did. I like the cookies especially date cookies. Does the chicken you buy come pre-cooked? If yes how long does it take to cook once it’s defrosted? Well done… end of the month and you’re doing great!!! You get ballot #14. Mr.CBB… OMG> there’s only 4 months left until the end of the year. eesh.
Hubby’s cucumber sandwiches are piled high with paper thin pieces of cucumber with Miracle Whip on the bread and lightly sprinkled salt and pepper on the veggies themselves. I love cucumber sandwiches too! Hubby has the bread version, most of the time I slice an English cucumber lengthwise for me, put a little Miracle Whip schmeer on one side, salt and pepper on the other then put them back together and voila…my sandwich! 🙂
Week 31 – Aug 18 – 24, 2017
Name Your Store: Mary Maxim
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points =
Total Out Of Pocket: $9.94
Human
2 – 500 mL Fruit Preserves = $9.94
Name Your Store: No Frills
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points = 700
Total Out Of Pocket: $32.02
Human
2 – 500 mL Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce = $1.94
24 Bottles Real Canadian Water = $1.47
Bugles = $2.23
2 – 454 g ICINB Margarine = $2.00
2 – 685 g NN Yogurt – (400 PC Points) = $3.98
4 L 2% Milk = $4.27
1.89 L Breyer’s Neapolition Ice Cream = $2.97
4 Michaelina’s = $4.00
10 lb Potatoes – (300 PC Points) = $2.97
Bananas – 1.620 Kg = $1.99
2 English Cucumbers = $1.74
2 WW Wonder Bread – (50% Pink Sticker) = $2.46
Cats
No Shop
Grocery Game Challenge Results
Total Grocery Budget for the 2 Adults ($1820.00, for the pay period – $70.00)
Total Human (Adults) this Week Period: $41.96
Left for the Month: $35.00
Total Human (Adults) to Date: $997.45 (minus Debt pymt & Gift Cards) = $871.06
Total Grocery Budget for the 3 Cats ($364, for the pay period – $14.00)
Total Cats this Week Period: $
Total Cats to Date: $204.65
Total Grocery Budget for Stockpile ($507.69)
Total Stockpile this Week Period: $
Total Stockpile to Date: $163.05
Total Grocery Budget for the Personal Hygiene ($182)
Total Personal Hygiene this Week Period: $22.31
Total Personal Hygiene to Date: $167.73
Total Grocery Budget for Meat ($499.98)
Total Meat this Week Period: $
Total Meat to Date: $268.56
Total Coupons Used this Week Period: $
Total Coupons Used To Date: $17.99
Total Grocery Savings for this Week Period: $
Total Grocery Savings to Date: $69.15
Total Price Match for this Week Period: $
Total Price Match to Date: $48.67
Total PC Points Received this Week Period: 700
Total PC Rewards Points Used this Week Period:
Total PC Rewards To Date: 22,014
Overview: Quick and painless this past week.
Hi QUICK and PAINLESS,
haha!! Before I even read your shop I’m going to guess it’s either a no-shop week, a milk and cereal week or the cats win. Ok, I”m going to look now.
How do you know it’s Real CANADIAN water haha… is the name in reference to RCSS? Great deal on the potatoes and 50% off the bread. I always get bread on the rack when we do buy it. I don’t eat it often so we try to get a loaf for grilled cheese and french toast and raisin bread for the little guy. Works out great because there are always so many loaves of reduced bread. I got a nice haul of veg and pears from my Father-in-law this week. Red and yellow tomatoes different varieties, egg plants, garlic, beans. Going to be some fun eating this week. On the menu tonight is egg plant lasagna!! Yum. Great shop… Have a wonderful week Dee!!! You get ballot #10. Mr.CBB
AUGUST – Week #3 of 4- Aug 21-27, 2017
2017 GROCERY BUDGET / STOCKPILE BUDGET AND US RESERVE:
•Total Grocery Budgeted For Year: $190.00 x 12 = $2,280.00 for 2 adults
============================================================================================
REMARKS FOR THE MONTH:
This is the second of two shopping weeks in August…the question is can I stay on budget or will I even be motivated to do a proper shop beyond having hubby pick up a few deals?
And the answer is…NO BIG SHOP ‘cause I managed to create a decent meal plan without it! So check it out, we still have funds available that I can use to stock some picnic supplies for when hubby starts his vacation on Friday.
REMARKS FOR THE WEEK:
This week isn’t quite as insane as the first week back from vacation always is. Thank goodness! I really couldn’t handle such a frenetic pace as a regular diet! LOL
I am settling back in to a wonderful week of home cooking. Oh it’s nice to be home! Vacations are nice but I sure miss my homemade meals!
This week we’re having cucumber sandwiches with raw cauliflower & dip for a Meatless Monday & on Tuesday we’ll enjoy a slow cooked onion blade roast with nugget potatoes and a radish-green onion salad. On Wednesday I am planning to have grilled ham- cheese-tomato sandwiches with a side of coleslaw after I am finished having tests at the hospital in Port Moody and fighting with the rush hour traffic to get home! I am looking forward to Thursday when I make a homemade Slow Cooker Rich French Onion Soup and Apple Zucchini and Walnut Bread for our dessert. Friday will be our Triple Bean Bake with Bacon, a side of green & wax beans & a small green salad. Saturday I plan to throw on a Slow Cooker Potato Dill Soup as a starter for a Chicken Caesar Salad main dish. Sunday we are celebrating our friend’s birthday with her over a late lunch at Olive Garden…all you can eat green salad, here I come! 🙂
============================================================================================
OUR “CANADIAN” SHOPPING:
Meridian Farm Market – Maple Ridge –
4 Yellow Flesh Nectarines $1.73
3 lbs Warba New Nugget Potatoes $1.98
Total Regular Grocery OOP: $3.71
—————————————————————–
Thrifty Foods – Maple Ridge –
4 bunches radishes @ 4 for $3.00
Total Regular Grocery OOP: $3.00
** Earned 0 Air Miles on this shop **
** USED $0.00 in Rain Check Coupons **
** SAVED $2.16 Loyalty Savings on this shop **
—————————————————————–
Walmart – Maple Ridge –
2 Boneless Inside Blade Steaks $3.97/lb ($4.65, $4.75)
TOTAL Stocking Up Budget OOP: $9.40
—————————————————————–
No Frills– Maple Ridge –
1 x 1lb Green Beans $1.97/lb = $1.43
1 x 1lb Yellow Beans $1.97/lb = $1.59
2 Mann’s Snap Peas $3.97 ea = $7.94
2 Navel Oranges $0.97/lb = $1.16
2 x 1 lb Blueberries $1.77 ea = $3.94
2 x 8-pack Mini Cukes @ $1.97 ea = $3.54
1 St. Hubert Family Size Chicken Pot Pie $5.97
Total Summer Reserve OOP: $25.57
** Earned 0 PC.Plus Points on this shop **
** SAVED $0.00 in Rain Check/ Coupons **
** SAVED $0.00 Loyalty Savings on this shop **
============================================================================================
OUR “US RESERVE” SHOPPING:
OUR NEXT USA SHOP IS SCHEDULED FOR MID-SEPT
============================================================================================
2017 Y-T-D GROCERY SAVINGS:
•Total Loyalty Card Price Reductions This Year: $141.70
•Total Coupons/Rain Checks Used This Year: $0.00
•Total Price Match Savings Used This Year: $0.00
•Total More Points Earned This Year: 308 Points
•Total Air Miles Earned This Year: 22 Air Miles
•Total PC PLUS Points Earned This Year: 20,000 Points
•Total Optimum Points Earned This Year: 4,100 Points
============================================================================================
• SUMMARY OF FUNDS Y-T-D:
$ 1,520.00 Grocery Budget JAN-AUG
($ 173.66) NET RESERVE SAVINGS
($1,308.33) Actual CASH SPENT
$ 38.01 AVAILABLE Y-T-D GGC SPENDING NOT INCL RESERVES
• RESERVES Y-T-D:
$ 234.84 Re-Stocking Fund
$ 140.70 Holiday Season Fund + $200 RCSS POINTS + $10 Dream Air Miles.
$ 619.59 Summer Season Fund
$ 453.37 US Shopping Reserve
$ 0.00 Points Redeemed Reserve
OUR CURRENT TOTAL UNUSED RESERVES ARE $1,448.50. This means the $1,274.44 that we carried forward from 2016 PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $924.38 that we have added in 2017, LESS $750.32 that we have drawn out for use in 2017.
============================================================================================
Good Morning Mary!
I agree with you about vacations and home cooked meals. Even though we had an amazing buffet that changed every day while we were on holidays it was nice to come home and cook.
I’m curious.. what do you put in your cucumber sandwich? Our son loves cucumbers and maybe just maybe he might eat a cucumber sandwich. Typically we would put butter and cucumbers back home on white bread. You certainly are going for it in the kitchen and I applaud you. I know you probably could eat out more but you don’t and opt to stay home and prepare meals. I find this inspiring even though we hardly eat out. The variety and change in recipes is what I find keeps me in the kitchen and out of the restaurants. Don’t forget that radishes magically turn into potatoes when you cook or grill them. I par-boil them if I grill them. YUM. What a refreshing post to wake up to Mary, thank-you. I hope you and Larry have something nice planned when he is off on holidays. You get ballot #9 Mr.CBB