Simple Copycat Recipes To Make At Home

Estimated reading time: 22 minutes

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 recipes from some of our favorite restaurants.

It saves us money but makes us feel like we’re not missing out.

Today, you will find more of our favorite copycat recipes from Pinterest, which I will update regularly.

I’ve also included creations from our kitchen, both keto and non-keto recipes.

DIY Starbucks Drink 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,” 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 favorite muffins, subs, or take-out chili compared to a drive-thru.

What doesn’t work is the prices that 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 it should be the smartest when it affects your finances.

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 favorite foods at home to save money, you must determine the ingredients used in the original recipe.

Is it easier to eat out than make it? Yes and No

For the home cook, creating 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, we 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 the UK, 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 went grocery shopping at Aldi’s to help offset the extra food costs of having us there.

Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Orange Scones

This Starbucks Cranberry Orange Scones Copycat Recipe is easy to make on your first try, and you’ll love the sweet orange glaze drizzled over these buttery scones.

They’re perfect for the holiday season!

Clone Of A Cinnabon

You have got to try this Cinnabon recipe. The first time I made these rolls, I thought of how much money I could save by making my own!

Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Our favourite is 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 higher eating-out expenses in your entertainment budget category.

Copycat Recipes Are An Eating-Out Fix

High Top Chocolate Chip Muffins Copycat from Tim Hortons Chocolate Chip Muffins
These are not your ordinary chocolate chip muffins, and you’ll soon find out how similar they are to
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 Horton’s Chocolate Chip Muffin CopyCat version is the MOST popular recipe in my copycat section.
  • They look mouth-watering.
  • Copycat recipes are easy to follow.
  • Copycat ingredients are inexpensive in comparison to eating out.

Now that I’m looking at this list and other copycat recipes, I’m finding that people are recreating their favorite packaged foods at the grocery store—oreo cookies, Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, etc.

Cheap Copycat Recipes That Are Fast Food
Delicious Copycat Recipes You Can Make At Home And Save Money

I am forever adding new copycat recipes we’ve tried on Pinterest and those we haven’t.

Let us know your favourites in the comment section below.

Costco Muffins Recipe

Homemade Nesquick Copycat Recipe

British Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake Blondies

Dairy Queen Frozen Treats
Homemade Dairy Queen Chocolate Covered Bananas
Homemade Dairy Queen Chocolate Covered Bananas

Copycat Dundurn Castle Shortbread Cookies

CopyCat recipe that was given to us from the castle staff for their delicious Shortbread Cookies
A copycat recipe that was given to us by castle staff for their delicious Shortbread Cookies

Most copycat recipes come from fast-food joints or eat-in casual restaurants that offer a specific sauce, appetizer, drink, or dessert.

  • 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.
  • 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 in a squeeze bottle at the grocery store?
  • Chinese restaurant food is famous among Canadians, especially in creating a healthier version.

Some of the best 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 to keep them away from the general public.

You might even try a recipe that comes SO CLOSE to the real thing; you consider it just that or better, but more so for your pocketbook than your taste buds.

Top Copycat Recipes On Pinterest

15 CopyCat Recipes From Your Favourite Restaurants
15 CopyCat Recipes From Your Favourite Restaurants

Below you will find the best copycat recipes on Pinterest sought after by people like you and me who want to stay home and save money.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Copy Cat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade CopyCat Cinnabon Rolls

Try our CBB Cinnamon Apple Rolls and Keto Cinnamon Rolls and put them to the test.

Outback Secret Blooming Onion Sauce

I’ve never been to the Outback Steakhouse, but Mrs. CBB has and loves their blooming onion sauce.

Cheese Biscuits Copycat Recipe Red Lobster

Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits

red lobster cheese biscuits copy cat recipe
Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits CopyCat

Copycat McDonald’s French Fries Recipe

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe

Cracker Barrel Copycat Hash Brown Casserole

Kentucky Fried Chicken Secret Recipe

K.F.C. Secret Recipe

KFC Secret Recipe
KFC Secret Recipe Written On A Piece Of Paper
K.F.C. Secret Recipe Written On A Piece Of Paper

CopyCat KFC Roast Chicken Seasoning

KFC Roast Chicken Seasoning

CopyCat KFC Roast Chicken Seasoning
CopyCat KFC Roast Chicken Seasoning

Mcdonald’s Big Mac Secret Sauce Recipe

Copycat McDonald’s BIG MAC Secret Sauce

secret Big Mac Sauce McDonald's
Big Mac Secret Sauce

Starbucks Petite Vanilla Bean Scones Recipe

Disneyland Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Breakfast Sauce From McDonald’s

CopyCat McDonald’s Breakfast Sauce

CopyCat McDonald's Breakfast Sauce
CopyCat McDonald’s Breakfast Sauce

Salad Dressing From The Olive Garden

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Olive-Garden-Salad Dressing
Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Starbucks Double Fudge Brownies Recipe

Panda Express Recipes

15 Copycat Cheesecake Factory Recipes

I’ve never been to the Cheesecake Factory in Toronto, but I’ve heard nothing but good reviews.

Below are 15 Copycat Cheesecake Factory recipes that you can make at home.

15 Copycat Cheesecake Factory Recipes That Are Almost Too Good to Eat
15 Copycat Cheesecake Factory Recipes

Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders and Sauce

If you’re a fan of Raising Cane’s, here is a recipe for their chicken tenders and dipping sauce.

IHOP Copycat Pancakes

IHOP-pancakes-copycat-1
IHOP Pancakes Copycat

Try my ultra pillow-soft fluffy pancakes and put them to the test.

Orange Julius Recipe

Copycat Orange Julius

Copycat Orange Julius Recipe
Copycat Orange Julius

Wendy’s Frosty

Wendy's Frosty Copycat recipe
Wendy’s Frosty Recipe

Bread Recipe From Little Caesars

Little Caesars

Little Caesar's Crazy Bread Copycat recipe
Little Caesar’s Bread

Muffin Recipe From Costco

Costco Muffin Copycat Recipe

copycat costco muffin recipes
Costco Copycat Muffin Recipe

Wing Sauces From Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat Wing Sauces

Buffalo Wings Copycat recipes
Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat Sauces Recipe

Red Velvet Cheesecake From Cheesecake Factory

Cheesecake Factory Copycat Red Velvet Cheesecake

Red-Velvet-Cheesecake-Cake-Recipe
from the Cheesecake Factory
Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe

Pretzel Bites Recipe From Auntie Anne’s

Auntie Anne’s Copycat Pretzel Bites

homemade-pretzels-Auntie Anne's copycat recipe
Auntie Anne’s Copycat Pretzel Recipe

Coleslaw Recipe From Kentucky Fried Chicken

K.F.C. Copycat Coleslaw Recipe

Delicious Arby’s Sauce

Copycat Arby’s Sauce

copycat-arbys-sauce-recipe-22
Arby’s Sauce Recipe

Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe #2

CopyCat Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe. Not sure who owns it no other info.
CopyCat K.F.C. recipe

Starbucks Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Recipe

Copycat McDonald’s French Fries Recipe

Subway Sweet Onion Sauce Recipe

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Outback Blooming Onion Sauce Recipe

McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Copycat Recipe

Five Guys Burger

Thin Mint Girl Guide Cookies Recipe

10 Taco Bell Copycat Recipes

Starbucks Banana Bread Recipe

Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets
Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets

Taco Bell Quesadilla Recipe

Just Like Kraft Dinner Macaroni And Cheese Recipe

Olive Garden Salad Recipe

TGI Friday’s CopyCat Potato Skins Recipe

KFC Gravy Recipe

Costco Quinoa Salad Recipe

Panera Autumn Squash Soup

Cheesecake Factory Copy Cat KeyLime Cheesecake

Ultimate Guide For Making Starbucks Drinks

I created a blog post specifically for Cheap CopyCat Starbucks Drinks, cold and hot brew.

Related: The Ultimate List of Cold Brew Recipes

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you found a new recipe at home.

Mr. CBB

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