McDonald’s has been around since 1948, but it wasn’t until 1967 when they introduced their first pancake menu item.
The success was immediate, so fast-food chains began to offer more varieties of breakfast items.
What Are The Ingredients In A McDonald’s Pancake?
Most people don’t realize how much is in a typical McDonald’s pancake.
Here’s what makes up most of them:
- Flour
- Milk
- Butter or oil (for frying)
- Sugar
- Salt
In addition to these main ingredients, there are also other things like eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and peppermint flavorings.
Eggs
The key ingredient in any good pancake is an egg.
This helps bind all those dry ingredients into something that will hold its shape while cooking.
Eggs help with texture too because they create tiny air pockets that expand during the cooking process creating fluffiness.
Vanilla Extract
This gives the pancakes a rich taste, and it also adds some sweetness as well as color.
It’s not only used in sweet foods, though.
People use it in cocktails, baked goods, and even ice cream.
You can find it in many grocery stores under the name “vanilla bean paste” or “puree.”
Baking Powder
It’s basically leavening agent that helps your batter rise higher than it would without it.
Baking powder is typically found in supermarkets next to the flour, sugar, and salt sections.
Peppermint Flavorings
This is another important part of making a great pancake.
If you don’t have this on hand, you won’t get that minty fresh taste.
Peppermint flavoring comes from real leaves of the plant, which means it isn’t artificial.
How Do You Make A McDonald’s Pancake?
The secret ingredient to this recipe is vanilla extract.
This gives the batter its sweet taste while also adding an extra layer of flavor.
You won’t find any artificial flavors or colors here either!
- 1 cup flour (all purpose)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Cooking spray
- Oil for frying
- Directions:
First, mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
In another bowl, combine wet ingredients.
Use your hands to gently fold them together slowly into one big mixture.
If your batter seems too thick, add some additional water until it reaches the right consistency.
Make sure not to overmix.
Then, coat both sides of each slice with cooking spray, making sure to cover the entire surface area.
Next, heat about 3 inches of oil in a large pan on medium high heat.
Once the oil is hot enough, pour about half a tablespoon of batter per pancake onto the pan and spread out evenly.
Cook on both sides until golden brown, then remove from the pan and place on paper towels to drain.
Repeat process until all the batter is used up.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of A McDonald’s Pancake?
The nutritional values displayed on the nutrition facts panel have changed over time as companies adjust serving sizes and update products.
For most common foods, per 100 grams (3.5 oz), you should expect to ingest the following amounts of macro and micro nutrients:
- Calories: 310
- Fat: 25 g / 9% of daily value / 8 g sat fat
- Carbohydrate: 40 g / 15% of daily value / 3 g sugars
- Protein: 20 g / 7% of daily value / 4 g fiber
- Dietary Iron: 2 mg / 6% of daily value / 1 mg iron
In addition, McDonald’s offers an online tool called MyPlate to help people track their food intake and learn how much of each nutrient they need every day.
This tool also provides information about which foods meet dietary guidelines based on age, gender, and physical activity levels.
Here are some additional tips from the Food and Drug Administration to keep in mind while eating your next McDonald’s meal.
When choosing between different options within the same category, always choose the option with the lowest calorie count.
For example, if two burgers are offered, go with the smaller one instead of the larger version because it will contain fewer calories.
If you want to save money, you might consider buying frozen fries rather than fresh ones.
Frozen fries usually cost less than fresh ones, and you can pop them straight into the microwave without thawing.
Keep in mind that some restaurants use large portions so that customers feel satisfied, even though they may not actually eat all of the food.
To avoid overeating or feeling bloated, try ordering half of what you normally would order.
How Many Calories Are In A McDonald’s Pancake?
According to the USDA database and the company website, the average calorie count per serving of a McPancake is about 300 calories (1,500 calories total).
That’s not bad considering you have something like seven servings in each order.
- McDonald’s Pancakes Calories Per Serving – NutritionData.com
Serving Size:
(12 pieces)
(8 pieces)
Calories per cup:
(280 calories)
Total calories:
(300 calories)
How Much Fat Is In A McDonald’s Pancake?
The amount of fat in the McDonald’s Pancakes varies depending on what type you choose!
If you order one of the lighter options like the Egg McMuffin or Bacon & Cheese McGriddle, then your meal will have only about 3 grams of fat per serving.
If you go for the Big Breakfast with Egg & Cheese Biscuits, then expect to find 6 grams of fat per serving.
And if you opt for the Double Stack (two pancakes topped with syrup) you could end up with 11 grams of fat per serving.
So while some McDonald\u2019s pancakes may seem healthy, you shouldn’t feel too good about eating them either.
Not because they aren’t tasty as all get out, but simply because there’s no substitute for real food.
On the other hand, if you decide to make these pancakes instead of ordering from McDonald\u2019s, you’ll save yourself a lot of time and money.
You won’t need a car full of ingredients and you won’t have to wait 10 minutes before digging into your breakfast.
Instead, you can whip up a batch of these tasty little treats in less than five minutes.
How Much Sugar Is In A McDonald’s Pancake?
The typical McDonald’s pancake contains about 3 grams of sugar per serving (4 pancakes).
That means the average McDonald’s pancake contains 21 grams of carbs and 9 grams of protein.
It also contains 2 grams of fiber.
If you want to make sure your next McDonald’s pancake doesn’t add too many calories or carbs, then try making them as directed below.
- Whisk flour with 1/8 teaspoon salt, baking powder, and cinnamon in medium bowl.
- Add milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract, whisking well.
- Cook pancake batter over medium heat on griddle coated with nonstick cooking spray until bubbles appear on surface and edges look cooked, about 4 minutes.
- Flip pancakes using tongs and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes total.
- Serve warm with syrup.
- Prepare next batch following same directions, substituting apple sauce instead of milk.
- Serve with maple syrup and top with sliced apples and whipped topping.
What else do I need to know?
If you’re not into eating McDonald’s food every day, then consider this a one time treat.
You won’t get sick if you eat these once a week because there is no added MSG, artificial colors, or preservatives.
But remember, McDonald’s isn’t known for its healthy choices—so don’t expect to find anything nutritious here!
How Many Carbohydrates Are In A McDonald’s Pancake?
A standard serving size of one small or medium pancake from McDonald’s contains about 170 calories and 6 grams of fat.
If you eat two servings per day over an entire year, you will consume about 890 calories and 30 grams of fat each day.
This is not exactly healthy eating!
One large (7″) McDonald’s pancake contains about 190 calories and 9 grams of fat.
For reference, a cupcake from Starbucks usually has between 200–300 calories and 10 grams of fat.
That means, if you ate three cupscakes per day over a whole year, you would still only consume 2,000–3,000 calories and 90 grams of fat.
What Is The Allergen Information For A McDonald’s Pancake?
The ingredients list on the packaging may not always give you an accurate idea about what is actually inside your food.
This is because manufacturers often use “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) ingredients instead of specific allergens, which makes it difficult for consumers to identify exactly what is causing them to react negatively to certain foods.
But even if you don’t know what the ingredient is called, you should still look up its name online before eating anything from this restaurant chain.
If you see anything that sounds like it could cause you any problems, then avoid it!
It doesn’t matter whether or not it’s listed under one of those terms such as ‘natural flavorings’ or ‘hydrogenated oils’ – you need to learn the names of every single ingredient used in the product.
If you have concerns about something being harmful to your health, try looking into the Food Allergy Research & Education website.
They provide detailed reports detailing both known and suspected allergenic products found within each type of food category.
In addition to the ingredients, there are also some other important factors to consider when determining the safety of a particular food.
For example, how old is the food?
Is it fresh or frozen?
How long does it take for this food to spoil?
And how easy would it be for someone with allergies or sensitivities to eat this food safely?
You can find out these answers by checking out reviews on websites such as Yelp.com, TripAdvisor.com, Zomato.com, Citysearch.com, Urbanspoon.com, Google Reviews, and similar sites.
Each review will tell you everything you need to know about the quality of the food and service provided by a particular establishment.
Where Can I Find A McDonald’s Pancake Recipe?
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for an online recipe, one from your local McDonald’s restaurant, or even a specific kind of pancake offered by the chain – finding them will likely take some time.
First off, let’s talk about what makes up a McDonald’s pancake.
They have a variety of different kinds available depending on where you go, including plain, chocolate chip, blueberry, cinnamon roll, and apple pie.
Some locations also offer banana split pancakes, which are essentially two separate pancakes layered with ice cream and whipped topping.
You can order these pancakes as part of any combo meal, though most people choose to eat them individually.
They’re typically served warm, but you can ask for them cold too if you prefer.
You can also request them without syrup, although this isn’t always possible due to supply issues.
As far as pricing goes, you should expect to pay somewhere between $4-$5 per pancake, not including tax or tip.
If you want to save money, you might consider ordering a single serving instead of a whole stack.
Just make sure to read through the ingredients carefully before you place your order!
Is There A Vegan Or Gluten
These days you will see most McDonald’s locations offering multiple options for breakfast including the classic McMuffin (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich on a sesame seed roll), Egg McMuffins (an egg patty with hash browns, American cheese, and bacon) and French toast sticks (breaded up french fries).
You can also get your coffee fix from McDonald’s in several different ways including McCafé and Frappuccino, plus iced coffee is available in many locations as well.
But if you want something a little lighter than what comes out of the fryer, then consider making these homemade McDonald’s style pancakes instead.
The original recipe uses real eggs which makes them perfect for those who have an allergy, but if you don’t mind swapping in some flaxseed meal instead, then you can use this alternative.
If you’re looking for a healthier option, then try using almond flour instead of all purpose flour.
Equipment
- 1 Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Grease a griddle or frying pan and preheat it. (I favour using a griddle.)
- Make sure all the ingredients are well-combined to prevent lumps. Watch out not to combine too much.
- 1/3 cup of the batter should be poured. Flip the pancake over and cook the other side for approximately a minute when the edges start to dry up and the top starts to bubble.
- Any leftovers can be frozen after cooling. Reheat each pancake for about 20 seconds in the microwave.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.