A scratch-made McGriddle-style breakfast sandwich featuring homemade pancake buns with embedded maple syrup balls, crispy bacon, folded eggs, and melted pepper jack and cheddar cheese. The standout is the burst of maple flavor from the caramelized syrup balls baked into the griddle cakes.
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Maple Syrup Balls: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the maple syrup to a simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent it from foaming over, until it reaches 265°F (130°C). It will take about 10-15 minutes.
Pour the mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread it out evenly before it cools. Once in an even layer, let cool to room temperature; the syrup will set as it cools.
Once cooled, cut the maple syrup into little pieces using scissors and roll each piece into a ball, about a ¼" (6mm) in diameter. Place back on a parchment lined tray and repeat with the remaining maple syrup. Set aside.
Bacon: Lay the bacon in a single layer in a cold pan or griddle. Set to medium heat and cook, turning often, until the bacon is nicely browned and crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside until assembly.
Griddle Cakes: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Once combined, whisk in the milk, egg, and melted butter until a smooth batter forms.
Lightly grease a 3-3.5" (7.5-9cm) ring mold with butter. Heat a flat top or nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Once hot, add 1 Tbsp of butter to grease the cooking surface. Once the butter melts and begins to bubble, place your greased ring mold in the butter and add about 3 Tbsp of batter to the mold. Sprinkle 4-6 maple syrup balls evenly across the top of the batter and gently poke them into the batter with a skewer or spatula, until they are just covered. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely browned on the bottom. Remove the ring mold, flip, and repeat on the other side. Rinse and repeat with remaining batter, making a total of 10-14 griddle cakes.
Egg: Whisk 1 egg in a small mixing bowl until homogenous and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a flat top or nonstick skillet over medium heat, and once hot, lightly butter the surface. Pour on the beaten egg and use an offset spatula to immediately spread it into a 6x6" (15x15cm) square.
Once the egg is cooked 75% of the way, fold the right side of the egg towards the center and then fold the left side towards the center to meet the right side. Next fold the top down towards the center and finally the bottom up towards the center to meet the top, creating a square approximately the diameter of the griddle cake. Remove immediately.
Repeat with the remaining eggs, depending on how many sandwiches you are making.
McGriddle Assembly: Place 2 griddle cakes back in the pan you used to cook the egg. Place a slice of pepper jack cheese and cheddar cheese on the bottom bun, cover with a metal bowl, and let melt. Alternatively you can melt the cheese with a blowtorch.
Top the melted cheese with 3 half slices of bacon followed by the egg. Brush the inner side of the top griddle cake with maple syrup and then top the sandwich with this. Repeat making the remaining sandwiches, serve and enjoy.
Store cooked griddle cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat on a griddle over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side. Bacon keeps refrigerated 3-4 days and can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Assemble sandwiches fresh for best results.
ring mold (3-3.5" diameter) · candy thermometer · flat top griddle or nonstick skillet · offset spatula · kitchen torch (optional, for melting cheese)
Heat maple syrup to 265°F (130°C) over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, pour onto parchment, let cool to room temperature, then cut into pieces and roll into ¼" balls.
Yes. Cook the griddle cakes, cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat on a griddle over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side before assembly.
The maple syrup balls are caramelized and baked into the batter, creating bursts of intense maple flavor and chewy texture throughout the griddle cakes, rather than syrup drizzled on top.
The ring mold (3-3.5" diameter) shapes the griddle cakes to sandwich size; you could use a greased biscuit cutter or English muffin ring as alternatives, though exact sizing may vary.
Cook 2-3 minutes on the first side until nicely browned, then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes on the second side until golden and cooked through.
