Klondike upset devoted fans when it revealed earlier this year that it would stop making the Choco Taco.
Good news: you can recreate a Choco Taco in your own kitchen.
Actually, the web is full of copycat recipes for signature items from restaurants and fast-food joints. We gathered some of the top recipes so you can enjoy your favorites at home while keeping more cash in your pocket.
10 Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home for Less
Choco Taco
Leading off is an ice cream truck classic rather than a dine-in staple. Klondike broke a lot of hearts this summer when it discontinued the adored confection.
Fortunately, the internet responded with plenty of do-it-yourself versions.
Tip: Stroopwafels are the secret to a homemade Choco Taco. If you’re unfamiliar, these caramel-filled waffle cookies soften and bend into a taco shape when warmed. They’re a worthwhile grocery addition — an eight-pack at Target runs about $5, while Amazon offers larger quantities at various prices.
This particular how-to is adapted from kitchn.com.
Ingredients
Ice cream of your choice
One eight-count box of Stroopwafels
4 ounces dark chocolate
6 ounces heavy cream
1 tablespoon coconut oil
⅓ cup chopped nuts
Directions
Combine the chocolate and coconut oil together.
Heat the heavy cream until it boils, then pour it over the chocolate mixture.
Let it stand for a minute or two, then stir until smooth. Fold in the chopped nuts.
Warm the stroopwafels over medium heat for 15 to 20 seconds per side. Form them into taco shells and allow to cool.
Fill the shells with ice cream and freeze for an hour.
Dip each taco into the chocolate coating. Freeze again to set.
Chick-fil-A Chicken
Many sites have reverse-engineered the seasoning and method behind this hugely popular chicken sandwich.
Here’s a copycat from Mashed.com. Making it at home not only saves money, it also spares you from long queues and winding drive-thru lanes.
Ingredients
4 thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 2 breasts butterflied
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 cup oil for frying
Directions
Pound the chicken breasts until thin.
Mix the flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper and paprika on a plate.
Whisk together the egg and milk to make an egg wash, then dip the chicken into it.
Coat the chicken thoroughly with the seasoned flour mix.
Dip the chicken back into the egg wash and then into the flour mixture again.
Heat the oil and fry the chicken for about three minutes per side.
Assemble the sandwich on a bun, adding tomato, lettuce and cheese.
Orange Julius
No mall visit is necessary to enjoy this frosty, orange-flavored classic that’s been a mall staple for years.
This rendition comes from Thecountrycook.com.
Ingredients
1 12-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
⅓ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ice cubes
Directions
Blend all ingredients together until frothy. Divide into four glasses and garnish with an orange slice, if desired.
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice
Chipotle’s cilantro-lime rice pairs well with chicken, fish or beef and is perfect inside burritos, tacos or alongside quesadillas.
This copycat is based on a recipe from tasteofhome.com.
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine rice and broth and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Stir in lime juice, cilantro and nutmeg, then fluff with a fork.
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Whether you love Red Lobster or just enjoy seafood at home, their Cheddar Bay Biscuits are a delicious complement to any seafood meal.
Here’s a copycat from DamnDelicious.com.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne.
In another bowl, mix buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently fold in the cheese.
Use a 1/4-cup scoop to portion the batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
For the topping, combine melted butter, parsley and a bit of garlic powder. Brush the warm biscuits with the butter mixture and serve immediately.
Starbucks Eggwhite Bites
Somehow a coffee chain made egg whites trendy and tasty.
Starbucks’ Egg White Bites are a popular lighter option — perfect for commuters, parents and anyone watching carbs.
This version is adapted from themodernnonna.com.
Ingredients
½ cup egg whites
Pinch of salt
⅓ cup cottage cheese
½ cup grated mozzarella or your preferred cheese
Finely diced bell pepper
Finely chopped spinach
Boiling water
Cooking spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a blender, combine egg whites, salt, cottage cheese and mozzarella. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds. Place a silicone muffin tray in a larger baking pan and spray the cups with cooking spray.
Distribute bell pepper and spinach among the muffin cups, then pour in the egg mixture.
Set the baking pan (with the muffin tin) on a lower rack in the oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the muffin tin. Bake without opening the door for at least 25 minutes, until set.
Store refrigerated for up to three days and reheat in the microwave, or cool and freeze for up to two months.
Bojangles Chicken
It couldn’t be simpler to mimic Bojangles’ seasoning at home. The chain — with hundreds of locations across the Southeast — offers a two-pack of Bo’s Famous Seasoning for $5.99, so you can sprinkle the same flavors onto your grilled or fried chicken.
Purchase the seasoning from the Bojangles online store here.
Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty
This copycat from OneSweetAppetite.com yields about eight generous servings of the beloved drive-thru dessert.
Dipping fries is optional.
Ingredients
½ gallon chocolate milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 container Cool Whip, original
Directions
Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and place it in the freezer.
Whisk every 20 minutes for one to two hours, until it reaches a Frosty-like texture.
Dairy Queen Blizzard
This imitation from TheBakerMama is so convincing you can try Dairy Queen’s signature trick: invert the cup without losing your treat or spoon.
Here’s the Oreo Blizzard recipe, though you can swap in your favorite cookie, candy or fruit. Key advice: use a mixer rather than a blender for best texture.
Ingredients
6 scoops vanilla (or other) ice cream or frozen yogurt
⅓ cup crushed Oreos (or M&M’s, Butterfinger, Snickers, Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter cups, Nutter Butters, granola, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, cake, etc.)
Directions
Chill the bowl of a stand mixer in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before making this.
Scoop ice cream into the cold bowl. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium until creamy, about a minute, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add your mix-ins and pulse briefly on low until distributed throughout the ice cream.
Divide into four cups and enjoy immediately.
McDonald’s Apple Pies
These handheld pies are great for breakfast or family road trips — and you can make them at home for less with this copycat from BiggerBolderBaking.com.
Recipe adapted from BiggerBolderBaking.com.
Ingredients
¼ cup butter
4 apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
⅔ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
Juice of one lemon
3 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon water
Puff pastry sheets
Egg wash
Cinnamon sugar for dusting
Directions
In a shallow saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice. Cook until the liquid reduces and the apples are tender.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour and water to make a slurry. Stir it into the cooked apple mixture and simmer for 2 minutes to thicken the filling.
Remove the filling from heat and let it cool completely.
Roll the puff pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into eight 4.5×6-inch rectangles and arrange them on two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Place roughly 1–2 heaped teaspoons of the apple filling in the center of each rectangle.
Brush the edges with egg wash, fold the pastry over, and seal by pressing with a fork.
Cut three slits on top to vent. Brush the tops with egg wash or a bit of milk and generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for about 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
