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“Bring it back!” “Bring it back!” That’s what a lot of folks are saying when they think about McDonald’s Cheddar Melt, which first came out around 2000, but it wasn’t available for long. But, so far, no luck. That’s when you have to step up and make it at home. And hey, to be honest.. it’s even better than I rememeber!
The real winning flavor on these McDonald’s Cheddar Melts is the onion and teriyaki mixture. It compliments the meaty burger and creamy cheddar sauce perfectly. I grilled my burgers because, well, that’s what I do, but you can also cook the burgers in the same pan that you cook the onions.
The cheese and onions are also perfect on hot dogs, so don’t be afraid to double or even triple the recipe. And hey, a dash or two of hot sauce isn’t a bad idea either. But don’t go crazy with it. You definitely do not want to hide the wonderful flavor of the toppings on these McDonald’s Cheddar Melts. Heck, you could just eat the cheese and onion with a spoon!
After enjoying a McDonald’s Cheddar Melt try a homemade Arch Deluxe. It’s crazy good too! If you’re in a hurry you’ll still have time to make a quick fix copycat McDonald’s Chicken Sandwich.
McDonald’s Cheddar Melt
Ingredients
For the cheese sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted. butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- pinch Kosher salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
For the onions
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon Teriyaki sauce store-bought or use my homemade version, below
For the burgers
- 4 burger patties
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
For the teriyaki sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 cup water divided
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
For the cheese sauce
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan.
- Whisk in the flour until combined. Cook for 1-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Whisk in the milk and continue whisking for 3 minutes to thicken.
- Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to low until ready to use.
For the onions
- Add oil to a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute until tender.
- Stir in the teriyaki sauce.
- Reduce heat to low until ready to use.
For the burger
- Season burgers well with salt and pepper. Fire up your grill for direct and indirect cooking. Optionally, you can cook the burgers in the same skillet as you cook the onions.
- Grill burgers to desired doneness.
- Toast buns if desired.
- Assemble burgers by placing patties on buns. Top with cheese sauce and onion mixture.
For the teriyaki sauce.(makes more than you’ll need for the burgers)
- Place 3/4 cup water, ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar, and honey in a saucepan over medium heat.
- In a small cup or bowl combine 1/4 cup of water and the cornstarch. Whisk the mixture into the saucepan.
- Heat until sauce is the desired thickness, about 3 minutes. If too thick whisk in a bit more water.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I haven’t had one of McDonald’s Cheddar Melts since they briefly brought them back in the early 90’s
It came out waaay before 2000. More like 1986ish a couple of years after the McNuggets. It was awesome boy I wish they brought that back. The key is to steam the rye buns like they do.
i think your right, steaming the rye buns sounds like the key. thank you
and ya it came out around 86 but then again for the burger of the month around 2000
It was 1986 my senior year. There was no cheese sauce. I worked there , I know. It was also on a dark rye bun, and the aka cheese ,was a cheese spread like shultes sharp Chedder spread.
There was a cheese sauce in 88
I worked at mcdonalds 1987-1989 and we had cheddar melts