Air Fryer Egg McMuffin (Copycat McDonald’s)

This air fryer Egg McMuffin gives you the drive-thru classic at home in about 15 minutes: a perfectly round egg, warm Canadian bacon, a slice of melty American cheese, and a buttery English muffin toasted golden. The air fryer cooks the egg gently in a ramekin, then crisps the muffin and heats the bacon in the same basket, so there is one appliance to clean.

I have been making these since 2020, and after a lot of mornings (and your comments), I have tightened up the method. The egg now cooks first at a lower temperature so it stays tender instead of rubbery, then everything else gets a quick, hot blast. No air fryer? I have also included skillet, oven, and griddle directions below, plus make-ahead and freezer instructions so you can stock up for busy weeks.

If you love the classic build, start here. If you are a bacon person, my crispy air fryer bacon slides right in where the Canadian bacon goes.

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Egg McMuffin

• Ready in about 15 minutes. Faster than idling in the drive-thru line on a weekday morning.
• That signature round egg. A greased ramekin shapes the egg to fit the muffin, just like the original.
• One basket, little cleanup. The egg, Canadian bacon and muffin all cook in the air fryer.
• You control what goes in. Real butter, your favorite cheese, and as much (or as little) salt as you like.
• Freezer friendly. Make six on Sunday and reheat them all week.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• English muffins: Split them with a fork rather than a knife for the craggy edges that toast up crisp.
• Large eggs: One per sandwich. Large eggs fill a 3.5 to 4-inch ramekin to the right thickness.
• Canadian bacon: The traditional McMuffin meat. It is cured pork loin, so it is lean and only needs warming. You can also cook a whole pack ahead using my Canadian bacon air fryer method.
• American cheese: It melts smooth and creamy, which is the whole point here. Cheddar works, but it melts slower.
• Butter: Softened, for the cut sides of the muffins.
• Salt and pepper: For the eggs. Go light on salt, since Canadian bacon and American cheese are already salty.
• Cooking spray: For the ramekins so the eggs release cleanly.

Equipment: an air fryer, two 3.5 to 4-inch oven-safe ramekins or silicone egg rings, and a fork.

How to Make an Egg McMuffin in the Air Fryer

Step 1: Preheat. Set the air fryer to 330°F (165°C) and preheat for 3 minutes.

Step 2: Prep the eggs. Spray two ramekins with cooking spray. Crack one egg into each, then gently pierce the yolk with a fork so it cooks flat and firm like the original. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 3: Cook the eggs low and slow. Place the ramekins in the basket and air fry at 330°F (165°C) for 8 to 10 minutes. Start checking at 7 minutes. The eggs are done when the whites are fully opaque and the yolk no longer jiggles. Remove the ramekins and set them aside.

Step 4: Toast the muffins and warm the bacon. Raise the heat to 380°F (195°C). Butter the cut sides of the muffins and place them cut-side up in the basket with the Canadian bacon. Air fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the muffin edges are golden and the bacon is hot and lightly browned.

Step 5: Assemble. Run a butter knife around each ramekin and slide the egg out. Stack the bottom muffin, Canadian bacon, egg and a slice of American cheese, then add the top.

Step 6: Melt the cheese. Return the sandwiches to the basket at 300°F (150°C) for about 1 minute, just until the cheese softens.

Step 7: The drive-thru trick. Wrap each sandwich in parchment or foil and let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes. The trapped steam softens the muffin and melts everything together, exactly like the paper-wrapped original.

Every air fryer runs a little different, so treat these times as a starting point and check early the first time you make them.

Other Ways to Cook a Copycat Egg McMuffin

The air fryer is my favorite, but the same sandwich comes together on the stove, in the oven, or on a griddle.

Skillet (Stovetop) Method

1. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Set a greased egg ring (or the metal ring from a wide-mouth canning lid) in the pan.
2. Crack the egg into the ring, pierce the yolk, and season. Pour 1 tablespoon of water into the pan outside the ring and cover with a lid. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is firm.
3. Move the egg to a plate. Brown the Canadian bacon in the same pan for about 1 minute per side.
4. Toast the buttered muffin halves cut-side down in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then assemble, top with cheese, and cover for 30 seconds to melt.

Oven Method (Best for a Batch of 6 to 12)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a jumbo muffin tin or oven-safe ramekins.
2. Crack one egg into each cup, pierce the yolks, and season. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are firm.
3. During the last 5 minutes, put the buttered muffin halves and Canadian bacon on a sheet pan on the rack below.
4. Assemble with cheese and return to the oven for 1 minute to melt. This is the method I use when I am filling the freezer.

Griddle or Blackstone Method

1. Heat the griddle to medium-low and lightly butter it. Set greased egg rings on the surface.
2. Crack in the eggs, pierce the yolks, and season. Squirt a little water around the rings and cover with a basting dome for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Warm the Canadian bacon and toast the buttered muffins on a hotter zone of the griddle at the same time.
4. Assemble, add cheese, and cover with the dome for 30 seconds. You can feed a crowd in one round; more flat-top ideas are in my Blackstone recipes.

Air Fryer Oven or Toaster Oven

Use the same temperatures as the air fryer method on the middle rack, and add 1 to 2 minutes to the egg time. Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex and other basket models follow the main recipe as written.

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Egg McMuffin

• Cook the egg first, on its own. Eggs want gentle heat; muffins and bacon want high heat. Doing them in two stages fixes the rubbery-egg problem.
• Grease the ramekins well. A good coat of spray (including the sides) means the egg slides right out in one round piece.
• Pierce the yolk. It keeps the egg level so the sandwich does not slide apart, and it cooks more evenly.
• Don’t skip the wrap. A minute or two in parchment is what turns a good homemade sandwich into one that tastes like the real thing.
• Add the cheese last. If it goes in with the muffin at 380°F it can scorch before the muffin is toasted.

Variations

• Sausage McMuffin with Egg: Swap the Canadian bacon for a sausage patty. Cook the patties first using my air fryer breakfast sausages method, then follow the recipe from step 4.
• Bacon, Egg and Cheese: Use two strips of crispy air fryer bacon per sandwich, or go sweet-and-salty with brown sugar candied bacon.
• Bagel version: For a heartier sandwich, try my air fryer bagel breakfast sandwiches with egg, sausage and cheese.
• Hash brown “bun”: Skip the bread and build it between crispy potato patties with my air fryer hash brown breakfast sandwiches.
• Low-carb: Lose the muffin and bake everything in a cup instead, like these air fryer Canadian bacon egg cups.
• Cheese swaps: Pepper jack, Swiss, Colby Jack or sharp cheddar all work; give firmer cheeses an extra 30 seconds to melt.
• Vegetarian: Use a plant-based breakfast patty, or add a slice of tomato and a handful of spinach.

Make Ahead, Storing and Reheating

• Fridge: Let the sandwiches cool completely, wrap each one in parchment, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Wrap each cooled sandwich in parchment, then foil, and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Label the bag with the date.
• Reheat from the fridge: Unwrap, then air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 3 to 5 minutes, or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 45 to 60 seconds.
• Reheat from frozen: Air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Or thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.

The oven method above is the easiest way to make a dozen at once for the freezer.

What to Serve With an Egg McMuffin

For the full drive-thru experience, pair it with crispy air fryer breakfast potatoes and a homemade café mocha latte. Fresh berries, orange slices or a cold Ninja Creami berry smoothie keep it light.

Hosting brunch? Set out a bowl of yogurt topped with air fryer cranberry granola and something sweet like an air fryer raspberry Danish.

Air Fryer Egg McMuffin FAQs

How long do you cook an egg in the air fryer for an Egg McMuffin? In a greased ramekin, air fry at 330°F (165°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, until the white is opaque and the yolk is firm. Start checking at 7 minutes.

Can I cook the egg without a ramekin? Yes. A greased silicone egg ring or the metal ring from a wide-mouth canning lid, set on a piece of parchment, works too. Add a minute if the ring is wider.

What cheese does McDonald’s use on an Egg McMuffin? A slice of American cheese. It melts quickly and evenly, which is why I use it here.

Why is my air fryer egg rubbery? The heat is too high or it cooked too long. Cook the egg on its own at 330°F and pull it as soon as the yolk sets.

Can I put everything in the air fryer at once? You can, but the egg will be overcooked by the time the muffin is toasted, or the muffin will be pale when the egg is done. Two stages takes the same total time and tastes much better.

How do I reheat a frozen Egg McMuffin in the air fryer? Air fry at 320°F (160°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until hot in the center.

Can I make Egg McMuffins in bulk? Yes. Use the oven method to bake 6 to 12 eggs at a time, then assemble, wrap and freeze.