How To Recreate McDonald's Hot Mustard With 2 Ingredients, According To Their Former Chef

Some folks love McDonald's for the burgers, some dig the world-famous fries. Then there's the third group: sauce fanatics. Whether you prefer to dip your chicken McNuggets in honey mustard or coat your fries with creamy ranch sauce, there are so many ways to get sauced at the Golden Arches. The chain currently has seven official sauces, but there's also an elusive regional one, hot mustard, that still exists out there in the ether. Though the sauce was officially discontinued in 2015, some franchise owners still carry it — if you know where to look.

Luckily, one former McDonald's corporate chef, Mike Haracz, stepped up to tell fans just how to make their own version of the cult favorite. In this TikTok video, he explains, "You have to buy these two things, okay? And for reference, the McDonald's hot mustard is a mayo-based sauce. The ingredient statement has egg yolk and oil, and all the things that go into making mayonnaise."

He continues: "You need to buy Heinz MayoMust, which is a newer item." Just like the name implies, the squeezable sauce is a mixture of creamy mayonnaise and zesty mustard. Haracz's final suggestion is: "...and then you need to buy Tabasco sauce." This iconic pepper sauce was invented in Louisiana after the Civil War and was originally meant to be sprinkled on food, not poured. Finally, he closes with: "...and you need to just give your little MayoMust a couple shots of Tabasco sauce, and you have a very, very close hot mustard dupe."

The combination of Heinz MayoMust and Tabasco sauce works so well because of how the ingredients complement each other chemically and flavor-wise. Mayomust provides the base, which gives it a creamy texture with a mild mustard bite. Tabasco is made from aged chili peppers, vinegar, and salt. When it's stirred into the rich mayo-mustard mix, it brings both spice and brightness. This flavor balancing act is a pretty good imitation of the real McDonald's version, which is known for being flavorful rather than fiery. 

As expected, this DIY sauce tastes great with chicken nuggets, but it also works well as a sandwich spread, especially on burgers or grilled chicken. And just like switching out the tartar sauce for Big Mac sauce upgrades your Filet-O-Fish, this hot mustard also works well with any kind of fish sandwich. Not only does it capture the original hot mustard flavor, but it recreates the same "dippable" texture as well.

If you want to push your sauce to be gourmet, there are a few easy tweaks you can do to make it more complex. A dash of soy sauce adds umami and depth, while a drop of honey adds a subtle sweetness. To kick the mustard up a few notches, sprinkle in mustard powder and let it rest for a while to let the flavors really meld. There's a reason we keep ranking this McDonald's dipping sauce as one of the better flavors, and now you can make it all by yourself.