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McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes: calories, sodium and protein by portion, age and sex

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes: three hotcakes with syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash brown and a biscuit

Boone’s analysis puts McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes at 67% of an adult’s daily calories, 138% of the daily sodium limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 10.2 teaspoons of added sugar.

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes? It contains 1,340 calories, 63g of fat (24g saturated), 41g of added sugar and 2,070mg of sodium, one of the higher-calorie items on the menu.

Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own. Add fries, a drink, dips and a dessert, then choose your age and sex, and switch between US and UK guidance, for a more accurate view of how a Big Breakfast with Hotcakes fits into a day.

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Nutrition information

Nutrition information: McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

Calories1,340
Total fat63g
of which saturated24g
Trans fat0.5g
Carbohydrate158g
Total sugars48g
Includes added sugars41g
Fibre5g
Protein36g
Sodium2,070mg

Nutrition figures are McDonald’s USA published data, per item as sold and before any optional sauces or extras. Boone converts them to the portion and age comparisons on this page.

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 1,340 calories, which is 67% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 63g of total fat, of which 24g is saturated, 48g of total sugars (41g added), 2,070mg of sodium, 36g of protein and 5g of fibre.

The saturated fat content of 24g represents 120% of the 20g Daily Value.

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is assembled from 9 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The hotcakes alone carries 7 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names corn syrups and invert sugar, dextrose, modified starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, processed cellulose, flavourings, flavour enhancers, colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, hydrogenated or interesterified oils and protein and dairy fractions. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, storage and transport.

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is over the US per-meal added sugar limit

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 41g of added sugar, 4.1 times the 10g per-meal limit in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The same guidelines recommend no added sugar at all for children aged 10 and under. It is also high in sodium and high in saturated fat.

FDA Daily Values (2,000-calorie diet)

Calories2,000
Total fat78g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate275g
Added sugars50g
Fibre28g
Sodium2,300mg
Protein50g

Added sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

41g of the 48g counts as added sugar, or about 10.2 teaspoons. The other 7g is naturally occurring.

Added sugars come from

  • sugar, dextrose in the hotcakes
  • sugar in the biscuit
  • corn syrup, sugar in the hotcake syrup
  • dextrose in the hash browns
  • dextrose, sugar in the sausage patty

Naturally occurring sugars come from

  • lactose in the hotcakes
  • lactose in the biscuit
  • lactose in the hash browns
  • lactose in the salted whipped butter
  • lactose in the salted butter
  • lactose in the clarified butter

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030: no more than 10g of added sugar per meal from age 11 and none for children aged 10 and under. FDA Daily Value: 50g a day. Sources are read from the published ingredient list for each component.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing and additives: McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is assembled from 9 separately manufactured components, combined and served at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains corn syrups and invert sugar, dextrose, modified starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, processed cellulose, flavourings, flavour enhancers, colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, hydrogenated or interesterified oils and protein and dairy fractions. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.

Corn syrups and invert sugar

Sweeten and control texture more cheaply than sugar alone. Found in the hotcake syrup.

Dextrose

A simple sugar used for browning, bulk and mild sweetness. Found in the hotcakes, hash browns and sausage patty.

Modified starches

Starches altered industrially to thicken, bind or hold texture through freezing and reheating. Found in the biscuit.

Emulsifiers

Help oil-based and water-based ingredients blend and stay blended. Found in the hotcakes and biscuit.

Thickeners and gums

Thicken sauces, fillings and drinks and stop them separating. Found in the hotcakes and biscuit.

Processed cellulose

Plant fibre processed into a bulking, anti-caking or texturing agent. Found in the biscuit.

Flavourings

Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the hotcakes, biscuit, hotcake syrup, hash browns and sausage patty.

Flavour enhancers

Boost savoury taste so less of the underlying ingredient is needed. Found in the hash browns.

Colours

Restore or standardise appearance after processing. Found in the hotcakes and hotcake syrup.

Preservatives

Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the hotcake syrup.

Phosphates and raising agents

Hold moisture in meat, control acidity or make batters and doughs rise. Found in the hotcakes, biscuit and hash browns.

Hydrogenated or interesterified oils

Industrially hardened fats used for stability and frying life. Found in the hash browns.

Protein and dairy fractions

Isolated proteins and dairy by-products used to add bulk, structure or a creamy texture. Found in the hotcakes and biscuit.

Boone classifies McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes as NOVA group 4, ultra-processed, based on the additives named above. NOVA groups foods by how far they are from their whole-food form, not by how nutritious they are. A group 4 food is not automatically unhealthy, and a group 1 food is not automatically healthy. Read from the published ingredient list, September 2026.

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains at least 49 distinct ingredients: 18 raw and 31 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 75, of which 42 are manufactured. Raw means something you could buy and cook with at home; manufactured means a substance that only exists as an output of industrial processing.

Ingredient count by order: McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

What you orderRawManufacturedTotal% manufactured
McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes on its own18314963%
McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes + medium fries19315062%
McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes + fries + a dip27366357%
McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola28386658%
McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes + fries + dip + drink + an OREO McFlurry33427556%

The 31 manufactured ingredients

beta carotene, caramel color, carrageenan, citric acid, corn syrup, dextrose, extractives of black pepper, folic acid, hydrogenated soybean oil, locust bean gum, modified cellulose, modified food starch, mono and diglycerides, monocalcium phosphate, natural beef flavor, natural flavor, niacin, nonfat dry milk, potassium sorbate, propylene glycol monoesters of fats and fatty acids, reduced iron, riboflavin, rosemary extract, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, thiamine mononitrate, wheat protein isolate, whey, xanthan gum.

The 18 raw ingredients

baking soda, bleached wheat flour, canola oil, corn flour, cream, cultured skim milk, dehydrated potato, egg, palm kernel oil, palm oil, pork, potato, salt, soybean oil, spice, sugar, water, wheat flour.

What those ingredients are, by type

Other additives and processing aids10
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs7
Vitamins and fortification5
Oils and fats5
Grains and flours4
Sugars and syrups3
Acids and acidity regulators3
Fruit, vegetables and nuts3
Flavourings and extracts3
Colours2
Water1
Salt and minerals1
Starches1
Herbs and spices1

Boone counts every distinct named ingredient on McDonald’s published component lists, including sub-ingredients, and removes duplicates, so salt appearing in four components counts once. Additive class names are dropped and the named substance kept, so “leavening (baking soda)” counts baking soda once. Ice and water added at the counter are not counted. Raw covers whole foods and basic kitchen staples such as flour, sugar, salt and oil. Manufactured covers substances that only exist as an output of industrial processing. Every figure here is a minimum. The build uses a Sweet ’n Sour sauce.

Ingredients

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is assembled from 9 separately manufactured components.

Ingredients by component: McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

Hotcakes

Water, Enriched Flour (wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Whey, Corn Flour, Soybean Oil, Sugar, Eggs, Leavening (baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Emulsifier (mono And Diglycerides, Propylene Glycol Monoesters Of Fats And Fatty Acids, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate), Salt, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavors, Beta Carotene (color), Soy Lecithin.

Scrambled eggs

Eggs, Citric Acid.

Biscuit

Enriched Flour (bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Cultured Nonfat Buttermilk (cultured Skim Milk, Nonfat Dry Milk, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan), Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Water, Leavening (sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Contains 2% Or Less: Salt, Sugar, Modified Cellulose, Wheat Protein Isolate, Natural Flavor, Modified Food Starch, Xanthan Gum, Soy Lecithin.

Hotcake syrup

Corn Syrup, Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Caramel Color.

Hash browns

Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [wheat And Milk Derivatives]*), Salt, Corn Flour, Dehydrated Potato, Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (maintain Color), Extractives Of Black Pepper. *Natural Beef Flavor Contains Hydrolyzed Wheat And Hydrolyzed Milk As Starting Ingredients.

Sausage patty

Pork, Water, Salt, Spices, Dextrose, Sugar, Rosemary Extract, Natural Flavors.

Salted whipped butter

Sweet Cream, Salt.

Salted butter

Cream, Salt.

Clarified butter

Pasteurized Cream (butterfat).

Ingredients taken from the McDonald’s USA product pages, retrieved September 2026, with obvious spelling errors corrected. Recipes change - always check in restaurant before ordering if you have an allergy.

Allergens at a glance

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains wheat, egg, milk and soy.

Allergen information: McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

AllergenStatus
MilkContains
EggsContains
FishNot declared
Crustacean shellfishNot declared
Tree nutsNot declared
PeanutsNot declared
WheatContains
SoybeansContains
SesameNot declared

The frying oil includes natural beef flavour made with hydrolysed wheat and milk, so the fries and hash browns are not vegetarian. Contains = declared by McDonald’s USA. May contain = McDonald’s states the allergen may be present. McDonald’s prepares food in shared kitchens, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free. UK rules also require barley, oats, mustard, celery and sulphites to be declared; these are shown where the ingredient list names them. Retrieved September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 1,340 calories, which is 67% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value and 89% of the daily needs of a moderately active child aged 4 to 8.

How much added sugar is in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 41g of added sugar, about 10.2 teaspoons, which is 82% of the 50g FDA Daily Value.

Is McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes within US sugar guidance for children?+

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 recommend no added sugar for children aged 10 and under and no more than 10g per meal from age 11. With 41g of added sugar, McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is over both.

How much saturated fat is in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes?+

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 24g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 120% of the 20g Daily Value and 141% of the 17g limit for a child aged 4 to 8.

How much sodium is in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes?+

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 2,070mg of sodium. Boone calculates that as 138% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 90% of the 2,300mg adult limit.

Is McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes as NOVA group 4. Reading the published ingredient list, it is assembled from 9 separately manufactured components and contains corn syrups and invert sugar, dextrose, modified starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, processed cellulose, flavourings, flavour enhancers, colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, hydrogenated or interesterified oils and protein and dairy fractions. NOVA group 4 describes how far a food is from its whole-food form, not how nutritious it is.

How much fibre is in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes?+

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 5g of fibre. Boone calculates that as 18% of the 28g Daily Value and 24% of the 21g target for a child aged 4 to 8. Fibre is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under.

Is McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes suitable for children?+

Boone’s analysis flags that its 2,070mg of sodium is 138% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8; its 41g of added sugar is above the Dietary Guidelines advice of no added sugar for children aged 10 and under; its 24g of saturated fat is 141% of their daily limit. That does not make it off limits, but it does mean a Big Breakfast with Hotcakes uses up a large share of a young child’s day in one item.

How much protein is in a McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes?+

McDonald's US Big Breakfast with Hotcakes contains 36g of protein, which Boone calculates as 72% of the 50g Daily Value.