McDonalds Sweet and Sour Sauce (Printable Version)

Tangy, sweet dipping sauce inspired by McDonalds, ready in 15 minutes with simple ingredients.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base Ingredients

01 - 1/2 cup apricot preserves
02 - 1/4 cup canned pineapple juice
03 - 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
04 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
05 - 3 tablespoons ketchup
06 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Thickener

08 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
09 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Optional Enhancements

10 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

# Method:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine apricot preserves, pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and salt.
02 - Place over medium heat and whisk until smooth and heated through, about 3–4 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a smooth slurry.
04 - Pour the slurry into the saucepan while stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
05 - Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 2–3 minutes.
06 - Stir in garlic powder and onion powder if using for extra depth of flavor.
07 - Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

# Chef's Tips:

01 -
  • Takes fifteen minutes start to finish and costs a fraction of store bought dipping sauces
  • That glossy restaurant style texture that clings perfectly to nuggets instead of sliding right off
  • Customizable heat level and sweetness so it becomes exactly YOUR sauce
02 -
  • The sauce thickens considerably as it cools, so remove it from heat when it still looks slightly thinner than you want
  • Whisk the cornstarch slurry again right before adding because the powder settles to the bottom fast
  • Straining through a fine mesh sieve eliminates any fruit chunks from the preserves for that perfectly smooth finish
03 -
  • Use fresh pineapple juice instead of canned if you want a brighter fruit flavor
  • Let the sauce cool completely before transferring to storage containers to prevent condensation

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