✔ Published · new copycat recipe with homemade angry sauce + angry onions
This copycat Angry Whopper loads a flame-grilled beef patty with pepper jack, bacon, jalapeños and crispy spicy onions, then smothers it in creamy homemade angry sauce. It's the Whopper's fiery cousin, and you control the heat!
What Is an Angry Whopper? (Quick Answer)
The Angry Whopper is a spicy Whopper built with pepper jack cheese, bacon, jalapeños, crispy fried 'angry onions' and a spicy angry sauce. It was on the Burger King menu as a limited-time item and has returned in some places since. To make a copycat, grill thin beef patties to 160°F (71°C), top with pepper jack, and stack with bacon, jalapeños, spicy fried onions and a mayo-hot sauce angry sauce.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Make the angry sauce first and let it chill while you cook. The cayenne and smoked paprika bloom in the mayo, so after 20 minutes it tastes hotter, rounder and seriously addictive.
Why You'll Love This Angry Whopper Copycat
- Three layers of heat: angry sauce, jalapeños and cayenne-dusted crispy onions.
- Cooling pepper jack and smoky bacon balance the spice.
- Adjustable heat, from mild for the family to fiery for spice fans.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Control the heat. Cooking for spice-shy folks? Skip the cayenne in the sauce and use pickled jalapeños, which are gentler than fresh.
- Fry the onions last-minute or hold them warm. They stay crisp for about 20 minutes on a rack, or in a 200°F oven. Try not to snack on them all before the burgers are done!
- Shortcut onions: toss 1 1/2 cups store-bought crispy fried onions with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and warm them in a 350°F oven for 3 minutes. Nobody will know.
- Thin, wide patties. Press them wider than the bun; they shrink as they cook and get those gorgeous char marks fast on a very hot grill.
- Check 160°F. Ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C) in the center on an instant-read thermometer. Fiery outside, safe inside.
Copycat Angry Whopper with Angry Sauce
4
burgers25
minutes20
minutes940
kcal45
minutesA copycat-style Angry Whopper: wide, thin flame-grilled beef patties cooked to 160°F, topped with pepper jack cheese, crisp bacon, jalapeño slices, crispy cayenne-dusted fried onions, lettuce and tomato, with a creamy, spicy homemade angry sauce on a toasted sesame bun.
Ingredients
- For the Angry Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper hot sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- For the Angry Onions
1 small yellow onion, sliced into thin rings
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups neutral oil, for frying
- For the Burgers
1 pound ground beef, 80/20
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 bacon slices
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 large sesame seed hamburger buns
1/3 cup fresh or pickled jalapeño slices
1 1/2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 ripe tomato, cut into 8 thin slices
Directions
- Make the Sauce and Onions
- Whisk all of the angry sauce ingredients together, cover and refrigerate.
- Soak the onion rings in the buttermilk for 10 minutes. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) in a small heavy pot. Mix the flour, salt, cayenne and chili powder, toss the drained onions in it, shake off the excess and fry in 2 batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
- Cook the Bacon and Patties
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Divide the beef into 4 portions of 4 ounces and press each into a thin patty about 5 inches wide, with a small dimple in the center. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill to high (450 to 500°F) or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until charred and 160°F (71°C) in the center. Lay a slice of pepper jack on each patty for the last minute to melt. Toast the buns on the grill for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Build
- Spread angry sauce on both bun halves. On each bottom bun layer lettuce, tomato, the cheesy patty, 2 strips of bacon, jalapeño slices and a pile of angry onions. Close and serve right away.
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Angry Sauce on Its Own
The sauce is worth making in a double batch. It takes 2 minutes and keeps for up to 1 week in a covered jar in the fridge. Use it on burgers and chicken sandwiches, or as a dip for fries, onion rings and chicken fries.
| Heat level | Change to the sauce |
|---|---|
| Mild | Skip the sriracha and cayenne; add 1 extra teaspoon honey |
| Medium | Make as written but skip the cayenne |
| Hot (as written) | Full recipe |
| Extra hot | Add 1 teaspoon habanero hot sauce |
Angry Whopper vs. Classic Whopper
Both start with the same wide, thin, flame-grilled beef patty on a sesame bun. The classic copycat Whopper keeps it simple with mayo, ketchup, pickles, onion, lettuce and tomato. The Angry version swaps in pepper jack, bacon, jalapeños, crispy spicy onions and angry sauce, and drops the ketchup and pickles. Prefer it meat-free? Our plant-based Impossible Whopper copycat keeps the classic toppings.
More Burger King Copycat Recipes
For other burgers, try our copycat Whopper, or slather our Burger King Stacker sauce on a double bacon cheeseburger. Serve with Burger King onion rings and browse all of our Burger King copycat recipes. Feeling extra hungry? Our copycat Bacon King stacks two quarter-pound patties with thick-cut bacon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on an Angry Whopper?
The Angry Whopper has been sold as a spicy take on the Whopper, built with a flame-grilled beef patty, pepper jack cheese, bacon, jalapeños, crispy fried 'angry onions', lettuce, tomato and a spicy angry sauce on a sesame bun. This copycat recreates that build at home.
What is angry sauce made of?
Burger King doesn't publish its recipe. This copycat angry sauce is mayonnaise mixed with cayenne pepper hot sauce, a little sriracha, honey, lime juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder and cayenne. It's creamy, tangy and spicy.
Is the Angry Whopper still on the menu?
It's been a limited-time item that was on the menu in the past and has returned in some markets from time to time. Availability changes by location, so check the Burger King app. This recipe lets you make one any time.
How spicy is this copycat?
With the full amounts it's hot but not extreme. For a milder burger, leave the cayenne out of the sauce and onions and use pickled jalapeños. For more heat, add a few dashes of habanero hot sauce to the sauce.
Can I use angry sauce on other things?
Yes. It's great on chicken sandwiches, as a dip for fries, onion rings and chicken fries, or thinned with a splash of lime juice as a spicy slaw dressing. It keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week.
