If you like a good grilled cheese, please take a moment to check out this recipe. You’ll find an Elevated Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe) that is easy to prepare and tastes incredible!
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What’s gooey, cheesy, buttery, warm and delicious?
If you guessed Starbucks Grilled Cheese, you are 100% correct!
All that’s needed is three different types of cheeses you can find anywhere…
…a little bit of butter…
…and some incredible bread.
With those few ingredients, I’ll show you how to create a grilled cheese sandwich unlike anything you’ve had before.
Elevated Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe)
What makes this grilled cheese sandwich special?
In my opinion, it’s the way these three different cheeses complement one another.
Combine that with a type of bread you may not be expecting!
And you’ll experience one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches of your life – trust me!
This Starbucks Grilled Cheese sandwich is a bit different than some other, similar, copycat recipes found online.
Keep reading to find out why I consider this an ‘elevated’ grilled cheese sandwich…
Elevated Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe) – The Ingredients
As you can see, this recipe consists of three different types of cheeses, some bread, and butter.
- Sliced White Cheddar
- Sliced Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Plant-based butter like this one
- Brioche Bread
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With so few ingredients, this recipe does not cost much to prepare!
Recipe Equipment Needed
There is not much recipe equipment – at all – required to make this Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe).
- Le Creuset Frying Pan/Skillet
- Butter Knife
I think almost everyone reading this has the two items above somewhere in their kitchen.
What’s nice about this recipe, is you do NOT need to use a heavy cast iron skillet like in my Cast Iron Skillet Steak Recipe.
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The Bread
You may have noticed in the Ingredients Section above that I am not using Sourdough bread.
Most/all of the other Starbucks Grilled Cheese Copycat Recipes online use sourdough.
Sourdough bread IS what most of the Starbucks restaurants use – but not near me.
My local Starbucks uses Brioche.
Why Brioche?
I do not know if it’s because it is more cost effective to use brioche bread.
I don’t know if my local Starbucks simply was out of sourdough the few times I’ve eaten this grilled cheese there.
But since I’ve had this Starbucks Grilled Cheese made with Brioche, I may never want it on Sourdough again
PLEASE let me know if anyone has a Starbucks near them that uses Brioche.
Just post a quick comment in the COMMENTS SECTION below this post.
Brioche Vs Sourdough
I know that almost/all other Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat) Recipes online recommend sourdough bread.
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Brioche is a softer bread with a milder taste than sourdough.
In my opinion, brioche absorbs butter more easily.
Additionally, the softer brioche bread takes less time to grill to perfection!
Not that an extra minute or two makes much difference when comparing these two grilled cheese bread types.
So, I am not sure if my local Starbucks restaurant switched to brioche for any of the reasons I mentioned above.
Or if it was simply more cost effective to use brioche instead of sourdough for their classic Starbucks Grilled Cheese sandwich.
Whatever the reason, I would love for you to try making this grilled cheese with brioche next time you have the urge for the ultimate grilled cheese.
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And be sure to let me know your preference down in the COMMENTS SECTION below.
Tips & Substitutions
Bread
As discussed above, try substituting one type of bread for another.
If you, typically, use Sourdough, try Brioche.
If you are already making this Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe) with Brioche, try Sourdough.
Butter
While a plant-based butter like this one isn’t necessary, I typically prefer a healthier butter alternative.
This is why you’ll often see me use a plant-based or avocado butter in many of my seasonal recipes.
Cheese
If your deli doesn’t serve sliced Parmesan (or you don’t want to slice it yourself), try using a high-quality Grated Parmesan.
You can add the grated Parmesan directly onto the sandwich with the other cheeses.
Alternatively, you can grate the Parmesan and mix it with butter – as suggested in this awesome Starbucks Grilled Cheese Recipe from LifestyleOfAFoodie.com.
Then simply spread the butter/Parmesan mixture onto one side of each slice of bread before grilling.
What Other Cheeses Can I Use?
The three cheeses I recommend in this recipe post are what I think most closely mimics the grilled cheese sandwich that Starbucks serves.
However, feel free to experiment with some other cheese, such as:
- Havarti
- Gruyere
- Swiss
- Pepper Jack (for a spicy kick)
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The Skillet
You’ll notice from photo in the Recipe Equipment Needed Section above that I used my Le Creuset skillet.
This skillet is lightweight, extremely nonstick and perfect for making grilled cheese sandwiches.
Alternatively, you can use a traditional cast iron skillet to make this Elevated Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe).
Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my Lodge Skillet and have made several SeasonalCookbook.com recipes in it, such as:
- Pan Seared Salmon With Creamy Dill Sauce
- Cast Iron Skillet Steak
- Italian Frittata With Roasted Red Peppers
- Texas Roadhouse Herb Crusted Chicken (Copycat Recipe)
And probably a few more I can’t recall at this time!
I hope you check out a few of the links above – all are recipes featuring my favorite cast iron skillet.
But for this particular recipe, I thought using a heavy, cast iron skillet would be a bit too much, so I kept it lightweight with my Le Creuset Frying Pan/Skillet.
And now, onto the recipe…
Elevated Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe)
1
servings2
minutes5
minutes480
kcalThe 3-cheese combination of mozzarella, white cheddar and parmesan makes this Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe) a step above the traditional grilled cheese sandwich. Melting these cheeses together between two slices of fresh, soft, brioche bread creates a heavenly, delicious sandwich with a mild taste that allows the decadent flavors of the cheeses to come through.
(NOTE: I have included Amazon links to each of the ingredients used in this recipe so that you can buy them online. I will receive a small commission – at no additional cost to you – if you purchase any of these ingredients through the links below.)
Ingredients
3 tbsp Plant Based Butter
2 slices Mozzarella Cheese
2 slices White Cheddar Cheese
2 slices Parmesan (Sliced or Grated)
2 slices Brioche Bread
Directions
- Place non-stick skillet over Medium Heat and let warm for 2 minutes.
- While waiting for skillet to heat, butter both sides of each slice of bread you plan to use (I typically use two slices, but occasionally I’ll add a 3rd slice of bread in the middle of the sandwich).
- Once skillet has warmed/about 2 minutes have passed, place each buttered side of each slice of bread face down side-by-side on your skillet. Allow face-down, buttered side(s) to warm for about 1 minute.
- Once the face-down side of each slice of bread turns brown, flip over, and place all 6 slices of cheese on face-up side of one slice of bread. Keep the 2nd slice of bread to the side so the other face-down side begins to brown.
- Once the face-down side of the 2nd slice of bread begins to brown (about 30 seconds), place this second piece of bread on top of the first so that the cheeses (which should have already begun melting), sit between the two slice of bread.
- Since the skillet should be very hot by this time, it may only require another 30 seconds to 1 minute to fully melt the cheese slices.
- Take the skillet off heat/turn off heat.
- Let grilled cheese rest for about 30 seconds for the cheeses to slightly congeal.
- Using a good non-stick skillet like the Le Creuset Skillet I used, your Starbucks Grilled Cheese should slide right off the skillet and onto your plate.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If using a 3rd slice of bread, just add 3 slices of cheese on top of slice 1, add the next piece of bread on top, then add another 3 slices of cheese, then top it off with the 3rd slice of bread. I like to keep the cheese divided evenly!
- If you only have Grated Parmesan, simply mix with butter, beforehand, to create a butter/Parmesan spread and spread this onto each slice of bread prior to cooking.
- For extra flavor, sprinkle some garlic powder onto each slice of bread before cooking. This adds a nice garlic taste and -combined with the Brioche – provides a nice, warm garlic bread flavor.
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How To Store This Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe) Sandwich
This grilled cheese comes off the skillet so warm and moist with the three different types of cheeses all melted to perfection.
In my opinion, this is when this sandwich tastes its best and when it will taste most similar to the restaurant version.
As a result, I recommend eating this sandwich immediately.
Grilled cheese sandwiches just don’t taste the same after cooling off or after being refrigerated.
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What Do You Think About This Starbucks Grilled Cheese (Copycat Recipe)?
So, I know this Copycat Recipe for the Starbucks Grilled Cheese sandwich is a bit different from other, similar, copycat recipes found online.
I would love to hear your thoughts on my version of this amazing grilled cheese sandwich!
Do you have a favorite type of bread?
What about the three cheeses?
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Finally, does your local Starbucks restaurant use Sourdough or Brioche bread?
Please let me know if the COMMENTS SECTION below!
Until next time…
Happy Cooking!
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