Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger Recipe (Copycat)

To make a Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger copycat at home, griddle one 4 oz (113 g) beef patty per burger, melt a slice of American cheese on it, then stack 3 strips of bacon, tomato, diced raw onion, a smooth lemony avocado mash and a creamy black pepper sauce between 2 slices of griddled Texas toast. This is my reproduction, not Whataburger’s recipe. The sauce formula is proprietary, so I rebuilt it from the ingredient list on the retail bottle. It turns out to be a buttermilk mayo with black pepper and a little chipotle, not a cooked peppercorn sauce. If you change 1 thing from the copycats you’ve already seen, mash the avocado. Slices give you a different burger.

What’s on the Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger?

The Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger is a single 100% beef patty with American cheese, bacon, avocado, tomato, onion and creamy pepper sauce on Texas toast. Whataburger launched it as a limited-time item on July 2, 2013, the same day fresh avocado became an add-on across the whole menu (QSRweb, July 2, 2013). At launch, Rich Scheffler, Whataburger’s VP of Marketing and Innovation, said customers had been asking for avocado and that a fresh product took time to get right.

Whataburger doesn’t give much detail, but third-party menu listings do. They list it as No. 6 on the menu (wburgermenus.com, unofficial):

• 1 Large Beef Patty, 5 inches across
• 1 slice of American cheese
• 3 strips of bacon
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Diced onions
• Creamy pepper sauce
• 2 slices of Texas toast

Chowhound also counts 3 strips of bacon (Chowhound). The official build has no lettuce, no Monterey Jack and no whole-wheat bread. Plenty of online tutorials add Monterey Jack and lettuce anyway. Leave them off if you want the real thing.

Sliced avocado or guacamole: what Whataburger actually uses

On this burger, the avocado eats like a smooth, mild spread, not like slices. Eat This, Not That! describes it as closer to unspiced guacamole than to distinct avocado, spread on the bread (Eat This, Not That!, November 19, 2024). Chowhound’s reviewer noticed a preservative taste after a few bites and ranked the burger 4th of 8 (Chowhound). 1 unofficial ingredient listing describes the avocado as prepared “with ascorbic acid”, which keeps it from browning (Fast Food Nutrition).

Whataburger announced “fresh avocado” in 2013, and I’m not claiming the chain uses a factory guacamole. I mash it because that’s how recent reviewers describe it, and because slices failed me. On my first test I fanned half an avocado over the bacon. Half of it slid out on the first bite, and the rest of the burger had none. Ripe avocado mashed with lemon juice and a pinch of salt stays put, matches the texture reviewers describe and doesn’t have the preservative taste.

Avocado cheeseburger served open-faced with thick avocado slices over melted cheese, alongside onion rings and fries, at Kua’aina in Tokyo (August 2014). This is the sliced style. The Whataburger burger comes with a smooth spread instead, so the copycat mashes the avocado. (Photo: nesnad, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Avocado\_cheese\_burger\_-\_Japan\_-\_August\_2014\_.jpg)

Whataburger creamy pepper sauce recipe: what’s in it

Whataburger’s creamy pepper sauce is a mayonnaise-style dressing made with buttermilk and spices, not a cooked steakhouse pepper sauce. US grocery stores sell it as Whataburger Patty Melt Sauce (formerly One-of-a-Kind Creamy Pepper Sauce) in a 15.5 oz bottle. Both names share the same UPC, 0085195300507 (H-E-B, Kroger).

The H-E-B label lists the ingredients in descending order: soybean oil, water, distilled vinegar, high-fructose corn syrup, egg yolks, buttermilk and salt. Then come the ingredients at less than 2%: spices (including mustard), modified food starch, onion, garlic, MSG, phosphoric acid, lemon juice concentrate, chipotle purée, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, parsley, natural flavors, sugar and calcium disodium EDTA (H-E-B; a similar list appears on Instacart). The label gives no proportions, and black pepper isn’t named on its own because it falls under “spices”. So my sauce follows the label’s order: a mayo base, then vinegar, a little sweetness and buttermilk, with pepper, chipotle, onion, garlic, mustard and parsley in small amounts.

Ingredients for 2 Whataburger avocado bacon burgers

For 2 burgers you need 8 oz (226 g) of 80/20 ground beef, 2 slices of American cheese, 6 strips of bacon, 1 avocado, 1 tomato, a little onion and 4 slices of Texas toast. The sauce recipe makes about 6 tablespoons. You’ll use 3, and the rest goes with fries. Whataburger doesn’t publish its raw patty weight, fat ratio or seasoning. Secondary sources put the standard Whataburger patty at about 4 oz on a 5-inch bun, and 1 independent measurement came out at 3.56 oz (Atlanta Magazine, AOL). I use the same 4 oz patty as in my other Whataburger copycats.

Burgers

• 8 oz (226 g) ground beef, 80/20, shaped into 2 patties of 4 oz (113 g), about 5½ inches (14 cm) across (they shrink to about 5 inches on the griddle)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 slices American cheese
• 6 strips bacon (3 per burger)
• 1 ripe Hass avocado
• 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
• 1 pinch of salt for the avocado
• 1 medium tomato, cut into 4 thin slices
• 2 tbsp (20 g) white onion, finely diced
• 4 slices Texas toast (thick-cut white sandwich bread)
• 1 tbsp (15 g) butter, softened

Homemade creamy pepper sauce (about 6 tbsp)

• ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) buttermilk
• 1 tsp (5 ml) distilled white vinegar
• ½ tsp (2 g) sugar
• ¾ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp chipotle in adobo, mashed to a purée (or a pinch of chipotle powder)
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ⅛ tsp garlic powder
• 1 pinch dry mustard
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch dried parsley

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking. The sauce chills while you cook, so the total comes to about 50 minutes. You’ll need a flat-top griddle or a large cast-iron skillet, a spatula and an instant-read thermometer.

Step by step: how to make the avocado bacon burger

Make the sauce first so it can rest, then cook the bacon. Mash the avocado at the very end so it stays green.

1. Make the creamy pepper sauce

Whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, sugar, black pepper, chipotle, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, lemon juice, salt and parsley until smooth. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the pepper and chipotle bloom. It should be thick but pourable, pale and flecked with pepper.

2. Cook the bacon

Lay the 6 strips of bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Wipe out most of the fat but leave a thin film for the patties.

Six strips of bacon crisping in a nonstick skillet on the stove, which is enough for 2 avocado bacon burgers at 3 strips each. Cook them about 8 minutes over medium heat and leave a thin film of fat for the patties. (Photo: David Trinks, Unsplash License, https://unsplash.com/photos/ZvHBaVGVfMA)

3. Slice the tomato and dice the onion

Slice the tomato thin and dice the white onion fine. The onion goes on raw. Whataburger doesn’t publish its cut or its onion variety, so this part is my call. A fine dice spreads the bite across the whole burger, so you don’t get all the raw onion in 1 mouthful.

4. Griddle the patties

Heat the griddle over medium-high to a surface temperature of 400–450°F (200–230°C). Season the patties on both sides with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pull them at 160°F (71°C) inside, the USDA safe minimum for ground beef (USDA FSIS). My colleague Clara’s burger patty internal temp guide explains how to probe a patty this thin.

5. Melt the American cheese

In the last minute of cooking, lay a slice of American cheese on each patty and cover for 30 seconds. American cheese melts fast and creamy, and it glues the bacon to the patty. Don’t swap in Monterey Jack. It isn’t part of this burger.

6. Toast the Texas toast

Butter 1 side of each slice and griddle it butter-side down for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden. Whataburger doesn’t say how it toasts its bread, so this is my method. The crisp buttered side stops the thick bread from going soggy under the avocado and sauce.

7. Mash the avocado

Halve the avocado, scoop it into a bowl and mash it with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt until almost smooth. Add nothing else: no chile, no cilantro, no onion. You want mild, creamy avocado, not guacamole.

Mashed avocado in a white bowl with a spoon, next to a halved Hass avocado, half a lime and a cup of citrus juice. For the Whataburger copycat, keep mashing with lemon juice and a pinch of salt until almost smooth, and add nothing else. (Photo: Ashwini Chaudhary (Monty), Unsplash License, https://unsplash.com/photos/mv5AI-KMLsI)

8. Assemble the burger

Spread 1½ tablespoons of sauce on the toasted side of the bottom slice. Add the cheese-topped patty, 3 strips of bacon, 2 tomato slices and 1 tablespoon of diced onion. Spread half of the avocado on the toasted side of the top slice and close the burger. Whataburger doesn’t publish the stacking order, so this order is mine. With the avocado on the top slice, it can’t slide off the bacon, which is exactly what went wrong in my first test.

What is Texas toast, and what can you use instead?

Texas toast is thick-sliced white sandwich bread toasted on the griddle, and it replaces the bun on this burger. Whataburger’s Texas toast is listed as enriched flour, water, high-fructose corn syrup, yeast, soybean oil and wheat gluten (Fast Food Nutrition, unofficial). That makes it soft, slightly sweet white bread. If you can’t find bread labeled Texas toast, slice an unsliced white sandwich loaf about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. A regular bun will do if you have nothing else, and Clara’s homemade burger buns are a good one. But the original comes on toast, and the crunch of the griddled face is half the point.

A bagged loaf of Safeway Texas Toast, the double-thick white sandwich bread used instead of a bun on the Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger. 1 slice sits on top to show how thick it is. (Photo: RTCNCA, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Texas\_toast.jpg)

Why this recipe tastes like the original burger

This copycat tastes like the original because it keeps every component of the 2013 launch and builds the sauce from the bottle’s label instead of guessing. If I had to rank what matters, the sauce comes first. It’s the reason to make this burger at all.

• The sauce is cold and creamy. The label starts with soybean oil, vinegar, egg yolks and buttermilk, so it’s a mayo base. Copycats that simmer peppercorns in cream end up with a steak sauce, which isn’t what goes on this burger.
• The avocado is mashed. Reviewers describe a smooth spread, and slices change both the texture and the way the burger holds together.
• Nothing extra goes on. No lettuce, no second cheese. 1 slice of American and the raw onion are enough next to the rich avocado and sauce.

Whataburger original vs homemade copycat

Here is the restaurant burger, as Whataburger and third-party listings describe it, next to my homemade version.

How many calories are in the Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger?

The Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger has about 810 to 820 calories, according to unofficial sources. Fast Food Nutrition lists 815 calories, 49 g of fat (16 g saturated, 1 g trans), 85 mg of cholesterol, 1,510 mg of sodium, 51 g of carbs, 4 g of fiber, 7 g of sugar and 37 g of protein (Fast Food Nutrition). Eat This, Not That! gives 820 calories, 52 g of fat, 15 g saturated, 1,600 mg of sodium, 52 g of carbs and 37 g of protein (Eat This, Not That!, November 19, 2024). Listings put the serving at 327 to 331 g. I haven’t lab-tested my homemade version, so I don’t give numbers for it.

Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger nutrition from 2 unofficial listings. Fast Food Nutrition gives 815 calories, 49 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 51 g carbs, 37 g protein and 1,510 mg sodium. Eat This, Not That! (Nov 2024) gives 820 calories, 52 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 52 g carbs, 37 g protein and 1,600 mg sodium. (Chart: Burger Breton, original work, data from Fast Food Nutrition and Eat This, Not That! (November 19, 2024), rendered with QuickChart)

Avocado bacon burger FAQ

What’s in the Whataburger Avocado Bacon Burger?

1 beef patty, American cheese, 3 strips of bacon, avocado, tomato, diced onion and creamy pepper sauce on 2 slices of Texas toast. There’s no lettuce and no Monterey Jack.

Does Whataburger use sliced avocado or guacamole?

Whataburger launched it with “fresh avocado” in 2013. Recent reviews describe a smooth, mild spread, closer to unspiced guacamole than to slices. I mash mine with lemon juice to match that texture.

Is the Patty Melt sauce the same as the Avocado Bacon Burger sauce?

Very likely. Both burgers use Whataburger’s creamy pepper sauce, and the bottled Patty Melt Sauce was formerly sold as One-of-a-Kind Creamy Pepper Sauce under the same UPC. Whataburger hasn’t officially confirmed that the bottle matches what restaurants use, though.

Can you buy Whataburger creamy pepper sauce in a bottle?

Yes, in the US. Look for Whataburger Patty Melt Sauce in a 15.5 oz bottle at H-E-B and Kroger.

How do I keep the avocado from turning brown?

Mash it last, right before assembly, and stir in lemon juice. The chain’s avocado is listed with ascorbic acid for the same reason, and at home lemon juice does that job.

Is the Avocado Bacon Burger still on the menu in 2026, and how much is it?

Third-party menu sites still list it as No. 6, but I couldn’t confirm that on whataburger.com, so check with your local restaurant. It’s sold in the US only. Eat This, Not That! reported $7.49 in November 2024. Unofficial 2026 menu sites show $7.99 for the burger alone and $11.69 as a Whatameal. Prices vary by location, and none of these are official.

What allergens are in the Avocado Bacon Burger?

An unofficial listing names egg, gluten, milk, MSG, soy and wheat, and no fish, peanuts, shellfish or tree nuts (Fast Food Nutrition). If you have an allergy, check with Whataburger directly.

More Whataburger copycat recipes

This burger belongs to my Whataburger copycat series, and every recipe in it uses the same 4 oz patty and griddle method. For a double with 2 cheeses and a pepper-jelly sauce, make my Whataburger Sweet and Spicy Bacon Burger copycat. For a taller stack, there’s the Triple Meat Whataburger copycat, and for the classic, my Whataburger with cheese copycat recipe. To taste the creamy pepper sauce at the source, Daniel’s Whataburger Houston guide covers it on the Patty Melt, and our Austin burger restaurants page has more Texas stops. The chain’s history and figures are on the Whataburger brand profile, and every recipe is on the Burger Breton recipes hub.

Sources

• QSRweb, avocado and Avocado Bacon Burger launch, July 2, 2013: https://www.qsrweb.com/news/avocado-debuts-on-the-whataburger-menu/
• QSR Magazine, “Summer heats up, Whataburger cools down with avocado”: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/summer-heats-whataburger-cools-down-avocado/
• Whataburger Stories, Avocado Bacon Chicken Club, March 30, 2020: https://stories.whataburger.com/whatacado-new-avocado-bacon-chicken-club-is-here/
• H-E-B, Whataburger Patty Melt Sauce 15.5 oz (label): https://www.heb.com/product-detail/whataburger-one-of-a-kind-creamy-pepper-sauce/1809275
• Kroger, Whataburger Patty Melt Sauce: https://www.kroger.com/p/whataburger-patty-melt-sauce/0085195300507
• Instacart, Whataburger Creamy Pepper sauce listing: https://www.instacart.com/products/343954-whataburger-signature-sauce-creamy-pepper-one-of-a-kind-15-5-oz
• Eat This, Not That!, Whataburger burgers ranked, November 19, 2024: https://www.eatthis.com/whataburger-burgers-ranked/
• Chowhound, 8 Whataburger Burgers Ranked: https://www.chowhound.com/1978723/whataburger-burgers-ranked-worst-best
• Fast Food Nutrition, Avocado Bacon Burger (unofficial): https://fastfoodnutrition.org/whataburger/avocado-bacon-burger
• wburgermenus.com, Avocado Bacon Burger build (unofficial): https://www.wburgermenus.com/avocado-bacon-burger/
• Atlanta Magazine, 10 things to know about Whataburger: https://www.atlantamagazine.com/dining-news/10-things-to-know-before-you-try-metro-atlantas-first-whataburger/
• AOL, fast-food burger measurements: https://www.aol.com/finance/fast-food-burgers-fries-most-183000949.html
• USDA FSIS, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart

All sources checked on October 22, 2026.