This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by both children and adults. It uses a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, for the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness! Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish!
Looking for other comfort food dishes? Check out my Homemade Sloppy Joes, Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Crockpot Meatloaf, and Homestyle No-Boil Mashed Potatoes!
BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
Baked mac and cheese. It’s nearly the universal comfort food, and there are SO many variations! In fact, I almost didn’t post this recipe, as there are SOOOO many mac and cheese recipes available, and most people already have their favorite way of making it.
Of course, there’s no “right” way or “wrong” way, so I’m here sharing the way I like to make my mac and cheese (the way my family loves it too).
HOW TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE
If you’ve never made homemade mac and cheese before, it can seem a bit daunting. But don’t worry, we’ll break it down and take it step by step!
- Boil the pasta, drain.
- Make the cheese sauce by combining a fat (butter), and starch (flour), then whisking in the milk products.
- Cook the sauce until it’s nice and thick.
- Add in shredded cheeses, stir well.
- Combine cheese sauce with cooked pasta.
- Transfer half of the mac and cheese to a baking dish, sprinkle with more shredded cheese.
- Top with the rest of the mac and cheese, top with more shredded cheese.
- Bake and prepare to thoroughly enjoy!
COOKING TIPS FOR BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
- Boiling the pasta – cook the pasta less than you normally would. I like to boil my elbow pasta for between 4 and 5 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and you don’t want it to get mushy.
- Use room temp liquids – if you can… cold liquids generally take longer to thicken than warmer ones. I usually set my milk and half and half out while the water for the pasta is coming up to a boil.
- The cheeses – use your favorites! Our personal favorites are the cheddar and gruyere used in this recipe, but you can be very creative with the cheese selection here. Mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, colby. There are plenty of reader comments down below the recipe that talk about the cheeses they used!
- Shred your own – I know it’s a pain, and it’s SO tempting to use the pre-shredded cheese in the bags. But those bags of cheese contain a starchy substance that keeps the cheese from clumping… which also prohibits it from melting as well as it should.
VARIATIONS OF MAC AND CHEESE
- Bacon – if you love bacon, feel free to add some crispy, crumbled bacon to the topping, or even inside the mac and cheese as well!
- Stovetop – if you’d prefer not to bake this mac and cheese, you don’t have to! Make sure you boil your pasta until al dente (check the packaging for correct times), and you’ll only need about 3 – 3 1/2 cups of cheese total. No need to layer the pasta and cheese, just add all the cheese to the sauce, then combine with the pasta.
- Different Toppings – I’m a huge fan of the cheese layer on top, since it gets nice and crispy, but we also love tossing 1 cup of panko with 2 Tbsp of melted butter and using that as a topping. 1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers with 2 Tbsp of butter work amazingly well too!
- Different Baking Times – the recipe calls for a lower baking temperature and time, but most of the time I find myself adjusting that based on my family’s tastes. I like to bake this mac and cheese at 350 F degrees for 30 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes to get that glorious cheesy “crust”.
MAKING MAC AND CHEESE AHEAD OF TIME
- Make as directed (but do not bake), transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
As a caveat, this recipe, as with most mac and cheese recipes, loses some of it’s creaminess when made ahead. This dish has been tested when made right away, which yields the best results.
I would increase the amount of sauce slightly if you need to make this recipe ahead of time.
STORING MAC AND CHEESE
Any leftovers need to be refrigerated and covered tightly. Mac and cheese can be stored this way for 3-4 days.
To reheat, stir in a little bit of milk or cream and microwave partially covered with plastic wrap. Stir often as it reheats.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT USED IN THIS RECIPE
- Box Grater – remember, the best mac starts with freshly shredded cheese!
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS’ COMMENTS!
AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING!
Post has been updated in September 2019 with new photos and additional information.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese divided (measured after shredding)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese divided (measured after shredding)
- 1/2 Tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika smoked paprika is our favorite!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13"). Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
- While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half and the whole milk, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
- Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.
- Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
- Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
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Chef Tips
- Half and half is a common dairy product in the US - https://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-halfandhalf-ingredient-intelligence-205959
- Please note that if you adjust the servings via the slider bar above, the ingredient amounts listed in the directions do not change. You'll need to use your own common sense and judgement to extrapolate that the new ingredient amounts listed in the "ingredients" section will need to replace the amounts listed in the directions.
- Please feel free to add additional seasonings per your tastes, this is a base recipe that you can change up to make your own. Garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and hot sauce are some favorites of ours to add.
- To get the 4 cups of cheddar, use a 16 oz block of cheddar and shred.
- To get the 2 cups of gruyere, use as close to an 8 oz block of gruyere as you can (different brands have different sized blocks), and shred.
Mac and Cheese can be made ahead:
- Make as directed (but do not bake), transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
- Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
- Bake at recipe temperature for 25-35 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
FIVE CHEESE VARIATION:
Replace cheese amounts with the following:- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Colby cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Muenster cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
FOR A CRUNCHIER TOPPING AND FIRMER CONSISTENCY:
- Prepare recipe as directed but bake at 350 or 375 F degrees for 20-30 minutes. Broil at the end of baking for approximately 2-5 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Brenda says
How many days can I make this ahead before I bake it ?
The Chunky Chef says
I wouldn’t do more than a day or two, and note that the mac and cheese may end up drier than it normally would, as the pasta will soak up the cheese sauce the longer it sits.
Susann Codish says
Wish me luck! My market had no cheddar today (!) and the other cheeses were really expensive, so I went with a generic “yellow cheese” package. But I did find a nice block of gruyere, so I’m counting on it to pick up the slack a bit. I generally use a large glop of Dijon mustard and several shakes of Lea&Perrins Worcestershire sauce and will include those this evening. Will let you know how it comes out.
Susann Codish says
We just finished supper. This was SO GOOD! We couldn’t eat a lot because it was so rich, but we’re looking forward to the leftovers.
Steph says
My kids loved this, but I thought it was just okay. I felt it was lacking in flavor. I used a decent brand of Gruyere and a mild cheddar. I am not a fan of sharp cheddars in my mac & cheese. I wonder if maybe next time I add some smoked gouda, it will give it the flavor I am looking for?…it did turn out nice and creamy, though!
Tammy Carter says
I made this recipe this evening for my family and brother in law!! It was amazing inv and will be on my thanksgiving and Christmas menu!!! Absolutely delish!!!
Stephanie says
Absolutely fabulous. My picky eaters at home loved it! It’s going to be come a staple! Only changes i made was i used sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese because that’s all i had. Also i may they putting toaster breadcrumbs in with the cheese that goes on top. Not sure. But this was easy and delicious.
Lisa Sandoval says
Great recipe. I made it twice in one week. One for a potluck and one because my family was disappointed that there were no leftovers. Received a lot of compliments from people at work. My only adjustments were for the first version pan fried chopped jalapeños since I didn’t have time to roast them. The 2nd version was roasted árbol chiles and ground in my blender. I used the same pan that I made the roux to roast the chiles. After grinding them I added the to the roux. As you can tell my home likes heat. Both versions I added bacon. I used the bacon already cooked and chopped to save time. Panko buttered crumbs with shredded Parmesan on top.
Josh says
This is the best Mac n Cheese! I never follow recipes to the letter. I always like to make them my own, but not this one!! This recipe is so perfect that I don’t alter it at all unless I have to because I can’t find Gruyere. In that case I use soft gouda which is also amazing. Everyone begs me to make it for holidays and events. It’s so good that a friend requested it for his birthday present this year.
Jan says
The Mac and cheese was to die for!!
Christopher Lorenz says
Solid recipe for somebody that enjoys being in the kitchen. Oh ya, the family can’t get enough of it.
Linda says
I have made this recipe a few times now. My family Loves it. It is a winner at family parties with vegetarians.
Wayne says
I had to modify because I had no flour and no evaporated milk. But used a bit more milk and it came out awesome 5 stars. Easier to make than I was expecting.
Jean says
Omg 4 cups of cheese and 2 cups ++ of dairy for 1lb of pasta. Anyone eating this deserve a free american citizenship 😀
The Chunky Chef says
Well you sure sound like a peach. Apparently you were never taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all. You don’t like decadent mac and cheese… we get it. Good news, no one is forcing you to eat anything.
Stacy says
People are so rude on website for recipes. They rate recipes that they never make and/or didn’t follow the recipe.
Mac & Cheese isn’t diet food, or for weight loss etc… you must ignore ignorant comments. Recipe is very similar to mine but I use 5 cups of a few cheeses and all evaporated milk in the béchamel cheese sauce . Awesome contribution
Debby says
Good! Glad you said that!! I loved your Mac&Cheese. Made it exactly with same ingredients, only make it on top of the stove. I grew up with it that way instead of baked! My family loved it and will be in my dinner repertoire!
Kimberley Higley says
This was the best Mac and cheese I’ve ever had!! I made it multiple times and is always a hit.. Sonetimes I add bacon to it.. 😂
Ry says
I’ve never felt confident in my ability to bake mac n cheese. Tried once over a decade ago and well, it was disastrous. Your recipe was simple, but most importantly delicious! Thanks a million for sharing the love.
Suzette says
Just pulled the Creamy Baked mac n cheese out of the oven and finished cooling before taking an anticipated bite. I was so disappointed, not creamy, and gooey like the pictures but mostly greasy. I used the best ingredients…$26 a pound for Gruyere and real half and half. The sauce was the perfect texture and I really thought this was going to be a hit, but turned out to be a strike.
Josh says
Hey Suzette. I would recommend trying a different brand of Gruyere or maybe a soft gouda instead. Also, are you shredding your own cheese or buying pre shredded? Shredding you own makes a big difference.
Mine comes out perfectly creamy everytime and i follow the recipe to the letter which is not normal for me.
Brandy Kay Williams says
Hey I had a question! Really love the crushed Ritz crackers and butter topping idea but do I add them at the end of the cooking process and then broil when do I add the breading style topping?
The Chunky Chef says
I would add them right before baking, so they cook along with the mac and cheese 🙂
J says
This recipe is awesome! My family said it has to be in rotation for all holidays going forward!
Pam Barnes says
I’ve made this several times and alway a hit, but question…can it be put in crockpot rather than oven? Anyone done this?
The Chunky Chef says
This recipe wasn’t designed to be cooked in a slow cooker, but I do know some readers have kept it warm in one after being baked. If you’re looking for a mac and cheese recipe that’s meant to be cooked in a slow cooker, I have one for you https://www.thechunkychef.com/ultra-creamy-crockpot-mac-and-cheese/
Nicole says
Thank you for sharing. This was absolutely delicious! Made for my nephew’s birthday bash and there was nothing left. The only change I made was using sharp cheddar as that is what I always use so it’s what I had on hand. How do you think using medium cheddar vs sharp would affect the taste?
The Chunky Chef says
I use sharp cheddar all the time, this recipe is pretty forgiving 🙂 It’ll have a bit of a stronger flavor, but still delicious.
Tiffany Powell says
I have made this multiple times and it was delicious every time. Very good!