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–+ servings
bowl of creamy mac and cheese with a spoon
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4.91 from 64 votes

Creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese

This ultra creamy Mac and Cheese recipe is made right in your slow cooker! Loved by both kids and adults, it's perfect for parties, potlucks, and more!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy mac and cheese, mac and cheese in the crockpot
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 458kcal
Author: The Chunky Chef

Ingredients

  • 16 oz box dried elbow macaroni pasta
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into small cubes
  • 2 (12 oz each) cans evaporated milk
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • few dashes hot sauce optional but recommended - doesn't make it spicy
  • 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese for best results, shred your own
  • 16 oz block Velveeta cut into small cubes

Instructions

  • Cook elbow macaroni for 4 minutes, then drain. This will likely be less time than the box says to cook it for, but we want to undercook it.
  • Lightly spray the insert of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray, and add cooked pasta.
  • Top with olive oil and butter, stirring to combine well.
  • Add all remaining ingredients and stir.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours, stirring after one hour. After one hour, the pasta may be slightly stuck, just give it a good stir and it'll loosen up.
  • When the second hour is up, give the mac and cheese a good, solid stir and you'll see the cheesy sauce come together. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Recipe serves approximately 12 as a side dish, 4-6 as a main course.  Serving size isn't measured precisely.
  2. For the best results, shred your own cheese from a block.  The pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-clumping/caking additives which prevent the cheese from melting as well as it should.
  3. I use 2 (8oz each) blocks of medium sharp cheddar cheese to get the 4 cups, but depending on the grater and cheese you use, you may need a bit less.  I'd buy two just in to be sure.
  4. For an Instant Pot version of mac and cheese, please check out my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1145mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 923IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 544mg | Iron: 1mg