Cheesy Comfort: The Most Tempting Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Comfort arrives in a creamy, golden mac and cheese recipe that melts hearts faster than its cheesy goodness spreads across your plate.

Bubbling with rich, velvety layers of pasta and sharp cheddar, this dish promises pure indulgence.

Every forkful carries a symphony of textures that dance between crispy edges and smooth, luxurious center.

The secret lies in carefully selected cheeses and a perfectly balanced sauce that coats each pasta curve.

baked to golden perfection, this mac and cheese turns an ordinary meal into a memorable feast.

You’ll savor every decadent bite of this classic comfort food that brings warmth and joy to the table.

Get ready to experience mac and cheese that will become your new favorite go-to recipe.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Calories: 580 kcal

Servings: 5

Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredients You Can Trust

• Elbow Macaroni: Provides the classic comfort foundation, selecting high-quality pasta ensures perfect texture and absorption of creamy sauce.
• Olive Oil or Butter: Prevents pasta from sticking, adds subtle richness and helps maintain separate noodle strands during cooking.

• Unsalted Butter: Creates silky roux base, allows precise control of recipe's saltiness and delivers luxurious smooth texture.
• All-Purpose Flour: Thickens sauce, creates magical binding agent for achieving perfect creamy consistency.
• Milk: Delivers gentle liquid base, room temperature milk blends more smoothly into sauce.
• Heavy Cream: Adds decadent richness, enhances overall velvety mouthfeel of mac and cheese.
• Sharp Cheddar, Gruyère Cheese: Provides complex flavor profile, sharp cheddar offers tangy bite while Gruyère delivers nutty undertones.

• Mustard Powder: Adds subtle zingy depth, enhances cheese flavor without overwhelming.
• Garlic Powder: Introduces gentle aromatic warmth, complements cheese's richness.
• Kosher Salt: Elevates overall taste, balances and intensifies other ingredients.
• Paprika Powder: Contributes gentle smoky note, provides beautiful color accent.
• Black Pepper: Introduces mild heat, creates subtle background complexity.

• Panko Breadcrumbs: Creates irresistible crispy layer, adds delightful textural contrast.
• Melted Butter: Helps breadcrumbs achieve golden brown perfection, adds extra richness.

Tools to Bake Mac and Cheese Just Right

• Large pot: Perfect for boiling pasta and cooking the sauce.
• Skillet: Essential for creating the creamy béchamel base.
• Whisk: Crucial for smoothly blending sauce and preventing lumps.
• Colander: Needed to drain the cooked pasta.
• Medium baking dish: Ideal for assembling and baking the mac and cheese.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Important for accurate ingredient quantities.
• Wooden spoon or spatula: Great for stirring and mixing ingredients.
• Small bowl: Useful for preparing the breadcrumb topping.

Easy Mac and Cheese Instructions for Every Cook

Comfort Cheese Haven

• Oven Warmup

Bring your kitchen to life by heating the oven to a cozy temperature that promises golden, crispy magic.

• Pasta Preparation

Boil water with a whisper of salt, then gently cook pasta until it’s just shy of perfect tenderness. Drain and give a quick toss with a touch of buttery goodness.

• Creamy Foundation

In a welcoming skillet, melt butter until it transforms into a silky landscape. Sprinkle flour and dance it around until it turns a soft, warm golden hue.

• Liquid Symphony

Pour milk slowly, creating a smooth canvas that gradually thickens into a velvety embrace. Whisk with love until the sauce tells you it’s ready.

• Cheese Transformation

Introduce a carnival of cheeses, letting them mingle and swirl into a rich, decadent mixture. Stir gently, allowing flavors to get acquainted.

• Pasta Reunion

Cascade the cheese magic over waiting pasta, ensuring every single noodle gets a luxurious coating.

• Crispy Crown

Transfer the cheesy treasure into a baking dish. Scatter breadcrumbs like delicate snowflakes, promising a crunchy finale.

• Final Performance

Bake until the top turns a beautiful golden brown, with bubbling edges that whisper promises of comfort and joy.

Ideas to Make Mac and Cheese More Exciting

• Cheese Lover's Magic: Elevate your mac and cheese game with these pro tips that transform a classic dish into a showstopper.
• Cheese Blend Brilliance: Mix different cheese varieties like sharp cheddar, Gruyère, and fontina for complex, rich flavor profiles that dance on your taste buds.
• Crispy Topping Secrets: Create an irresistible crunch by mixing panko breadcrumbs with grated parmesan, herbs like thyme or rosemary, and a touch of melted butter before sprinkling on top.
• Texture Perfection Hack: Slightly undercook pasta during boiling to prevent mushiness after baking, ensuring a perfectly al dente texture that holds its shape beautifully.
• Make-Ahead Meal Magic: Prepare the entire dish up to the baking stage, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, bake directly from the refrigerator, adding 10-15 extra minutes to cooking time.

How to Serve Mac and Cheese for Any Meal

• Cozy Family Feast: Serve this mac and cheese as a hearty main dish that brings everyone together around the dinner table, creating warm memories with each cheesy bite.
• Gourmet Side Companion: Pair the dish with a crisp green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette to balance the richness of the creamy mac and cheese, adding a fresh contrast to the meal.
• Protein Power-Up: Top individual servings with crispy bacon bits, grilled chicken strips, or sautéed ham cubes to transform this comfort food into a more substantial and protein-packed dinner option.
• Game Day Crowd-Pleaser: Divide the mac and cheese into smaller individual ramekins for a party-friendly version that's perfect for potlucks, sports gatherings, or casual get-togethers with friends.

Storing Mac and Cheese Without Drying It Out

• Smart Batch Cooking: Prepare a double batch and freeze individual portions for quick weeknight dinners. Wrap tightly in freezer-safe containers to maintain maximum flavor and texture.
• Refrigerator Lifespan: Store leftover mac and cheese in sealed containers for 3-4 days. Avoid leaving at room temperature for more than 2 hours to prevent bacterial growth.
• Reheating Magic: Revive cold mac and cheese by adding a splash of milk before microwaving. Stir every 30 seconds to distribute heat evenly and maintain creamy consistency. Oven reheating works best for restoring crispy breadcrumb topping.
• Prep-Ahead Strategy: Assemble the entire dish up to the baking stage, then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. When ready to serve, bake directly from the refrigerator, adding 5-10 extra minutes to cooking time.

Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Creamy mac and cheese delights palates with rich, sharp cheddar and golden breadcrumb topping. Comfort blends seamlessly with indulgence, inviting you to savor each cheesy, comforting bite.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated, sharp
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
• 8 oz (226 g) elbow macaroni
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• ½ tbsp olive oil or butter
• ½ cup (¼ lb) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (1/8 lb) unsalted butter, for topping
• ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp kosher salt, for topping
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika powder

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheating Preparation: Ignite the oven to 400°F (200°C), setting the stage for a cheesy masterpiece.
2. Pasta and Roux Creation: Cook elbow macaroni just under package instructions, drain, and toss with olive oil. Simultaneously, craft a golden roux by melting butter and whisking in flour until a pale brown perfection emerges.
3. Sauce Transformation: Gradually introduce milk and cream into the roux, whisking zealously until the mixture thickens to a luxurious consistency. Infuse with mustard powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, paprika, and black pepper. Incorporate sharp cheddar and Gruyère cheeses, creating a velvety sauce that promises ultimate creaminess.
4. Assembly and Topping: Combine the cheese sauce with cooked pasta, ensuring complete coverage. Transfer to a 9-inch baking dish. Prepare a crispy topping by mixing panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and a touch of salt, then generously scatter across the surface.
5. Baking Finale: Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top achieves a golden-brown crown. For an extra crisp finish, activate the broiler briefly, watching carefully to create a tantalizingly crunchy layer without burning. Remove from the oven and let rest briefly before serving this ultimate comfort dish.

Notes

• Pasta Precision: Cook macaroni slightly under recommended time to prevent mushiness during baking.
• Roux Mastery: Consistently stir flour and butter to avoid burning and create smooth sauce base.
• Cheese Melting Magic: Remove sauce from heat before adding cheese to prevent graininess and maintain silky texture.
• Breadcrumb Brilliance: Toast panko in butter for extra crunch and golden color before sprinkling on top.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 5
• Calories: 580
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 780 mg
• Fat: 36 g
• Saturated Fat: 22 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 43 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 110 mg