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I have been working on my Creamy Mac & Cheese for years and finally nailed down the perfect recipe! So many people love this recipe because you don’t need to make a roux, and you do not need an egg. This recipe is a guaranteed show-stopper at any event because it is creamy and cheesy but also drop-dead gorgeous- I mean, look at her. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Mac & cheese themoodyfoody Toni Chapman

P.S. If you love this recipe, please leave a review at the bottom of this page.

Why everyone loves this Recipe

It’s easy- A huge part of the reason I developed this recipe is that many home cooks struggle with making a roux. It does take practice, and if you don’t cook out the flour long enough or if your liquid ratio is off, your cheese sauce will come out too thick. The roux step made my original recipe very intimating, and I always strive for easy recipes that anyone can make, regardless of experience.

It’s creamy– The inside of this Mac and Cheese is so deliciously creamy and moist! When trying different Mac and cheese recipes, I found that even the ones that nailed the creaminess had a dryer sauce.

It’s cheesy- The cheeses I chose are appropriate because they have a balance of flavors and melt nicely. A cheese pull is mandatory, especially if you bring this to Thanksgiving dinner or a family potluck!

Tips for making the perfect Cheese Sauce

Buy Good Cheese

Buy the good stuff (if you can). If you’re trying to budget, I would suggest shopping at Aldi as they have amazing cheese options for affordable prices. Personally Tillamook is my cheese of preference. The cheese is perfectly salted and melts wonderfully. 

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Grate your own cheese- Store bought shredded cheeses contains cultures and preservatives that prevent the cheese from melting properly and change the taste of the cheeses. Not only are cheese blocks usually a lot cheaper than pre-shredded cheese, you’ll get better flavor and texture if you grate your own. This is a non-negotiable step.

Take your time- Although this is an easy recipe, it’s not a recipe I would suggest rushing through. Follow the steps slowly to ensure the best possible outcome. I mean, the ingredients aren’t cheap- do it right!

Let’s Make it Together. Follow @themoodyfoody on TikTok

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • 1 box and a half of Elbow Pasta Noodles
  • Heavy Cream
  • Cheese
  • Spices
  • Butter

Substitutions and Recipe Variations

Make it without Heavy Cream- Don’t have heavy cream? No problem! Use evaporated milk instead!

Make it with another noodle- Don’t have elbows? Use cavatappi!

Make it with pre-shredded cheese- While I highly recommend using freshly grated cheese, it’s perfectly fine to use pre-shredded cheese, freshly grated just melts better!

Make it Keto- If your keto, this is the perfect recipe for you. Substitute the macaroni noodles for, boiled cauliflower!

How to make Baked Macaroni and Cheese

  1. Grate your cheeses. Divide into 3 parts
  2. Boil your noodles.
  3. Make your cheese sauce
  4. Mix your noodles with your cheese sauce. Save some cheese sauce for layering.
  5. Add half your noodle sauce to a 13×9 Baking Dish, layer some cheese sauce and shredded cheese on top of half the noodles and then add the rest of the noodles on top. Repeat this process, your final dish should have a fully covered shredded cheese top.
  6. Bake your four cheese Mac & Cheese at 350 degrees until cheese is fully melted. This should be about 20-25 minutes. Broil on high until you have a bubbly golden brown top.

FAQ

My Cheese sauce is watery! What should I do?

Add more or your reserved cheese or continue to allow your cheese to melt while stirring. Your sauce will also thicken up over time

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this recipe up to two days before and save the baking part before serving!

Can I make this recipe in the crockpot?

Yes! Use the recipe the same way and add all of your ingredients to the slow cooker on low heat until the top layer of cheese is melted.

Mac & cheese spoonful

If you love this recipe, check out my other dinner recipes on my blog!

Please leave a star rating for this recipe if you enjoyed it ๐Ÿ™‚

Creamy Mac & Cheese

5 from 123 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Creamy, cheesy 4 cheese Mac & cheese
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Equipment

  • 1 Cheese Grater

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 box/lb macaroni noodles 1 box and a half! 24oz of noodles in total!I also love to use cavatappi noodles for this recipe!
  • 16 oz sharp cheddar freshly grated
  • 16 oz Colby jack cheese
  • 8 oz Gouda
  • 8 oz mozarella cheese
  • 6 cups heavy cream
  • 4 tbsps salted butter
  • 4 oz cream cheese optional
  • 2 tsps salt
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp adobo

Instructions 

  1. Grate your cheeses using the large shredder and set them aside. If you come across any small chunks that are too petite to grate, be sure to save them!
    Shredded Cheese
  2. Cook your macaroni noodles following the instructions on the package. Enhance the water with chicken bouillon for added flavor.
  3. In a spacious sauce pot, melt butter on low heat, and gradually pour in the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture smoothly.
  4. Start incorporating approximately 50% of your shredded cheeses until well blended. Introduce cream cheese last, allowing the cheese to melt and simmer on low heat. Season with spices and taste to perfection.
  5. Combine your elbow noodles with the cream sauce, tossing in the small extra chunks of cheese. Aim for a creamy, wet mixture that produces a satisfying sound when mixed.
    Mac and cheese mixed
  6. Transfer the mixture into a 13×9 baking dish, starting with half of your noodles. Layer with a light coating of cheese sauce and your shredded cheese mix. Add the remaining noodles and finish by topping with a generous layer of shredded cheese. If more cheese is needed for the top, opt for cheddar or Colby jack.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted.
  8. Broil for 2 minutes at the end for a nice golden brown top
    Mac & Cheese in the broiler

Notes

If your heat is too high- your sauce will be gritty
 
you your sauce is watery, continue to melt 

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Rating




208 Comments

  1. Allen martin says:

    5 stars
    Very good recipe it was so good!

  2. Elodie says:

    After the cashier laughed at me saying ยซย thatโ€™s all you got? All that cheese?ย ยป I can tell that this recipe was a HIT!!! Even my difficult husband praised it!! Thank you for your amazing cheesy recipe. How much cheese/heavy cream you recommend for only 1 box of macaroni?

  3. Kris says:

    5 stars
    OMG! just made a batch for my grown sons who are coming over for dinner and other friends too! They kept asking, “Mom can I bring so and so?” I said absolutely we have plenty of food!! Only problem is I ate too much while prepping and I am full!!! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!

  4. Lisa says:

    Out of all the thousands of mac n cheese recipes out there, my son chose yours for his high school graduation party. A house full of teenage boys will be the true test! I’ll let you know how it went after the party on Saturday!

  5. Isabela says:

    5 stars
    Hi I love this recipe but Iโ€™m out of white pepper and ground mustard, is there something else I can use instead? Will it taste extremely different without it?

  6. Sueanne Verna says:

    5 stars
    Made this for Easter at my son’s and I barely made it out the door without having to spoon some out. It is amazing!!! It will definitely be made again. Thanks for a great recipe!

  7. Dawn says:

    This will be the 4th time im making the Mac and cheese my family loves it and recomends I make it for everything now

  8. Ree says:

    5 stars
    Hi Toni! Hands down the BEST mac&cheese recipe Iโ€™ve tried. Always gets so many compliments! Question – how long can you store it in the freezer (unbaked)? Thank you!

  9. Jaclyn says:

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing! Loved making this !

  10. Amaelia Amara says:

    5 stars
    This is the 3rd time Ive made this for my family and its such a banger!!everyone loves this!!