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creamy mac and cheese in small skillets with fork

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Ultimate Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

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creamy mac and cheese in small skillets with fork
5 from 51 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

The ultimate, creamy baked mac and cheese ever! For when only the best will do, this dish is comfort food perfection!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes

I don't think I've ever eaten a bad Macaroni and Cheese. Let's face it, a plate of pasta and cheese sauce going to be pretty good no matter the recipe you start with!

When I enjoyed a bowl of the famous Beecher's Macaroni and Cheese when I was in Seattle, I realized that macaroni and cheese could be more than just good - it could be really great. I think it was great for two reasons - it had lots of a wonderful creamy sauce and it was made with a really great cheese (and it makes a huge difference!).

This isn't the exact Beecher's recipe, but it is certainly based on it. Experiment with your favourite cheese and make your own signature dish. I loved the combination of a nutty, super old, crumbly white cheddar with a sharp cheese. Using two different ones gives a nice depth of cheese flavour. Add some more cheese on top, or give your mac and cheese a bit of crunch with the optional Panko or Breadcrumb topping

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Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

For the cheese sauce:

  • Butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Whole milk - I recommend whole milk (3-3.5% butterfat) for the best results. 2% milk will do, in a pinch. I wouldn't go any lower in butterfat than that.
  • Mature/aged white cheddar - I'm particularly fond of a cheese called Coastal, if you can find that.
  • Sharp cheddar - another nice sharp cheddar to add in. A couple of cheddars makes for a more interesting cheese sauce. Alternately, I've used a cold-packed cheddar, such as McLaren's, which is super good, too.
  • Salt
  • Chili powder - regular chili powder that you'd use for a pot of chili
  • Garlic powder

For the standard topping (optional):

  • Bit more grated cheddar cheese
  • A pinch of chipotle chili powder

If you'd like a crunchy topping:

  • Panko or regular bread crumbs
  • Butter

Cooking Tips

  • Always start with a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese if often coated with an anti-clumping agent, which can affect the quality of your finished sauce.
  • To ensure your macaroni doesn't get too soft, be sure to cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would, about 8 minutes. Rinsing well with cold water after draining will stop the cooking process and will also ensure your pasta doesn't get too soft.
  • When crumbling your cheese, don't leave the crumbles too large. They need to melt by only the heat from the sauce. This process of turning off the heat, then adding the cheese to melt without bottom heat, helps to ensure the cheese doesn't become grainy and is the secret to a smooth, creamy sauce for your macaroni and cheese!
  • Add a bit more salt if you need to. Taste your cheese sauce before adding the pasta and add a bit more salt if you think it needs it. Proper salting makes all the flavours here really shine.
  • For the ultimate, ultimate mac and cheese, mix together both the Cheese/Chili topping and the Panko topping and scatter on top before baking.

Making Ahead, Storage and Freezing

Making Ahead: You can assemble this mac and cheese ahead, by tossing the cooked pasta with the cheese sauce, then topping as desired. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to enjoy, simply bake as directed, allowing a few extra minutes if it's cold from the fridge.

Storing: Refrigerate leftovers. They will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or covered with foil in a 350F. oven until warmed through.

Freezing: For best results, freeze after assembling and before cooking. Alternately, you can freeze it after baking. Thaw in the fridge, then baked (if un-baked before freezing) or thaw and re-heat if already baked.

Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

Recipe Card

creamy mac and cheese in small skillets with fork

Ultimate Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

The ultimate, creamiest baked mac and cheese ever! For when only the best will do, this dish is comfort food perfection!
5 from 51 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 8 oz dry macaroni ((1 2/3 cups measured in a 2 cup glass liquid measure. Note that this measure will only work for macaroni and probably not a larger pasta shape. Weighing is recommended.))

Cheese Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup butter (salted or unsalted. If using salted, reduce the added salt below slightly)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk (recommend whole milk here you can (3-3.5% butterfat) or you could use 2% in a pinch)
  • 7 oz Mature/aged white crumbly cheddar (crumbled)
  • 3 oz Sharp orange cheddar (or cold-packed cheddar, grated or crumbled)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt (little less if using table salt)
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder

Cheese/Chili Topping:

  • 1/2 oz aged cheddar (grated)
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder

Optional Crunchy Topping:

  • 2/4 cup Panko or regular bread crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp Salted butter (melted)

Instructions
 

  • Bring about 8 -10 cups of water to boil in a large pot on the stove-top, over high heat. Once boiling, add a generous sprinkling of salt to the pot and add the pasta. Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than recommended on the package, or to just al dente. Drain well and rinse with cold water to stop the pasta from cooking further. *While water is boiling and pasta is cooking, you can start your cheese sauce.
  • For the cheese sauce: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk and cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Very slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Once all the milk has been added, cook, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens, about 8-10 minutes. (Don't rush this step! The mixture will not get super thick, but you will notice it thicken to the point where it will nicely coat the back of a spoon after 8-10 minutes of cooking and stirring.)
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the crumbled/grated cheese, salt, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all the ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. (If the cheese isn't melted completely after about 3 minutes, you can put the pan back on low heat and stir until it is melted). Set aside for a minute while you wait for the pasta to cook.
  • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) with rack in the centre of the oven. Oil or butter an 8-inch square baking dish, an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or individual baking dishes.
  • Once the pasta is cook, drained, rinsed in cold water and drained well again, add it to the cheese sauce and mix gently, but thoroughly. (It might look like too much sauce/too little pasta, but trust me, it will all be good in the end). Spoon or ladle the mixture into a prepared baking dish or individual dishes. Sprinkle the top of each with either the Cheese/Chili topping ingredients or mix together the panko/breadcrumbs with the melted butter and scatter over-top.
  • Bake in the preheated 350F (175C) oven uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce has bubbled up around the edges and the top has a nice golden crust. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Always start with a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese if often coated with an anti-clumping agent, which can affect the quality of your finished sauce.To ensure your macaroni doesn't get too soft, be sure to cook it 2 minutes less than you normally would, about 8 minutes. Rinsing well with cold water after draining will stop the cooking process and will also ensure your pasta doesn't get too soft.
When crumbling your cheese, don't leave the crumbles too large. They need to melt by only the heat from the sauce. This process of turning off the heat, then adding the cheese to melt without bottom heat, helps to ensure the cheese doesn't become grainy and is the secret to a smooth, creamy sauce for your macaroni and cheese!
Add a bit more salt if you need to. Taste your cheese sauce before adding the pasta and add a bit more salt if you think it needs it. Proper salting makes all the flavours here really shine.
Be sure to read the notes above the recipe card, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 21gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 629mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1025IUCalcium: 506mgIron: 1.2mg
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
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Some of the great reviews ...

"Best Mac n Cheese recipe ever ! And my husband is a chef :-) !!!"
- Nad

"I love this recipe. My go to. My family loves creamy mac and cheese"
- Hilary

"I have been making this recipe for over a year and get asked to make it frequently. It is the best recipe I have tried and works every time"
- Carolyn

Meet the Author: Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of some 30-plus years. I've learned a lot from getting dinner on the table all these years! I hope to share a bit of what I've learned, as well as my favourite recipes. Most importantly though, I love sharing the joy of cooking at home, with simple, delicious and seasonally-inspired recipes. More about me here ...

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Charles Daily says

    I live in New Zealand and we don't really have "Whole Milk" here.

    Can I use 2% milk? Or should I use fresh cream?

    I'm really excited to try this!!

    Reply

    • Jennifer says

      Hi Charles, if you can, you want to use "Full Fat" milk (3 - 3.5% butterfat). I suspect you probably have it there, it's just called something else :) In a pinch, go ahead and use the 2%. Enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Amy says

    I want to make this tonight but I live in Canada and we don’t have whole milk here, what can I use to maintain the creamy sauce?

    Reply

    • Jennifer says

      Hi Amy, I live in Canada, too :) Whole milk is Homo milk (3 - 3.5% b.f.) that you can get at any grocery store. Enjoy!

      Reply

  3. Greg says

    Hi Jennifer! Just wondering about the “chili” seasoning. Some are mixed with cumin, oregano, etc. Or is it just straight chili powder from ground chili peppers. Thanks and future review forthcoming.

    Reply

    • Jennifer says

      Hi Greg, I have always just used the regular "chili powder" in my spice rack, which does contain other ingredients such as cumin etc. and it works just fine. Straight chili powder such as cayenne, would be too spicy here I think and alternately, paprika would be too mild and sweet. Also, the addition of chipotle chili powder on top adds a bit more more pure chili flavour, with an added smokey note.

      Reply

      • Greg says

        Thanks for clarifying Jennifer. Not all “chili powders” are created equally.

        Reply

  4. Rachel says

    Hello! I’ll be making this for Thanksgiving dinner! I have a 10” cast iron (honestly may be 12” I’ll have to look!). If it is either of those, do you recommend doubling the recipe or possibly adding more noodles?? What do you recommend? Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Jennifer says

      Hi Rachel, I would probably 1.5 or double the recipe, just to be sure you have enough. If you have extra after filling your skillet, you can freeze it unbaked and enjoy later. I wouldn't just add more noodles, as you will throw off the balance of noodles to sauce in this ultra creamy version, which is what makes it delicious, in my opinion :)

      Reply

  5. Joanne says

    Can the sauce be made ahead, gently reheated without going grainy? Just thinking if i assemble everything ahead the pasta might absorbe too much of the sauce so iam thinking of preparing everthing day before and and assemble when ready to bake it.

    Reply

    • Jennifer says

      Hi Joanne, I can't say for sure, as I haven't tried it that way. I usually bake it off right away and re-heat left-overs. It should be fine, but I don't know if I'd re-heat the sauce on the stove-top (if that was what you meant by gently reheating). I might be more inclined to just mix it together cold (cold pasta/cold sauce), then pop into a cold oven and let it start warming with the preheat. Then bake off as needed. May need more time than specified. Just a thought.

      Reply

    • Brit says

      Hey Joanne. This is exactly what I want to do! Did it work out for you?

      Reply

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