This baked mac and cheese is the best.
This version has a decadent homemade cheese sauce (and lots of it) tossed with macaroni and baked until bubbly under a light golden topping.
You’ll Be Obsessed With This Baked Mac & Cheese Because…
- It’s rich and creamy with the best flavor.
- I’ve added extra cheese sauce to make sure it’s super creamy every time.
- The sauce is homemade and totally decadent – but it’s actually easy to make!
- It’s the ultimate comfort food – simplicity at it’s very best.
Ingredients for Baked Mac and Cheese
Pasta: I love elbow macaroni for mac and cheese, but you can use any shape you like. Choose medium or small shapes that have ridges or tubes so the sauce can cling and fill; penne, orecchiette, shells, and cavatappi are great choices.
Sauce: The sauce starts with a roux made with butter and flour while milk and cream make the base of the sauce. Onion powder, dry mustard powder, and seasonings add flavor.
Cheese: Sharp Cheddar is bold and makes the best mac and cheese. Feel free to swap out about 1 cup of cheese for Gruyere or Swiss to change it up. Shredding your own cheese from a block makes a smoother sauce but pre-shredded cheeses will work just fine.
Topping: Panko has a nice crunch but you can use crushed cracker crumbs (saltines or Ritz) in place.
How to Make Baked Mac and Cheese
- Cook the macaroni (recipe below).
- Cook butter, flour, and seasonings and whisk in milk and cream.
- Stir in cheddar, parmesan, and seasonings until smooth.
- Toss sauce with pasta and pour into a prepared casserole dish.
- Sprinkle topping over mac and cheese and bake. Easy peasy!
Keep it Creamy!
Do not overbake this mac and cheese to keep it extra creamy. Everything is already cooked; heating it blends the flavors and gives it a browned topping.
Once heated through, the macaroni is done!
Storing Baked Mac and Cheese
- Leftovers: Keep leftover baked mac and cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze portions in zippered bags up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a little milk added to loosen the cheese sauce.
- Make Ahead: Prep mac and cheese ahead (keep the topping separate) and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let the mac and cheese rest at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Stir in a ½ cup of warm milk after baking for 20 minutes. Add topping and bake until hot and bubbly.
- Freezing: Freeze unbaked mac and cheese (without the topping) by assembling it in a foil-lined casserole dish. Once frozen, lift the casserole out and wrap it in plastic wrap (so the casserole dish can be used elsewhere) and freeze. To bake, return the casserole to the baking dish and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Let the mac and cheese rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Add topping and bake until hot and bubbly.
More Cheesy Baked Pasta
Did you make this Baked Mac and Cheese? Leave us a comment and a rating below!
Baked Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 5 tablespoons salted butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ¾ cups milk
- ½ cup half and half or light cream
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 14 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded, approximately 3 ½ cups lightly packed
- 1 ½ ounces fresh Parmesan cheese shredded, approximately ½ cup
Topping
- ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons melted butter
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded, approximately ½ cup lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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In a small bowl, combine Panko bread crumbs, butter, cheddar cheese, and parmesan cheese and mix well. Set aside.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well, run under cold water, and set aside.
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Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
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Gradually add the milk and cream, whisking until smooth after each addition. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer and let simmer for 1 minute.
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Remove the sauce from the heat and add cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Whisk until melted and smooth.
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Toss the sauce with the drained pasta and gently spoon it into a 9×13 casserole dish.
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Sprinkle the crumb mixture over top and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until bubbly and topping is browned. Do not overcook.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course, Pasta, Side Dish
Cuisine American
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Hello Holly
Thank you for this recipe. I have a very fussy daughter who only likes the packet Mac and cheese and I made this recipe and she loves it. Truth be told I love Mac and cheese too. Much ❤️
good recipe girls u cook like my mom used too!!!!!
Macaroni and cheese is my favorite comfort meal. I can hardly wait to try it. Thanks Holly.
Enjoy the recipe Mai!
This was so delicious I could eat the whole pan by myself! 5 stars plus! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment, Lori! Glad to hear you loved it!
Super yummy recipe! I’d only adjust the salt slightly (add a bit more). Otherwise this was a total hit and my whole family felt it was the best mac n cheese ever!
I really love your recipes. For the topping, try melting butter in small pan, add the panko/bread crumbs and some very thinly sliced garlic and cook til lightly toasted, just make sure to watch closely and stir so it doesn’t burn. This topping is great for lots of recipes, even store bought or instant Mac n cheese
Thanks for sharing, Cindy! That sounds delicious.
Love this recipe. Next time I will make the roux and cheese sauce in my large porcelain casserole pot that can go into the oven and make this a one pot meal. I made a huge mess in my tiny kitchen, albeit my own fault. Turned out perfect.
First time making this and even though I switched out a couple of the ingredients, it ca me out beautifully and delicious!
Very nice recipe, but how do i change to metric?
Thanks for leaving a comment. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide metric options for recipes but there are many conversion tools available online. I hope that helps!
made this 2x and MAN!!!
So glad you loved it, Dawn!
I found Holly’s Spend With Pennies site a few years ago and tried her version of Chicken Parmesan. That dish is still my son’s favorite. Ever since, when I’m looking for a recipe, I always go to her site first. Eveything has always been delicious, and this Mac and Cheese is no different. Fabulous flavor!! A huge Holly fan!
Aww thank you so much for the kind words! ❤️
Holly – in one of your other recipes for Mac & Cheese you call for a can of Cheddar Cheese Soup, that was the recipe I made for Thanksgiving and it came out great, I was just wondering what end results were / the differences are between the two?
So glad you enjoyed it! The soup just adds a slightly different flavor to the sauce, if could be added to (or left out from) either recipe if you’d like.
What are the mustard powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper for? I did not see them used in the instructions.
They should be added along with the cheddar and parmesan cheese.
Just made this! It called for mustard powder, seasoned salt, etc. in the ingredients list, but I don’t see it mentioned in the directions. I ended up putting them in with the rest of the spices, but wanted to point that out! Thank you!
Sorry for the confusion TB! I hope you loved the mac and cheese.
Very creamy, I cooked my Just under 18 minutes, but that was my preference.
what does “light cream” mean? like sour cream? “whipping cream”?
I use a cream that is about 12%MF (like half and half).
I made a double batch for a church event, and there were no leftovers to take home. Received many compliments on the taste. Used store brand sharp cheddar and some “fancy” brand New York white cheddar. Fantastic.
Can you make a smaller version of the mac and cheese? How do you half 1/3 cup? There are just two of us and we don’t need a huge pan of mac and cheese.
Yes, you could half the recipe. You would need 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons for half of ⅓ cup. I would suggest reducing the bake time slightly.
Great recipe Holly! It was sooo delicious!