This recipe for classic baked macaroni and cheese is far and away the most popular on my previous blog, The Hazel Bloom. It’s super creamy – not dry like some homemade mac and cheese can get. It’s cheesy. Oh yes. Very cheesy. It’s rich, ooey, gooey, and, yeah – in my humble opinion – the best macaroni and cheese recipe ever.
I say it’s the best macaroni and cheese recipe ever not because I have tried every single macaroni and cheese recipe in the world (though I have tried many) (and wouldn’t it be an incredibly noble cause to try every single one?!). It’s because whenever I take a glorious melty bite, I simply cannot imagine a better classic mac and cheese.
As I revisit, rephotograph, and sometimes slightly revamp recipes from past blog posts, I’ll be sharing the updated version here on Kitchen Treaty, which is now my main focus food-blog-wise. Quite naturally, I had to start with this recipe.
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This is the best macaroni and cheese recipe ever. Seriously. Creamy, cheesy, straightforward, ooey, gooey – this macaroni and cheese will knock your socks off. Then go put ‘em back on and run a marathon, quick.
I can say this is the best macaroni and cheese recipe ever because it’s not really my recipe. I tweaked it a tiny bit – basically made it even more fattening – but otherwise, it’s someone else’s. It’s from someone named Bev, who posted her recipe on Recipezaar and to whom I am eternally grateful.
See, macaroni and cheese is pretty much my all-time favorite food. Always has been. Cases in point:
- One of my first-ever memories is of sitting down in front of the TV with a bowl full of macaroni and cheese and watching Emergency! – and feeling pure bliss.
- Not long after that was when I realized that a single macaroni and cheese noodle was actually not called a “macaroni and chee.” Major epiphany.
- Every birthday, my wonderful Gran actually used to wrap up boxes of Kraft dinner for me. Best presents ever!
I should probably stop there. I have a sneaking suspicion I’m coming off like a total freak.
So back to Bev. Bev posted a recipe that will forever be my go-to recipe for homemade mac and cheese. Before that, I had only experienced dry homemade mac and cheese. Goes into the oven wet, comes out dry. So annoying! But no more. I love you Bev!
Bev is probably totally creeped out now too.
I’m a total freakfest today. I guess I’ll just post the recipe. Mac and cheese lovers, come hither – this is the real thing!
Oh – and this recipe is great with many noodles other than macaroni (like penne, yum!) My most recent discovery is a wonderful pasta called “conchiglie.” It’s like giant macaroni noodles and it holds the sauce in the middle and oh. my. God. you just have to try it.
Okay, I’m shutting up now.
Here’s the recipe!
- 8 oz. (1/2 pound or about 1¾ cups) macaroni or other medium tubular pasta (like penne or conchiglie)*
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for sprinkling on top
- 2½ cups 2% milk
- 3 cups grated medium cheddar cheese*
- Boil the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and return to the pan you boiled it in. Set aside. (Mix in a little butter to keep the noodles from sticking if it’s going to be awhile before you make the sauce)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes.
- Stir in the milk.
- Keeping on medium heat, whisk constantly for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat, and stir in 2 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and toss gently until all noodles are covered.
- Add half the noodles to a two quart casserole dish.
- Sprinkle on half the cheese.
- Add the rest of the noodles.
- Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese, and dust lightly with the smoked paprika.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until it starts getting a slightly dry and a tiny bit brown on top. Serve, topping individual servings with cooked, chopped bacon if desired.
Okay, here’s proof that the internet makes our world even smaller! I know Bev from Recipezaar! Well, I don’t KNOW her know her, but I made some of her recipes when I first began cooking {that are always fabulous, btw} and we’ve chatted from time to time. And here you are, mentioning her on your blog! Crazy.
And this mac ‘n cheese has me swooning! Such a great comfort food and it’s a rare find to find a truly great mac ‘n cheese recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Ha! That is awesome. I’m going to have to check out all her other recipes so I can *really* amp up my stalking. ;)
Hey, I am going to try this for a Father’s Day event at the inlaws. My husband volunteered me for the Mac and Cheese. I want to make an incredible one. So many posted how wonderful this is. I want to try it, but I am so afraid I am going to wreck it. Is it really that easy to make and what cheeses would work with it. Just regular sharp cheddar. Thank you so much. The last few years our Mac and cheese made by someone else in the family has gotten real dry and crunchy. I don’t want that! Thank you! Ellen
I laughed aloud when I read the line about the singular “macaroni and chee.” Adorable!
Oh. My. Goodness. I was just telling my dad that mac ‘n cheese is my favorite food but I can never eat it because it’s so darn unhealthy…but I might have to cheat for this. It looks phenomenal. So creamy and cheese. Mac and cheese perfection! My noodle of choice for M&C is shells. I love how the sauce gets all trapped in the shell. So great. Can’t wait to try this!
this chicks getting a boner over shells, but I gotta say I love shells too…
But wait … where’s the BACON!?!?! I see the delicious looking photos with bacon, but it’s not even mentioned once!
It is mentioned under the photo of the bacon :)
“Add cooked and crumbled bacon to the top for your resident carnivore. He or she will declare undying love to you forevermore. Guaranteed”
I’m soooo going to try this tonight! :)
Thank you Sarah! :)
I had no problem stretching the recipe!
Instead of stretching, do you think it will work to completely double the recipe or should I make 2 batches? I need this for a Thanksgiving dish and “serves 6″ just won’t get it. Thanks!
I need to quadruple it for Thanksgiving. I have made this as written several times now and my kids INHALE it. I am always the Mac n Cheese person at get togethers and I want to try this out on everyone, but not clear how much longer I should bake it with the recipe quadrupled? I sure hope we get a response on our comments soon! This stuff is so addicting!
Hey Michelle and Tracy! I hope I responded in time; I’m so sorry I didn’t see your questions sooner.
I’ve as much as tripled this recipe (no need to make separate batches, it doubles perfectly) and only needed to bake it for about 5 more minutes. Just keep a close eye on it once you hit 25 minutes. When it’s bubbly and starting to brown on the top you should be good to go!
Hint: When you’re creating big vats of this stuff, I recommend using the slicer/shredder attachment on your Kitchenaid Mixer or grating the cheese via food processor grating attachment, if you have either of those things. Makes all that cheddar shredding SO much easier.
Happy Holidays!
I just made this with the recipe doubled and it was AMAZING. I had about nine people to feed and everyone was full- we even had leftovers!
Yay! I have as much as quadrupled the recipe for a large gathering. It was crazy! Multiple large pots going … a bit of mayhem. But worth it! :)
Karen was it really easy to make and did you really love it. I am making it for a Fathers day at the Inlaws. I was volunteered to make a Mac and Cheese. The person who used to make it has two things not working, one she just had surgery and second her Mac and Cheese over the years has gotten dry and crunchy! HELP! I worry I am going to wreck it!!!!!
I’m having a pot luck at work tomorrow and I just took this recipe out of the oven. I am looking so forward to tasting the results. I will let you know what my co workers thought of the mac n cheese, I’m adding the bacon too.
I can’t wait to hear! I hope they loved it. :)
Sooooo… Was it yummie? Come on Lisa, we are all waiting… You said that you’d keep us posted… Xxx
Any reheating tricks? I just made a huge batch of your yummy recipe for thanksgiving tomorrow, and cant throw the casserole dish in the microwave. How long would you suggest I leave it in the oven to reheat and at what temperature?
Hi there,
I’ve had the best success assembling the mac & cheese up to the point of baking, refrigerating, and -then- baking it for the first time right before serving (best to let it return to room temp before baking, or add a few minutes to the baking time to compensate for the colder mac & cheese).
If you’ve already baked it, I’d suggest a 325 degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes, just until it’s bubbly again. It just might be a tad drier than it would have been had you only baked it once, but it will still be delicious. :)
Happy Thanksgiving!
I need to book mark you. Every time I make this, I have to come back to google for your recipe! We had a picky eater in the house. I made this, and it’s the first thing he ever went back for seconds on. Delicious!!
Also, I have to ask–are you intentionally making a roux for this? I live in south Louisiana, and your flour and butter base is the start to a lot of our recipes. I’ve never made a cheese sauce with it before, though.
That’s really interesting, Stephanie (and I know your comment is olllld, LOL) – because I live in Scotland, and a roux is the standard way to start a cheese, bechamel or other milk-based sauce here. :)
I love diversity and cultural differences – especially when they mean tasting more delicious recipes…and I do love Deep South food. Mmmmmmmmm. :-D
I’m going to try this for Christmas dinner. Can I prepare it a few days ahead up to the point of baking and refridgerate it before baking it?
REPOSTED from above – Hope this helps :) Im making this for Xmas and I cant wait!
Hi there,
I’ve had the best success assembling the mac & cheese up to the point of baking, refrigerating, and -then- baking it for the first time right before serving (best to let it return to room temp before baking, or add a few minutes to the baking time to compensate for the colder mac & cheese).
If you’ve already baked it, I’d suggest a 325 degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes, just until it’s bubbly again. It just might be a tad drier than it would have been had you only baked it once, but it will still be delicious. :)
Happy Thanksgiving!
What size dish do you bake this in? 8 by 5 or 9 by 13?…..
Hi Megan,
I’ve actually baked this in several different sizes of baking dish, from a deep 5″ x 8″ dish to an 8″ x 8″ dish to a 9″ x 13″. All work great, but the bigger dish gives you more crispy top bits.
What size dish do you bake this in? 8 by 5 or 9 by 13?…..
A two quart casserole dish, which is a circular one.
If you can’t get medium cheddar (checked three stores), would one cup of mild and two cups of sharp suffice?
Hi Kris, so sorry medium cheddar was so elusive! Crazy! Absolutely – use mild or sharp cheddar, a combination, or you could even try some different cheeses if you were feeling daring (Gruyere, fontina, maybe a little Parmesan … all would be fantastic).
I made this a bunch of times in the past on a double batch but today I doubled the double batch and it came out a little watery. Will this thicken up once I cook it with the addition of the other 8 cups of cheese? Or do I have to start over? I am making it in a huge pan that fits in a table top warmer and cooked to the point of baking. I plan on doing the baking part tomorrow for a baby shower!
Hi Robin, I’ve made huge batches and have sometimes felt like there’s way too much sauce for all that pasta. But the pasta soaks absorbs so much of the liquid it always turns out perfect. I’m not sure if I’d ever describe it as having looked watery before, though. Hmm. I’d bet it’ll thicken up, but how about scooping a bit out into a ramekin and baking it now, just to see if it comes out the way you expect it to? Bonus: lunch! ;) Hope it turns out okay for you, and enjoy the baby shower!
Well, I finally found the best Mac and cheese recipe!
Awesome Recipe. I made this once before and it was amazing and I am making it now again. There was only one question I am confused about. I make double batches and so I double all the ingredients. Everything works out perfectly till I get to the part where I melt the butter in the pan and then add the ingredients. Every time I add the ingredients, It soaks up the butter and becomes chunky in my pan, so instead of waiting the 3 minutes of stirring, i end up adding the milk right away, so avoid burning. After I add the milk I have to break up the chunks but then everything seems to run smoothly and it tastes amazing. So am I missing something? Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have been searching for a good mac and cheese recipe for years! It has great flavor and is so creamy. I used 5 different types of cheese (I usually have that many on hand) and it turned out great.
I have hated mac and cheese all my life ever since I tasted it in the school cafeteria. My mom never made it, nor did I make it for my kids. Now I am 75 years old and ran across your recipe. WOW!! Have made this twice in one week….it is soooooo good! We are never too old to learn something new…I just wish I would have know this earlier. Everyone I knew back then always gave their kids the boxed kind. Yuk. Thank you for enriching my life with this taste treat.
Gudrun, thank you so much for sharing. I’m so glad it’s made a mac and cheese convert of you! :)
Gudrun, your comment made me smile SO much. I have friends in age from teenagers to their 80s (I’m 40, myself), and you’re never too old to grow a new food addiction! :D Exploration keeps us all young. x
Going to try make this in the next few days however, how big is a “cup”? Cups are all different sizes?
Hi Gary, sorry I didn’t see your question sooner. In cooking terms a cup is equivalent to 8 ounces. I did a quick search and found this chart that you might find helpful. http://www.foodgeeks.com/resources/conversion_charts
Can I prepare this without baking and freeze for a crowd?
Can I prepare this without baking and freeze for a crowd?
I almost always have a batch of this in the freezer, usually assembled up to the point of baking. It’s so handy to have some ready to cook up on a moment’s notice. It turns out pretty well, though I find it’s not quite as creamy as when you don’t freeze it.
This was AMAZING! I substituted peprika for Mrs. Dash Chipotle and chili powder and it came out great. The base for this recipe is key(butter and milk with cheese sauce). Add spices to taste. I’m never making Mac and Cheese any other way! Good stuff.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, John.
I don’t have any dry mustard or 2% milk on hand, but I do have prepared mustard, skim milk, and half-and-half. Has anyone ever tried this with a fattier milk combination? I’m going to give it a shot and see if it turns out okay. This seems like the most promising recipe for mac & cheese I’ve come across, and I’ve tried many.
Hi there, you know, I actually tried a squirt of regular prepared mustard once when I realized I was out of dry mustard. It really didn’t add the flavor of dry mustard. Personally I’d just leave the mustard out entirely if I don’t have dry mustard in my cupboard. A mixture of skim milk and half-and-half should work great! I’d think three parts skim to one part half and half should be just about right, but a quick Google search for milk substitutions might give you a more accurate ratio.
Hope you love it!
I made this last night and it was delicious. I used New York Extra Sharp Cheese and next time might go with Cabot’s Seriously Sharp. I used 1% milk and it was still very creamy.
DH said it was the best macaroni and cheese he’s ever had. The little guy who doesn’t ever eat anything had two helpings. And the big kid didn’t like it but if his brother likes something then he doesn’t! LOL
My question is can i make this the night before, leave it in the fridge and cook it the next day or will it not turn out the same.
Thanks!
I think she replied to a similar question above, and said it turns out fine if you prepare it to the point of baking, then refrigerate it. When you want to eat, just bring it back to room temperature before baking it, or add on a few minutes to make up for the cold of the fridge. :)
Hope I’m not too rude replying in her stead, but I’m reading this thread with great interest…I currently have a large casserole full of this in the oven, to stave off the cool Scottish evening! :D
I just bought conchiglie noodles yesterday and I was looking for a mac and cheese recipe for these great looking noodles. Yours was the first I found and now I am so excited to get these things cooking! Thank you.
How many cups of macaroni is 8 oz? I have tried to look it up but am getting answers from 1 3/4 cups up to 4 cups. I am really looking forward to making this and don’t want to mess it up!
I would suggest getting a kitchen scale, which can be easily found for cheap and gives you much more accuracy in cooking and baking.
But it was two cups of dry noodles for me.
Thank you!
Hi there, I usually just use half a package of pasta as it usually comes in 16-ounce boxes. Thank you for asking this – I will revise the recipe to clarify as soon as I can!
This was the most amazing Mac n cheese I have ever made. My daughter loves bacon so I added bacon and I used Colby jack cheese and 1 cup of smoked Gouda and my husband likes jalapeños so I added a few fresh sliced in the corner for him….follow her pointers on not adding more cheese or more noodles and you will have an amazing dish!!! KEEPER!!!!!!
Oh my! Your substitutions and additions sound unreal. Yum!
At what point do you add the bacon?
Hi there, top with bacon when you serve it, if desired. Just sprinkle individual servings with cooked, chopped bacon. Thank you for asking; I should to mention that in the recipe. I’ve added it to the last step.
Greek yogurt?
That sounds disgusting.
Don’t ruin great recipes.
I made this with Greek Yogurt instead of milk, and left out the flour as the greek yogurt is very thick. I also added some minced garlic and green onions. On the top I sprinkled a little bit of parmesan, and it was absolutely delicious!!!!
Greek yogurt is such a great idea for making a healthier version of mac & cheese – love it!
Thank you for this amazing recipe…it truly is THE best macaroni and cheese recipe out there!
This was my first time to ever make home made mac and cheese. I had never made a gravy that way before either. This was so easy to make. I forgot to put the cheese in with the gravy, but it worked out just fine. I made a double batch with no problem, got tired of stirring for 20 min though, lol! Thank You so much for this recipe!
I made this for Christmas for my husband and myself but I need to make a double batch tomorrow for a family get together. I want to cook it in the crock pot…any ideas on how that will go?
Hi Myka, I love this recipe for family get-togethers! As far as the Crock Pot goes … I’ve never tried it in a slow cooker so I can’t really speak to that. But I think that if you layer the sauced noodles and cheese in the Crock Pot (basically put it in the Crock Pot at the point of baking which I’m assuming is what you meant), it will probably turn out hot and melty-cheesy and be pretty good. I would miss the baked crispy topping and I would worry about it possibly drying out a bit as the noodles would probably soak in more of the sauce along the way. But hey, it could be totally fine too. :) If you do try it, please report back!
Well, I had a craving for mac’n'chee tonight, but since they don’t sell it over here (Taiwan), I thought I’d give homemade a go. It’s in the oven right now…
Oh yes. It is awesome. It’s like my mom used to make, but better (shh, don’t tell her).
One thing: maybe specify that it’s 375 FAHRENHEIT in the recipe. Some of us are used to metric (also morons), and nearly burned our dinner. This would have been extremely tragic.
Now I’m going to sit down for some mac’n'chee and Star Trek. This is going to become a weekly event.
Hey Conrad! So glad you liked it. Sounds like an awesome weekly event you’re starting. Klingons and chee. :) And, yes! I absolutely should specify Fahrenheit. Thank you for mentioning that. Updated!
I made this recipe once before by the book. I made it again and tweaked it a bit. Added a sauteed onion, some kraft velveeta cheese and a splash more milk and that completely set it off. The original is great too, but I just like to improvise a bit when cooking.
I love to improvise, too – I’m all for it! Love the idea of adding the onion, especially.
I will never make baked Mac and cheese any other way again! This recipe is fannnnntassstic!! My husband and I loved it! Thanks so much!
Hey Amanda, so glad you both loved it! :)
I had only tried homemade mac & cheese once before and I was very disappointed in it, but I tried yours tonight and LOVED it! No more boxes for me.
Yay! It is such a great recipe, isn’t it? (I can say that without feeling like I’m bragging because really it’s Bev’s recipe with very minor tweaks. ;) )
Yay! Another convert! :) Don’t tell anyone, but I actually made up a box of the Annie’s box mac and cheese a couple months ago, and it had been so long since I’d made it that I just dumped the box into the water, cheese packet and all! Totally forgot the packet exists. I guess that’s a good thing. ;)
I’ve just had come across this recipe and it sounds great so I will be trying It out tomorrow!
This recipe is real similar to the one I’ve been making for a long time except that I saute’ onions in the butter before adding the flour and the rest of the ingredients. I also use whole wheat macaroni noodles and top the mac and cheese with lightly buttered whole wheat bread crumbs before putting in the oven.
Sure beats anything out of the box!
This really was…the BEST mac and cheese ive ever had…i was a little nervous at first because until this dish, ive never baked mac and cheese before..but again this is the best ive ever had…THANKS!
I want to make this and freeze it for when our first baby arrives in a couple of weeks! Would you suggest assembling this dish and then covering and freezing and then to de-thaw and bake? Rather than baking first and then freezing?! Thanks!
Hi Kelly – first and most importantly, congratulations! I actually made and froze a couple of batches of this when I was expecting, too. :) I assembled it up until the point of baking and then froze it. I tried to let it come to room temperature, or at least completely thaw in the fridge, before baking. The results were good. Still not quite as creamy and perfect as when you don’t freeze it and just bake it immediately, but still plenty delicious and the convenience is SO wonderful when you’re caring for a tiny little one. Best of luck and congrats again!
Looking to try this awesome looking recipe out for a going away party this weekend, but just wondering if I should cover this with aluminum foil while its in the oven to further prevent it from drying out???
Sorry if you’ve already answered this…. :)
This was delicious, but it was almost too rich. I think I put too much cheese in the sauce. Would that cause that richness?
The cheese might make it a little richer … but this is pretty much an over-the-top rich mac and cheese recipe either way. Perhaps try less cheese between the layers next time? Glad you liked it nonetheless! :)
Hey Karen – I was just in search of a M&C recipe and was excited that you were Page 1 in SERPs. Our 20 month old has become a huge mac & cheese (and ham) fan, so I need to find an alternative to The Box asap. Going to give this a go today!
Hey Tony! So funny. The first time my daughter (now nearly 17 months) ate it (gosh, she was probably only like 8 months at the time), she devoured it with lots of “mmmmmmmmmmmmm” murmering. I was so proud! But the last several months it’s been no dice on homemade. Annie’s Homegrown bunny pasta from a box, though, she’ll eat. It kills me!
Hope your little guy likes it. :)
This was really really good! I needed to make something warm and yummy for when the kids got home from school. I didn’t have macaroni, paprika, or 2% milk on hand. So I used the following: spaghetti, chili powder, 2 cups whole milk, and a half cup water. I also added 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced and chopped red bell pepper (gave a nice color and taste), 2 tablespoons of chopped onion, and half of an Eckrich Skinless Polska Kielbasa (cut into bite-sized pieces). Everyone loved it and there were no leftovers. Best Mac ‘n Cheese I’ve ever made! I will buy some macaroni to keep on hand for next time.
Wow, that’s a very creative take (and sounds terrific)! Thank you for sharing. :)
Okay…so Im a born recipe “tweeker” but I started with the original recipe. Just added more butter……about 1/2 tsp. Of garlic powder and I sprinkled bread crumbs across the top with the bacon bits. Then sprayed the crumbs with spray butter. Looks…..smells and tastes wonderful!!!
I feel ya on the recipe tweaking. You’ve got to make it your own! So glad you liked it. :)
Your macaroni and cheese looks very scrumptious! This is definitely a to-die-for recipe! Especially the gooey cheese–very tempting.. I will definitely try this. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Embarrassed to say, I’m 48 years old and I’ve never made homemade mac and cheese. Mainly, because I don’t eat a lot of it, but tonight I had a craving… I wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup (my ultimate comfort food) but I wanted to try something interesting. So I searched for homemade mac&cheese recipes and this one caught my eye. I made it per the directions and only sampled a spoonful(MMmmmm-Mmmm). Then, I cut 2 thick slices of French bread, lightly toasted them and buttered the outsides. I placed 1 cup of the mac and cheese, 4 thin slices of roma tomatoes, a little extra black pepper and a little oregano between the bread and grilled it on a very hot grill pan for about 30 seconds per side to crisp it up even more. It was fantastic with a side of harvest tomato soup. Can’t wait to finish off the leftover mac and cheese tonight! ~rick