Inside: Today I’m sharing the BEST creamy baked mac and cheese. This is the perfect side dish to serve with burgers on the grill, with Easter ham and anything in between.
The BEST Cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese
Our son is the best eater when it comes to comfort food. I absolutely love that about him.
So is my husband, but I always test comfort food recipes on our son because he’s the best judge when it comes to this kind of food.
He’s down with all of the best hearty meals that I make like my Crock Pot Goulash, Crockpot Potato Soup with Hashbrowns, Cinnamon Rolls with Ice Cream, Lazy Crock Pot Lasagna, Cheesy Potatoes in a Crock Pot and the list goes on!
Check out the recipe for Panera mac and cheese If you need an easy homemade macaroni and cheese.
And, if you’re looking for a meat to pair with this creamy mac and cheese, you’ll want to for sure try my grilled whole pork loin!
When my final version of this cheddar and mozzarella macaroni and cheese recipe hit the countertop I believe his mind was blown.
I had successfully made a baked mac and cheese recipe with bread crumbs on top, made with a heavy cream for mac and cheese – and the bread crumbs (Panko bread crumbs to be specific) still had a crunch to them on the first bite. And the second, third and even leftover bites.
This creamy baked mac and cheese recipe is a gamechanger!
With whole milk, sharp cheddar cheese, elbow macaroni pasta, butter all in one baking dish … I mean if this is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.
Some may ask: Can you use heavy cream for mac and cheese? You sure can! (I actually do, because we like it even creamier!)
I can guarantee that if you make this macaroni and cheese recipe you’ll be taking it everywhere that you’re asked to bring a dish.
But, here’s the deal: when you make this recipe don’t stress too much about the cheese combinations. Any cheeses will do in this recipe.
I always use a sharp cheddar and most times a mozzarella along with shredded cheddar. If you can find Gruyere cheese, that is awesome in place of mozzarella but I find gruyere cheese kind of hard to find and it does change the taste if you use that as the heavy cream for mac and cheese.
Another option in place of the mozzarella is pepper jack cheese if you want to add a little zip. YUM!
My best advice that I wouldn’t stray from however is when you’re making this old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese, always shred your own cheese. Buy the block of the best cheese within your grocery budget and use a shredder like this one you shred the cheese.
Bags of pre-shredded cheese always have added ingredients to help the cheese not stick together and that’s not ideal for a recipe like this if you want the recipe to turn out the best that it can.
This baked mac and cheese uses 6 cups of cheese so just use what you have – you really can’t go wrong.
Creamy Homemade Mac and Cheese Ingredients:
16 oz elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 tbsp butter, divided
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
The BEST Super Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 4-qt baking dish* and set aside
Combine cheddar and mozzarella cheese in a large bowl and set aside
Cook the pasta one minute short of al dente
Remove from heat, drain, rinse with cold water and place in a large bowl. **
Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce
Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a deep saucepan
Whisk the flour into the butter over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden – do not burn!
Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth
Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes
Add in salt and pepper
Add two cups of shredded cheese and stir until smooth
Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth
Add the last couple cups of cheese to the sauce – the sauce will be thick at this point and that’s a good thing!
Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce
In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika
Sprinkle over the top and bake, uncovered until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes
Broil in the oven for two minutes if you want a crispier topping
Enjoy!
*You can use a 3-quart dish but it will be full to the brim.
** You will be adding to this bowl, so do choose a large one.
You’re going to LOVE this macaroni and cheese recipe with heavy cream!
Creamy Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni cooked al dente
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10 tbsp butter divided
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a large 4-qt baking dish* and set aside
- Combine cheddar and mozzarella cheeses in a large bowl and set aside
- Cook the pasta one minute short of al dense
- Remove from heat, drain, rinse with cold water and place in a large bowl. **
- Drizzle pasta with olive oil and stir to coat pasta. Set aside to cool while preparing cheese sauce
- Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a deep saucepan
- Whisk the flour into the butter over medium heat and continue whisking for about 1 minute until bubbly and golden - do not burn!
- Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until smooth
- Continue whisking until you see bubbles on the surface and then continue cooking and whisking for another 2 minutes
- Add in salt and pepper
- Add two cups of shredded cheese and stir until smooth
- Add another two cups of shredded cheese and continue whisking until creamy and smooth
- Add the last couple cups of cheese to the sauce - the sauce will be thick at this point and that's a good thing!
- Stir in the cooled pasta until combined and pasta is fully coated with the cheese sauce
- In a small bowl, combine panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted butter and paprika.
- Sprinkle over the top and bake, uncovered until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- Broil in the oven for two minutes if you want a crispier topping.
- Enjoy!