Make the easiest and cheesiest oven-baked mac and cheese at home with this recipe by Cooking Con Claudia. This version never fails to amaze my guests. It’s always a hit and the first dish to get finished at the dinner table. We love to make macaroni and cheese every Holiday, and this is definitely going to be our new go-to recipe. It’s creamy, cheesy, and absolutely delicious.
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This mac and cheese tastes heavenly as it has 3 kinds of cheese – sharp cheddar cheese, medium cheddar cheese, and Colby jack cheese. The sauce is made of flour, butter, spices, heavy cream, whole milk, and cheese. When you try to make this recipe at home, make sure to grate your own cheese. This will give the cheese sauce a powdery mouthfeel taste. Make sure to add this to your Holiday menu this year!
Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- 1 lb of elbow pasta
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cups of heavy cream
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese (plus 1 more cup)
- 2 cups of medium cheddar cheese (plus 1 more cup)
- 2 cups of Colby jack cheese (plus 1 more cup)
Note: Do not use pre-shredded cheese. Grate your cheese to make your mac and cheese delicious.
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How to Make the Best Mac and Cheese in the Oven
Step 1:
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water until al dente. Constantly move it around to make sure they won’t stick together. Drain then set aside.
Step 2:
In a large pot (or you can use the same pot where you boil the pasta just make sure it’s dry), add the butter and let it melt. Once melted, add the spices, and 5 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Mix together and allow it to cook for 2 minutes.
Step 3:
Gently pour the heavy cream while continuously whisking, along with the milk. Continue to whisk until thickened for about 5 minutes.
Step 4:
Combine 2 cups of each cheese in a bowl, then combine the 1 cup each in a different bowl and set aside for later. Add the freshly grated cheese from the bigger bowl to the mixture and mix until fully melted. Turn off the heat.
Step 5:
Add the macaroni and mix until well combined. Transfer half of the mac and cheese in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle some of the reserved cheese, then pour the remaining mac and cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Step 6:
Bake in a 375F preheated oven for about 15 to 18 minutes. Then broil for 2 minutes on high if you want a hard crust. Once done, allow it to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Cheesiest Oven-Baked Mac and Cheese
