Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

4.64 from 11 votes

This indulgent, creamy mac and cheese is prepared on the stove, and then baked with a crunchy golden topping. This cheesy dish of comfort is perfect for whenever you need that homemade creamy mac and cheese fix!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $1.03 per serving

Equipment

8 x 10-inch baking dish or 12 cup muffin tin

Ingredients

For the Mac and Cheese

8 ounces dry pasta such as elbows
1 ½ cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
8 ounces freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese divided
3 ounces mascarpone or cream cheese
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary roughly chopped
1 pinch Kosher salt to taste
1 large pinch black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper to taste
½ cup homemade breadcrumbs or lightly crushed corn flakes

For Muffin Variation (Optional)

3/4 cup Bisquick or similar baking mix

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Pan & Cook Pasta

Generously butter an 8x10-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Set aside.
Salt 2 quarts of water in a large, heavy-bottomed pasta pot and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions except reduce cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cease the cooking process. Pasta will be somewhat tender but still firm.

Make the Sauce

While the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk in flour to create a roux. Cook the roux over medium high heat for 1 minute to cook out the flour taste.
Slowly whisk in the heavy cream until smooth. This may take several minutes and sauce will be thickening as you whisk. Add the Mascarpone (or cream cheese), half the shredded cheddar, Dijon, chopped rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, and Kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble & Bake

Toss the remaining cheddar with the breadcrumbs (or lightly crushed corn flakes), Kosher salt, the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and cayenne pepper to taste.
Stir the pasta noodles together with the cheddar-Mascarpone mixture until all the noodles are very well coated. Turn the pasta out into the prepared baking dish. Top with the cheddar-breadcrumb mixture.
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until top of casserole is brown and cream is bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Undercook the pasta by 1 to 2 minutes. The moisture from the cheese sauce further softens the pasta during its time in the oven. The pasta adds starch to the cheese sauce, making for a very rich and extravagant mac.
I don't recommend substituting the heavy cream for milk or half-and-half. Having a higher fat content from the cream and the mascarpone (or cream cheese) makes this smooth, creamy, and rich!
To freeze, scrape the leftover portions into a freezer-safe plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, then mark with the contents and date of freeze noted on the package. Freeze for up to three months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, portions may be reheated in the microwave easily.
To make 12 mac and cheese muffins: Add 3/4 cup of Bisquick or other similar baking mix to the pasta while stirring with cheddar-Mascarpone mixture. Continue with the recipe as instructed. Spoon equal portions into muffin tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly brown on the muffin tops.

Nutrition