“Learn how to make creamy & cheesy baked macaroni and cheese! No Velveeta just real cheese and simple ingredients. It’s the best of both worlds and a real crowd-pleasing recipe.”

Watch me make this creamy & cheese baked macaroni and cheese from start to finish!

****NOTE*** Ughhh!! I keep saying Monterey in the video but I meant COLBY JACK!! Lord help me!


I LOVE this creamy, stovetop macaroni and cheese. I also LOVE this comforting, Southern-style baked macaroni and cheese. You know what this means right? It was time for these macaroni and cheese recipes to make a baby. I present to you their love-child, Mabel.

That’s what I named this recipe. Yeah, I’m one of those people that give names to pretty much everything. Oh, don’t act like you don’t do that. Pretty sure your car has a name.

creamy baked macaroni and cheese

I’ve been getting a lot of requests for baked macaroni and cheese that is both creamy and cheesy! I hear ya! I like it that way too!! We always have such a similar taste. We might be cousins. What’s your mama’s name?

Well, this recipe does such a fantastic job at creating one heck of a creamy, cheesy, old-fashioned, baked macaroni and cheese! No Velveeta included. Although I do love me some Velveeta let’s just keep it real, OKAAY!!

If you have picky eaters or Southern eaters who complain about every freaking thing, then make this baked macaroni and cheese. It keeps you on the safe side. It’s delicious. For real.

My husband says it’s his absolute favorite! Very redeeming since my sister’s mac and cheese held the top spot in his heart for so many years.

Let me tell ya, kids will love the flavor and that it’s ultra-creamy. Adults will adore that it doesn’t feel like they are eating kid mac n cheese. Everybody wins. Case closed. Go home. Good-night.

creamy baked macaroni and cheese

Wait I forgot another thing that you will LOVE about this baked macaroni and cheese recipe! It doesn’t have a gazillion different cheeses in it.

Here are the two kinds of cheese I used. I LOVE them together! I got them both from Walmart.

macaroni and cheese

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m such a fan of baked macaroni and cheese that has a wide variety of different cheeses, but man, it can be “exspainsive.” That’s how my grandmother says expensive.

creamy baked macaroni and cheese

This recipe uses a big shredded block of Monetary Jack cheese (gosh I love that cheese) and of course some smoked cheddar. Baked macaroni and cheese is dead to me without smoked cheese in it! Hmph! There. I said it! Smoked cheese (whether it’s smoked gouda or smoked cheddar) just tips it over the edge and into “mercy this is sinful” territory! Be in that territory. Happiness lives there.

Do you want to be happy?


creamy baked macaroni and cheese

Get the Recipe: Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

4.41 from 152 ratings
LEARN HOW TO MAKE CREAMY & CHEESY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE! NO VELVEETA JUST REAL CHEESE AND SIMPLE INGREDIENTS. IT’S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS AND A REAL CROWD-PLEASING RECIPE.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup half n half, warmed
  • 3 1/2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded & divided
  • 1/2 cup Smoked Cheddar cheese, shredded & divided
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • salt & pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Butter an 8x10 casserole dish. Set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of seasoned water to a boil. (I season my water generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It should taste a bit salty)
  • Cook pasta until a little under al dente ( about 7 minutes)
  • Drain and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter.
  • Whisk in flour and continue stirring until golden.
  • Slowly whisk in half n half.
  • Continue stirring until smooth.
  • Stir in 1 cup Colby Jack cheese until sauce is creamy.
  • Pour cheese sauce over macaroni, tossing to coat.
  • Pour macaroni into prepared pan. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add milk, 2 cups Colby Jack cheese, and 1/4 cup Smoked Cheddar.
  • Taste mixture and add salt and pepper until the mixture tastes seasoned to your liking.
  • Add in eggs and stir well to make sure the eggs are mixed in.
  • Pour egg mixture over the macaroni. (Use a spatula to help push the mixture throughout so that everything isn't just sitting on top). (see note)
  • Sprinkle the top with remaining cheeses. (I never need all of it)
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes. (may not need this long so check on it at the 25-minute mark)
  • Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Alternatively, you could probably just dump the pasta in the same bowl that the egg mixture is in and then pour it all into the casserole dish. I've never done it this way though.
Shred your own cheese. It melts much better than the flour-coated, pre-shredded cheeses in the store. Promise
Cuisine: American, southern
Course: Main, Main Course, Side Dish
Author: Divas Can Cook
Serving: 0g, Calories: 0kcal, Carbohydrates: 0g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 0mg, Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g, Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 0mg, Iron: 0mg
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