This creamy crockpot mac and cheese starts with uncooked elbow pasta; no boiling these noodles. Simply throw the milk, cheese, and seasonings in the slow cooker for a meal everyone will love!
The slow cooker is super portable and the dish won’t dry out. This is a great casserole to take to a potluck or family get together.
Creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese
There are lots of different ways to make mac and cheese, but two of them are more popular than others. The first type is southern or baked mac and cheese, which includes eggs and is almost like a casserole. The second type is cooked on the stovetop in a béchamel sauce. There are no eggs and it is super creamy.
In order to get that ultra creamy texture in a crock pot, you either have to use condensed cheese soup or Velveeta cheese, neither of which appealed to me.
The next best thing is to use evaporated milk and American cheese, the kind you get from the deli counter. Barring American cheese, using a melty cheese like Monterey Jack or White American will also produce creamy results.
If you are making for the holidays
If you’ve never made this before, please do a dry run before the holiday! Everyone’s slow cooker acts differently, so it’s important to try this out first. Please read through the FAQ below as well for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
There have been quite a few questions on this recipe, please check here before asking in the comments as it may already have been answered. PLEASE READ the notes in the printed recipe.
Can I double this recipe and does it change the cooking time?
Yes, this recipe can be doubled provided you have a large enough slow cooker. The cooking time will not change.
I don’t eat yellow cheese, what is a good white substitute?
Monterey Jack works well, as does White American and White Cheddar. A marble cheese should work as well. Sharp cheddars will give this dish the best flavor, try Vermont white sharp cheddar!
Can I make this ahead and reheat it?
We don’t recommend reheating macaroni and cheese as it never tastes quite the same and there’s a possibility that the macaroni will become mushy. However, if this is a deal breaker, you can reheat it – simply add some milk to loosen the thickened sauce while reheating. We recommend making it and having it ready right before you leave. Turn off the slow cooker but leave the lid on. When you arrive stir it and loosen with milk if needed.
Why was my mac and cheese gritty?
Prepackaged shredded cheese contains an anti-caking agent that can cause your final product to taste gritty. Purchase your cheese from the deli and shred it yourself. We’ve also discovered that some less expensive cheeses are gritty even when you shred them yourself, but after the mac and cheese sits for a while the grittiness goes away.
Why was my mac and cheese mushy?
If it cooks too fast or too long it will get mushy. The biggest culprit is thin macaroni noodles. We use Barilla brand and have also used Creamette. These noodles are thicker and sometimes have ridges. Thinner noodles will cook much faster and turn mushy.
Another reason could be an older slow cooker that may cook hotter (even on low) than a newer crock pot. Leave the lid on for one hour on low. DON’T increase the temp to High! Stir after one hour then check after 15 more minutes. Check and stir every 15 minutes after that if needed. Mine was done is 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Mushy mac and cheese can also be the result of using gluten free macaroni noodles as they do not hold up as well. One of our readers made this successfully with gluten free pasta. she said hers was done in 90 minutes but began to get mushy at 2 hours, so it’s important to keep an eye on it!
Can I mix all of the ingredients, refrigerate overnight, and put in the crockpot a few hours prior to serving?
Yes, with the exception of the pasta. Wait until you take it out of the fridge and are turning the slow cooker on before you add the macaroni.
I’m confused by the cooking time, is it 2 hours or 3?
Actually, it’s up to 3 hours. You should cook the dish on low for 1 hour, then stir it and check for doneness. After that, check it periodically (every thirty minutes or so) until it is done. The actual cooking time is completely dependent on the slow cooker you have (similar to ovens, they all cook differently), hence the “up to 3 hours” instruction.
To keep our mac and cheese from being bland we added mustard, garlic, and cayenne to ours in addition to the basic salt and pepper. These can all be adjusted to your taste.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 pound elbow pasta uncooked (regular, NOT gluten free, NOT quick cook pasta) We use Barilla brand
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 12 ounces Extra sharp cheddar 3 cups shredded (from the deli, shred yourself, don't buy bagged)
- 4 ounces American cheese (or Monterrey) 1 cup shredded (from the deli, not processed slices)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Dash of cayenne pepper to taste
- ¼ cup butter cubed
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- IMPORTANT – please do not use the bagged shredded cheese. It contains an anti-caking agent that can make your mac and cheese gritty. Get the cheese from the deli and shred it yourself.Â
- PASTA – please use a sturdy pasta, not the really thin noodles. Thin noodles will cook much faster and turn to mush. Since the pandemic manufacturers have changed their noodles, look for sturdy ones!
- Also, every slow cooker is different. Newer slow cookers should work fine for this recipe. Cook on low for one hour without disturbing. Remove lid and stir well. Replace lid and check every 15 minutes after that. DO NOT turn the heat up! You will make your macaroni mushy. My slow cooker is only a couple years old and my mac and cheese is done after about 1 hr and 45 minutes.Â
- For BEST RESULTS be sure to read the Frequently Asked Questions in the blog post before making your mac and cheese.
- Making for the holidays? If you’ve never made this before, please do a dry run before the holiday! Everyone’s slow cooker acts differently, so it’s important to try this out first. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!
Instructions
- Spray 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- Rinse the uncooked pasta well in cold water and drain.1 pound elbow pasta
- Add uncooked pasta to crockpot along with milks, cheeses, salt, pepper, mustard, garlic and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine, making sure macaroni is submerged in liquid as much as possible.2 1/2 cups whole milk, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 12 ounces Extra sharp cheddar, 4 ounces American cheese (or Monterrey), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, Dash of cayenne pepper
- Dot with cubed butter.1/4 cup butter
- Cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour. Remove lid and stir. Depending on your slow cooker, your dish could be done at this point or require UP TO 1-2 more hours.
- If not done, continue cooking and checking periodically (ever half hour or so).
- When done, pasta will be tender and liquid will be thick and creamy. Sauce will thicken even more after lid is removed and mac and cheese sits.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Condensed milk is sweetened and the two cannot be used interchangeably. Use evaporated milk.
- Don’t use regular milk in place of evaporated milk. However, you can create your own evaporated milk. To make 1 cup of evaporated milk, simmer 2 1/4 cups of regular milk down until it becomes 1 cup. Replacing the evaporated milk with regular milk will result in sauce that is too runny because of the water content in regular milk.
- For the milk in the ingredient list, use whole milk as directed. Using a lower fat milk can add more water and make your mac and cheese more liquidy nand not cook properly.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on August 21, 2017
Amanda Davis
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Janessa says
I read all the instructions through a couple times before buying ingredients, I also read reviews before buying ingredients. Then I bought really good ingredients and followed her recommendation for the brand of noodles. When I made the recipe, I followed it to a T. Or so I thought… I couldn’t figure out why my macoroni turned into a cheese dip with disintegrated noodles mixed in. The texture was awful. I rewatched the video again on how to make it and then realized my grave mistake. I did not mix the noodles and cheese and everything before it began cooking. In my mind I had read the instructions throughly and that the cheese shouldn’t be mixed in before to allow the noodles to cook in the milk. How wrong I was. I am happy to report that the flavor was great! But so sad to report that I didn’t read the instructions well enough and ruined my dinner. 😔 4 stars because the flavor was fantastic. I didn’t do 5 because I don’t know how it would be if I had done it right. Just remember: MIX IT ALL (but the butter) BEFORE COOKING. Unless you want some chunky not smooth nacho cheese. 🥴
Edgar R. Gonzalez, PharmD says
Amanda, not only is your name the same as my dear daughter, but your recipes are every bit as yummy.
Thank you for always being so kind and thoughtful with your recipes. I am a dad that can only cook with explicit instructions. Not exactly Chef Tell!
Amanda Davis says
Thanks for your kind words!
Mellissa says
This recipe had such high rating I was really excited to try it. The mustard flavor is so over powering it ruined this Mac n cheese. Very disappointing.
Amanda Davis says
Hi Melissa. I originally wanted to say this is impossible with the very small amount of dry mustard used in this recipe, but just yesterday I spoke to a friend who made my stovetop mac and cheese. That also has dry mustard in it, and again, a very small amount like this one. She said the mustard flavor was too much for her but that her boyfriend and mom didn’t taste the mustard at all. So I guess this is a unique situation where your tastebuds are sensitive to this ingredient. You can certainly leave it out if you like.
Nicholas Gates says
How do I start this… I’ll preface that I have a culinary arts degree so don’t tell me I didn’t follow the simple instructions, I did not substitute anything. Mad I spent good money on deli cheese for a terrible recipe. Wish I would have read the comments first! After the first hour the noodles were already a goner. For the first stir they cheese and sauce were as if they stayed separate or broken not enough heat to combine. Waited another 15 mins and the sauce started to come together with another stir but the noodles at this point were mashed potatoes. The sauce was not hot enough for anything still so waited another 15 minutes and then strained the sauce from the mushy noodles and cooked noodles completely separate. This recipe would be good for just the cheese sauce so not waste your money and time on the noodles just cook separately and combine.
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had trouble. As I’ve stated before to others, I have not been able to replicate the problem that you are describing. I have made this many time, tested with different pastas, etc, and it’s always good. I’ve never been able to replicate the issues described. Hundreds of people have made this recipe, multiple times, successfully. I truly wish I could replicate the problem so I could identify the mysterious issue and explain what not to do. I am truly baffled because it’s a great recipe for me and so many others. :-/
Can I ask what type of slow cooker you have and what size?
Beth H says
Sadly, my recipe came out like so many others’ here: Clumpy, gritty, and not creamy like the picture. (The picture looks like a Velveeta mac & cheese recipe I used to make.) The flavors were decent, but it was like I used a completely different recipe. I hand-grated my own cheese and used hearty noodles. I did double it, which I initially thought was the problem (e.g., the lack of space, despite having one of the largest higher-end slow cookers on the market)–until seeing so many other reviewers with the same issue here. I even tried reconstituting it by tossing it with some heavy cream and baking it in the oven–covered–to try to achieve the creaminess. I knew the noodles would overcook in the oven, but I was desperate to salvage the $35+ I spent for a side dish. Sadly, nothing worked.
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had a negative experience with our recipe. We have tested this recipe rigorously, multiple times, with multiple brands of pasta and cheese, and in a few different crockpots. We have never had a problem.
I will say that real cheese will have a slight grainy feel to it, especially as it cools. This recipe is best enjoyed as soon as it’s done.
If you substitute the evaporated milk with regular milk you will end up with too much liquid. And that can make the pasta mushy.
Sharon says
Sadly, like others have mentioned, the noodles were awful. Used Barilla and followed the directions to the letter. Unfortunately, one of the worst recipes I’ve tried. And, an expensive waste. Not sure what it was because I’ve made tons of other delicious slow cooker mac n cheeses. The taste/sauce was good. But, can’t describe the semi-mushy, flavorless, weird tasting noodles.
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had a negative experience with our recipe. We have tested this recipe rigorously, multiple times, with multiple brands of pasta and cheese, and in a few different crockpots. We have never had a problem. If you substitute the evaporated milk with regular milk you will end up with too much liquid. And that can make the pasta mushy.
Carol L Mahoney says
Will be making tonight…excited!! Shopping for ingredients, bought a chunk of american cheese from deli, but then decided on Monterey because even the chunk is processed cheese, like slices. Wonder if that happened to Sharon.
Tiffany says
If it is done a little earlier than needed, should we just put the crockpot on “keep warm” or try something else? Thank you!
Amanda Davis says
The keep warm function is ok for a short period of time, but personally I would turn it off. It overcooks easily.
Janean says
So easy to put together! Added a dash of curry for bit different flavor burst 💥
K. Page says
If you love Mac and cheese, do NOT do this! Macaroni came out gummy and wierd. Sauce is too soupy flavor is meh. I’ve stuck mine in the oven for a while in hopes of any improvement at all. Sad I’ve wasted good cheese :(
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had a negative experience with our recipe. We have tested this recipe many, many times with great results as have many of our readers. Did you use whole milk and evaporated milk as listed in the recipe? If you replace the evaporated milk with regular milk it can be too much liquid, resulting in soupy sauce and gummy pasta. Whole milk also has more fat, so replacing it with skim or lower fat milk can also affect the recipe. Again, I’m sorry you had trouble, but we have never experienced what you did and can only assume that substitutions are to blame.
Busy Mom says
The cheese was so gritty and the noodles became overcooked! It was a huge fail and my family we left hungry!
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had a negative experience with our recipe. We have tested this recipe rigorously, multiple times, with multiple brands of pasta and cheese, and in a few different crockpots. We have never had a problem.
I will say that real cheese will have a slight grainy feel to it, especially as it cools. This recipe is best enjoyed as soon as it’s done.
If you substitute the evaporated milk with regular milk you will end up with too much liquid. And that can make the pasta mushy.
Lisa H says
I made the crock pot mac&cheese for the first time. I followed ingredients and steps. I started out shredding the cheese, gave up on that, then cut the cheese into cubes from the block cheese. I set temp on low and let it go for good hour and 15 before stirring. I then loosely set lid on top and let it go for another 30 min, stirring every 15 min. The cheese came out gritty. I had temp on low the entire time. Maybe it just got too hot. The taste was delicious and everyone liked it. The spices and evaporated milk were a good ingredient not used before in baked mac&cheese.
kris koopmans says
Can I double or even triple this? I need it for a memorial service.
Amanda Davis says
We have heard that readers have successfully doubled this recipe. I don’t know abut tripling it though, let us know if you try it!
holly wilson says
regarding gritty cheese- real cheese can cook in bits rather than melt in, if the temp is too hot
Alyssa says
I liked it. Was a good thickness but idk it felt like some flavor was missing. Maybe it was a cheese preference. Maybe I can tinker with other cheeses and make something I like. So thanks for the basic recipe to tell me how to make it. 🙂
Alice says
hey, I’m planning on making this for a work potluck. any reason I can’t use a crockpot liner? Thanks!
Amanda Davis says
That should be fine
Brian Moore says
I used block cheese and cut it into cubes. It melted perfectly. I also added some brocoli florets and chicken to make it a whole meal.
Mark says
I followed and measured precisely . It came out grainy and not Mac and cheese consistency at all. I was really hoping this was the one.
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry you had a negative experience with our recipe. We have tested this recipe rigorously, multiple times, with multiple brands of pasta and cheese, and in a few different crockpots. We have never had a problem. I will say that real cheese will have a slight grainy feel to it, especially as it cools. This recipe is best enjoyed as soon as its done.
Kirsten says
I had the same experience. I made it twice and both turned out gritty, like the cheese didn’t blend in properly. Didn’t look anything like the image shown, there were visible bits all over and was just kind of gunky. I cooked it longer to see if that would help but it just reduced the moisture level and eventually I would have overcooked the pasta. Tasted nice though, just wish the consistency was better.
Amanda Davis says
Wondering if it’ the type or brand of cheese? I’ve made this so many times and just never had that issue :(
Sue says
Can I use this recipe without a slow cooker?
Amanda Davis says
We haven’t made this specific list of ingredients in anything but a slow cooker. However we do have multiple delicious mac and cheese recipes, depending on how you would like prepare it:
Baked – https://amandascookin.com/baked-macaroni-and-cheese/
Instant Pot – https://amandascookin.com/instant-pot-mac-and-cheese/
Stovetop – https://amandascookin.com/easy-stovetop-macaroni-cheese/
Amber Flores says
I made this today for my nephews birthday party per his request. I cooked one hour at home then drove an hour and half and plugged in for another hour when I got there and it turned out great! Everyone loved it and it was gone. Took a gamble with the traveling but as figured it was fine!