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 Muenster or Havarti 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?
Muenster 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 Pin 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 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
- Food processor for shredding cheese
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.
- 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 30 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.
- 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, 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, be quick! Don't let too much heat out. 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
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
This post was originally published on August 21, 2017
Amanda Davis
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Corrin says
I’m not sure why there are so many negative comments!!! I have used this same recipe an upwards of 15+ times and it’s always a hit!! In fact, I make this recipe in a pressure cooker rather than a crockpot and I still have never had any issues. This is the ONLY Mac n Cheese recipe I ever use now, and I change things up here and there periodically and it always turns out perfect! Different noodles, cheeses, extra milk, doubling, all of the above and it’s always wonderful! I am wondering if the people having troubles with theirs ending up mushy are using non-whole milk or even substitutes? Possibly even mixing up the evaporated milk with something else? That’s the only thing I could see ever turning this recipe “mushy” as I have made this both following to a T and kinda freestyling it myself as well. Thank you so much for this perfect recipe!!!!
Amanda Davis says
I’m very glad to hear that Corrin, thanks for commenting!
Erin says
I had this in the crockpot before I looked at the reviews. I hoped I’d be one of the lucky few who said it worked out…nope. I checked at 1 hr, noodles were still crunchy. Checked 30 mins later, overcooked. I took it out of the crockpot to try and cool it more quickly but too late. Mush! I used quality noodles and cheeses. The cheese became gritty very quickly once it cooled a bit. Taste was good but only because I added 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t cayenne, 1 t smoked paprika, extra pepper. Would have been way too bland otherwise.
SKIP THIS RECIPE. I find it odd given all of the negative reviews that it’s still up, unchanged. If so many people are saying it’s inedible, how can this be a truly successful recipie? You will likely be totally wasting your ingredients. Precook your noodles!!
Amanda Davis says
I have found that all crockpots are different and some cook hotter than others, and I do mention that in the post. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you.
Lee says
3 stars because flavor was great! But I followed this to a “T”, even the Barilla pasta, and it was complete mush. And not creamy at all, cheese was congealed. Picture of your dish is literally perfection. Mine was a clumpy hot mess. Was hoping this would be my forever recipe. But back to the drawing board. 😒
Sarita says
This was very easy to make! I found mine was too “milky” and not cheesy enough, so I added an extra cup of shredded cheddar, a bit of ground pepper, and a sprinkling of ranch seasoning about an hour in. It was really good, but my pasta was a little bit mushy. Not the fault of the recipe because I was bringing to a potluck and made it on the early side to make sure it was done. Will def make this again! Thank you!
Jen Fries says
Worked for us! Delicious!
Julianne says
This was a hit for a potluck, I did use Monterey Jack cheese instead of American along with the sharp cheddar (other than that followed instructions) Will definitely use this recipe again.
Kh says
I babysat the temp while
Cooking this recipe and it was mush. Flavor was good, should have cooked the noodles and added to the cheese at the end.
TW says
If it is so critical to only cook for so long- how do you keep it warm in the crockpot to serve it over an extended amount of time( like during a party.)? Can u make and reheat?
Kristina says
Awful! Curdled and not very flavorful. Will not make again. Maybe it was my crockpot, but I finally found a good crockpot that seems to cook well, so thought it would work for this. Sad I wasted so many good ingredients trying to make it easy.
Amanda Davis says
I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you :( we have found that some crockpots cook hotter than others (even the new ones).
Micheline Trottier says
I made this to go with ribs and beans dinner for about 10-12 people.
There were so many more things to prepare that making something in a crockpot freed up hands and time to work on other foods.
It was the hit of the meal!! I will be making this again
I added extra milk/cream to make it creamier. It was DELICIOUS!!
Scott Skinner says
I have to say this might be the most flavourful mac and cheese I’ve ever made. I made this today and doubled it only missing Cayenne pepper as I frequently add too much…
Boys 17 & 15, wife and myself all agree.
2 hours was a perfect time line for us.
Amy says
Did you use a larger crockpot when you doubled? I only have a 6qt and am hoping it will accommodate doubling … TIA!
Kerry Bean says
I made this a month or so ago because my very picky 18 year old raved about some Crock-Pot Mac and cheese that he ate at a friend’s house. I followed the recipe exactly (really appreciated the tips) and it came out great! I took half of it and transferred to a pan with breadcrumbs to make it baked for my husband and me. I’m cooking it again tonight and I’m shocked by the comments! I never looked at them last time and I’m glad that I didn’t. I’m really hoping it comes out as good tonight! Thank you so much
Amanda Davis says
That’s great to hear Kerry. We have found the biggest culprit tends to be the temp that some crockpots reach. Some cook too high, even on the low setting, causing issues for some. We have tested it in 5 different crockpots and only had a slight issue with one of them. Otherwise it was wonderful! Very glad you guys enjoyed it :)
Jessica says
Quite disappointed in this recipe. I made it for family & friends over the Labor Day weekend, and it turned out terrible. I have a 2-year old Crock Pot brand slow cooker, and I followed directions exactly, using the recommended pasta brand. The noodles did not cook right — turned out disgustingly chewy (not mushy) even after 3 hours and regular 30-minute checks. Flavor was blah. The only reason I applied a second star was for the cheese. It did turn out creamy using the deli-style rather than bagged. Would not recommend.
Amanda Davis says
We suggest in the recipe NOT to make this for the first time over a holiday. We always recommend a test run or trying it yourself first. Some crockpots cook hotter than others, so results can truly vary. Please be sure to always read the tips in the post before making ANY recipe, they are very helpful and can help avoid issues such as yours.
Justice says
I had the same problems even after I read the tips and avoided to make any mistakes.
At best this was a poor version of something I’d see at my cousins potluck dinner. I cooked it six times before I gave up. I slightly adjusted measurements and ratios of the given ingredients, time and temperature in pursuit of something I would allow my kids to eat or that my kids would eat.
Sadly I reject this recipe ever being fed to my family.
Also; Amanda, why the harsh reply’s and demanding that this recipes MUST be done exactly the way your husband, chef Anyone made up?
Amanda Davis says
Thanks for your feedback Justice. I don’t see my reply as harsh at all. Sorry you feel that way. Also my husband didn’t create this recipe, so I’m not where you got that idea from?
Jill says
Do I need to change anything if I double the recipe?
Amanda Davis says
We have not personally tested this recipe doubled. However many of our readers have successfully doubled it without changing anything.
Frances Roth says
I make this recipe alllll the time, i love it. but i doubled it last time i made it and it just turned to mush. i do not recommend doubling the recipe!
Amanda Davis says
Interesting! Did you use the same crockpot you usually do?
Barbara A Conner says
This recipe didn’t work for me and I followed it to a T. And my crockpot is newer. Definitely not trying it again!
Amanda Davis says
Sorry you had trouble, thanks for trying the recipe.
Jenny says
I made this exactly according to the recipe and even used the recommended brand of pasta. After 1hr of undisturbed cooking, my noodles were mushy. I might try it again but cook the noodles separately and add them at the end.
Amanda Davis says
I was going to recommend that you cook the noodles halfway, then put them in at the beginning of the recipe. They will still continue to cook, but slowly and won’t get mushy. We’ve tested 5 different crockpot temps and unfortunately they are all different ranging anywhere from 110F (perfect creamy mac an cheese) to 160F (ends up mushy). Thanks for trying the recipe!
Moneva says
Haven’t tried it yet but making it gluten free wife is excited so I will be back to give the taste results
AJ says
I’ve made this at least 5 times, and changed up brands of cheese to use. The best have been using Aldi’s brand of cheese, then any “big box” brand’s cheese(cheddar and pepper jack). Using a “high quality” aged/reserved cheddar tasted great, but was more like an oatmeal consistency because that cheese doesn’t melt well.
I turn it up a notch and use homegrown chopped garlic, plus add 8oz ham steak chopped up, and occasionally chopped black olives! Always delicious, but use an “average/general use” cheddar.
Samantha B. says
Ive done this three times now and it comes out WONDERFULLY every time. But you HAVE TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS carefully. I did use inferior noodles once…turned to mush. That’s on me. I took it to a 4th of July cookout this year and people RAVED over it. Was gone in less than 20 minutes :)
Kristi Pokornowski says
I was so excited to give this recipe a try but it did not turn out well. The flavor was good but the texture of the noodle was starchy (like it had been overcooked but it was still al dente) and the it curdled. I know each crockpot is different but I followed the directions exactly as stated and it just didn’t work out.