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
- 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 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.
- 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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Denny says
I made it. Something in the liquid makes it have a bad taste. I think it’s the evap milk
Amanda Formaro says
Was the evaporated milk expired? ours tasted great, but I’m sorry you didn’t like it!
Abby says
Trying this to bring to Thanksgivibg dinner. The deli was closed, so I’m using the pre-shredded cheese. It’s Kraft cheddar & jack mix with cream cheese in the bag, so wish me luck! I added a half a can of Campbell’s cheddar cheese for and extra kick & to compensate for the pre-shredded cheese, along with a dash of my aunt’s chili powder from New Mexico. I prepared it this morning, excluding the macaroni, and will be mixing it & cooking it this afternoon.
Amanda Formaro says
i hope you liked it!
Melissa says
Im doubling up. Wish me luck.
Amanda Formaro says
Good luck! Please let us know how it goes, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Mommalala says
Will be trying this recipe tomorrow to bring for dinner with the family! I have seen alot of similar recipes. Some say to partially cook noodles some say add uncooked. Most call for a can of condensed soup of some fashion and I like that this one doesn’t. However I wonder how creamy it really gets. Do you think adding a bit of cream cheese would be good or affect the taste too much? I will be using sharp cheddar, Colby jack, and american.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi there :) I think cream cheese would change the taste. The creaminess comes from the American cheese. :)
Allison V says
Any results or feedback on doubling the recipe?
Amanda Formaro says
We haven’t tried that yet, but if you have an extra large crockpot it should be fine with just doubling everything. I believe the cooking time would be the same.
Jennifer says
I did double it and the cooking time was the same,.
Amanda Formaro says
That’s great to know, thank you!
Kaffynan says
OMG served this untried at my potluck at work!!!! INSTANT HIT!!!! I am very impressed!!! Thank you so much I will be adding this to my recipes!
Amanda Formaro says
Yay! So glad you loved it!
Brandon P says
Thinking about making this dish for Thanksgiving, but work Thanksgiving day. If i make the night before, will it reheat ok the day of? Aso considered adding cubed ham. Would that change the original recipe any?
Amanda Formaro says
Adding the ham shouldn’t affect it too much. However, making it a day ahead is not recommended. It will probably get mushy.
Sandra hull says
Im going to make this for thanksgiving for 17 people so i may add a little more too
Kristi says
Hi Amanda. This Sunday I’m throwing a Harvest dinner party and I’m going to try your recipe! I don’t eat yellow cheese. Any recommendations on white cheeses besides Monterey? I’m also going to double it because I have 12 guests attending! Any pointers would be appreciated..
Cheers.
Amanda Formaro says
White American would be a great substitute!
Cheryl says
Will this Mac and cheese re-heat without separating? I am wondering if I should halve the recipe or make it as is and store the rest for tomorrow (which would be ideal because leftovers are so easy). Mac and cheese typically doesn’t re-heat well so just wondering if you’ve tried to re-heat?
Amanda Formaro says
We have not tried reheating it. I agree that mac and cheese does not reheat well. If you add a little milk to help loosen it that can aid in the reheating process. I would probably cut the recipe in half and using a smaller slow cooker instead.
Shanelle says
This looks like a really good mac n cheese recipe!! What kind of pasta is that being used? I found a lot of ppl said their mac n cheese would come out soggy. I wonder if it’s because of the pasta being used. Perhaps elbow is not a strong enough pasta. Great work! I’m about to start on mine!
Amanda Formaro says
Can’t remember the brand of pasta, but we have made it a couple of times with different elbows and it’s been fine. The key is to watch it after the first hour as all slow cookers are different. Enjoy!
patricia carmount says
Why, in the recipe, you said uncooked macaroni but then in the directions you said to rinse in cold water and drain well?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Patricia :) You are rinsing the uncooked noodles just to remove any debris or dust from the manufacturing plant.
Jess says
How many servings, and what size servings, does it make? Thanks!
Rebekah | Kitchen Gidget says
This serves 6-8. A serving size is 2 oz of dry pasta which expands to approximately 1.5 cups with sauce when cooked. Hope that helps!
Stacie says
All i have on hand is a block of marble cheese wondering if it will turn out okay??
Rebekah | Kitchen Gidget says
Hi Stacie, I’ve never tried marble cheese, but if it’s a very melty cheese it should be ok. Please let us know the results if you try!
David B. says
I love this recipe! Started it with breakfast and was ready for lunch. Awesome ! I will be making this again, soon. Maybe with some pepper jack and chorizo…
Amanda Formaro says
Ohhh pepper jack and chorizo sounds delicious! So glad you loved it!
Denise says
Hi. Could I mix all of the ingredients, refrigerate overnight, and put in crock pot a few hours prior to the party?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Denise. I will say yes with the exception of the pasta. Wait until you take it out of the fridge and are turning the crockpot on before you add the macaroni.
Amy says
I love the recipe but it didn’t turn out as creamy as I liked. Next time I will probably take the macoroni out sooner so it doesn’t continue to cook in the pot. Have you tried doubling the recipe? I wonder how much longer it would take to cook in 6-quart crock pot.
Amanda Formaro says
We have not tried doubling it. If you try it before we do, please do stop back and let us know your results!
Natalie says
Question – you put the noodles in uncooked or do I cook them first?
Amanda Formaro says
uncooked! :)
Hannah says
I’ve been searching for the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe for years. I was looking for something to prep for during the work week and made this with leftover cheese in my fridge. It is the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had! Perfect comfort food. Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Hooray! So glad you loved it as much as we do!
Kathy says
Hi Amanda and Rebekah, Thank you for this great recipe! I made it tonight but used half cheddar and half provolone cheese (what I had on hand.) Didn’t come out as creamy-ish as yours, but very tasty! So easy to make, too, and loooove the easy clean-up. I’ll make this again, for sure. Thanks again!!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, so glad you liked it!