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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Carolyn says
I doubled the recipe!! It was delicious!!!!!!!! Thank you
Lisa says
Did it fit in a 6 quart crock pot?
Brandie says
I was reading some of the reviews & noticed other recipes I came across with similiar issues with their mac & cheese recipe. They said if your noodles were mushy & milk gets curdled or clumpy its because some crock pots have too much heat even on low settings. When they used a newer crock pot with multiple settings not just high or low, it came out great. I didn’t use this recipe yet but I will be for Easter. I’ll try cooking on low & stir often despite my crock only has high & low settings. I’ll comment back to let you know how it turns out. Wish me luck!
LIsa Moore says
Hello. Your recipe indicates 3 cups or 12 ounces of cheddar cheese. However, 1 cup is 8 ounces. So is it 3 cups (24 ounces), or 1 and a half cup (12 ounces). Thanks for clarifying.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Lisa. 8 ounces of LIQUID equals one cup, but when measuring solids you have to go by weight and then figure out the measurement in cups from there. For shredded cheese, the equivalent of 1 cup is 4 ounces :) Hope that helps!
Keith says
Did not turn out very good, followed recipe word for word and turned out very mushy and tasted gritty! Easy Mac tastes better then this.
Amanda Formaro says
Sorry you had trouble! If you use a gluten free or whole wheat pasta it can affect the outcome. Also need to make sure you use the cheeses mentioned.
Melinda says
Why does the pasta need to be rinsed before cooking in this recipe? Most advice for pasta says not to rinse it first.
Amanda Formaro says
Just to remove any dust etc – you don’t have to if you don’t want to :)
Jessica says
Should the elbow macaroni be large? I used the regular smaller elbows and the recipe is too milky. I followed the recipe. Please help. Thanks
Amanda Formaro says
We used regular Barilla elbows. They are similar in size to other brands.
Kelly Kelahan says
Have you done this without evaporated milk? I saw your recipe a few days ago and planned to make it but I forgot the evaporated milk and I have an event that I was going to bring this to tomorrow.
Amanda Formaro says
We’ve only used evaporated milk for this so can’t say for sure. you can make your own however! To make 1 cup of evaporated milk, simmer 2 1/4 cups of regular milk down until it becomes 1 cup.
Pamela says
I am going to triple this recipe. How long do you think it will need to cook then?
Amanda Formaro says
I have never tripled it, but many have doubled it and the cooking time remains the same.
Brad says
Made this for a pot luck birthday party and followed the recipe to a tee. After 1 hour it was a pot full of mush. Not good. No one will ever convince me that any kind pasta is good put of a crock pot.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry you had trouble. Can I ask what type of pasta you used and what the brand was? I’ve heard that some types don’t work well.
Janine says
Would regular elbow noodles work?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes elbow macaroni is what you want to use. I don’t recommend gluten free for this, just standard pasta made from flour.
Marcia Steplowski says
Mine too!!
Maggie says
Making this tomorrow! Will be substituting a 4-cheese blend for the American cheese since I have an opinionated eater in my midst, haha. I’m confident it will be great regardless. Thank you for the recipe!
Amanda Formaro says
Hope you enjoyed it!
Alison says
I was nervous to make this because crock pot m&c recipes always have mixed reviews. I followed the instructions exactly (added extra velveeta cheese on top of 12 oz in recipe) and it came out fine. A tiny tiny bit mushy but everyone liked it and the taste was good. My BIL loveddddd it. I cooked it on low for about an hour and the pasta hadnt cooked so I turned it up to high for about 35 minutes. It cooked after that. Make sure to stir if it’s on high and monitor because pasta in a crock pot is hard. Thanks for the good recipe! Ps a single recipe was plenty for 4 of us and I had leftovers. I will probably add less shredded and keep the velveeta next time.
Amanda Formaro says
So glad you enjoyed it Alison!
Heather says
I doubled the recipe and it turned out bad. Very grainy and mushy. Cooked for 2 hr 10 min on low and put the pasta in uncooked. Stirred twice. Doesn’t taste terrible, but not something to serve at a potluck.
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry you had trouble Heather. May I ask what type of cheese you used? That can sometimes contribute to the graininess.
Summer says
This was wonderful! I was really worried about the noodles at first, it is really hard to make good noodled in the crock pot, but I am glad that I tried it! Below are the changes that I made. It was loved by my coworkers and I will be making it again for Christmas dinner this year! Thank you for the recipe!
I changed the recipe a bit.
• Instead of evaporated milk, I used heavy cream (I eyeballed the amount instead of exact)
• I used mild cheddar and mozzarella instead of sharp and American or Monterrey.
• I eyeballed all of my spices (I am never exact…)
• I left out the dry ground mustard…not because I didn’t think it would be good but because I didn’t have it.
For Instructions:
• Step 1 I followed the only thing I did differently is that I just tossed the butter squares in and stirred them around.
• I cooked on low for the first hour but it didn’t do much…So then, I put it on high for the last hr and 15 mins or so. I made sure to stir it every hour or half hour. (I did almost burn it up with it being on high for so long. I think that next time I will but it on high for the first hour and then leave it on low for the remaining time. All crock pots cook differently.)
ENJOY!
Amanda Formaro says
So glad it was a success for you Summer and that everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your changes as well :)
Sherrie Miller says
for thickening I use potato potato flakes in any dish that comes out with too much liquid. Flour clumps up. The flakes won’t change the taste very much if there isn’t a lot of liquid to absorb
Nicole says
This did not turn out for me at all. $20 in cheese wasted and no dish to bring to the potluck. The noodles are startchy and gross ?
Not sure what I did wrong, but so disappointed
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry you had trouble Nicole. Did you cook the noodles first? That can cause them to get mushy. Did you check the dish after an hour? All slow cookers are different.
Jacqi says
Same happened for me. I think the type/brand of Mac matters. I used HEB organic macaroni. They didn’t absorb the liquid or expand much in size. They are a starchy sticky mush. Stick with the barillo like she used. I followed all instructions and stirred every 20 minutes. I’m at the 1 hour and 30 minute mark and my Mac hasn’t absorbed any liquid and is mushy and sticky – not good. My boiling extra pasta and plan to drain the creamy cheese over the other pasta.
Amanda Formaro says
Remember that removing the lid on a slow cooker basically adds 30 minutes to your cooking time since all the steam and heat that has built up inside just escaped. There is a Crockpot called iStir (it’s what I have) and it has an attachment in the lid that allows you to stir at an interval you set or manually, without removing the lid. >> https://amzn.to/2PFkVYf
Brittany says
Can I substitute the sharp cheddar for a different cheese? I’m not a huge fan of it.
Amanda Formaro says
Not sure if it’s th sharpness that you don’t care for, but a mild or medium cheddar would work too. Otherwise a marble cheese would works as well.
Rosemarie says
Is the total cooking time 2-3 hours. Or do you cook it or 2-3 hrs and the chek it in an hour?
Amanda Formaro says
Total time is 2-3 hours, and may not take that long depending on your slow cooker.
Andrea says
Just to clarify… the noodles go in uncooked…right?
Thanks!
Amanda Formaro says
That is correct!
Louise says
If anyone has doubled this recipe, please comment how it went. Did it need extended cooking time?
Jerami says
I doubled the recipe. It took about 2 1/2 hours to fully cook. Turned out great!
Judy says
Can’t wait to try this. I’m in Calif. It’s 90 outside. Gonna wait until it gets cooler to use Crock Pot.