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 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 (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, 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
This post was originally published on August 21, 2017
Amanda Davis
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Aileen says
how many servings does this make i have 35 people coming but its a side dish?
Amanda Davis says
8 servings
Lana says
I have trouble converting to European measures. In grams and liters🫣
Destinee Fisher says
Why does it say you need a food processor when it’s not in the instructions?
Amanda Davis says
For quickly shredding the cheese. Sorry for the confusion.
Don says
Used Barilla wheat elbows with a 12 oz block of aged cheddar and 4 oz of Gouda with whole and evaporated milk. Pasta turned out fine, but cheese sauce was clumpy not creamy.
Amanda Davis says
Sorry to hear you had trouble. I just made two seperate crockpots of this yesterday and they were both perfect. Did you stir after one hour and again after another 30 minutes?
Kelsey says
Will I be able to cut this recipe in half? Do I need to reduce cook time if so? Thank you!
Amanda Davis says
If you cut this recipe in half we suggest using a smaller crockpot.
Brandy Vassar says
I did EXACTLY as directed, and the noodles were mush. I spent a lot of money and had to throw it out. I checked it as I was supposed to, and it was mush at the hour mark. I liked the flavor and will use that “recipe” but not in the crock pot. Sorry. Love your recipes but this one fell short.
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. It is important to use a sturdy elbow macaroni, some brands are pretty thin and will get mushy quick.
D says
It was pretty grainy. To be fair, I used the Monterey cheese option and it wasn’t as creamy as I was hoping it would be. Don’t think I’ll use this recipe again in the future.
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.
janet says
I have been cooking this for two hours and still lots of liquid left. I followed the instructions exactly except used 1% milk.
just eruned up the crokcpot to high. Won’t be done in time for dinner
Janet
Amanda Davis says
Sounds normal actually. As stated in the post “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.”
Ours is usually done in a little under 2 hours, but many people have reported in the comments that theirs was watery at 2 hours and 15 minutes later it was perfect.
Also using 1% milk could have made a significant difference. As stated in the recipe we recommend whole milk because it has more fat and less water. By using 1% it essentially adds more water to the dish.
Anita Hartgerink says
Using 1% or2% milk in anything is a no no! Mac and cheese is a dish that will be ruined if you do!
Brian Semonco says
I’m making this for a surprise party, if I bring it to work ready to plug in at 8am (double recipe) will it be done by 12? Or should I do it the night before and just plug it in at work and reheat?
Amanda Davis says
It should be done by 12
Brian Semonco says
Double recipe will fit in the 6qt crock you think?
Cassie says
I love this recipe! Am I able to multiply the recipe for a large number of people? Would it cook in a roaster?
Amanda Davis says
People have successfully doubled this in their crockpot. We have never tested this in a roaster.
Jessica says
Want to try but was wondering can you use Protein Pasta?
Amanda Davis says
We have not tested that with this recipe. However, should you decide to experiment we would love to hear your results!
Hannah says
Delicious! Very simple to make and absolutely delicious. The only negative about this recipe is it makes you super hungry while it cooks because of the wonderful smell.
Holly says
The sauce never came together. Used fresh grated cheese and all other ingredients as listed. Followed instructions exactly. Total time 3 hours. Still tons of liquid in the bottom of the crock pot
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. We do know that you must use the milks suggested. If you substitute the evaporated milk with regular milk you will end up with too much liquid.
Margie says
This recipe is a winner for my grandkids and grown kids. I use Cavatappi pasta because it’s sturdy and holds up well in my crockpot. I’ve tried a variety of cheeses in this recipe and it always comes out creamy. When doubling this recipe we like 4 cups of sharp cheddar and 2 cups of American cheese. This is made for every family gathering. I always make new dishes according to the original recipe then change it up if I want. This cooks in my 4 quart crockpot in 1.5 hrs. on low. When I double the recipe for my 5 quart crockpot it takes about 2.5 hrs. on low to cook.
Kathy H Hurst says
If I double the recipe, will it fit in a 6 qt crockpot?
Amanda Davis says
Yes
Sarah says
First I do this with gluten free elbows — usually barilla. This is now a staple in our house every time we do BBQ. I’ve made this recipe maybe 20 x. I do oz not the cups for cheese. I think the cups ends up making it less cheesy. If you’re shedding your own cheese you are getting a LOT of air in that cup. Just go by oz. Reverse on the pasta do CUPS not oz.. I know it sounds terrible, but your can’t trust the oz in the box. You’re going to use at LEAST a box and a half for this.
But EVERYONE has LOVED this. I had people stay with us (include picky kids). My husband makes amazing brisket and we had gluten free mac cause my daughter is extremely allergic and I didn’t tell anyone. They inhaled this. Told me it was the best mac they’d ever had. THANK you for this recipe!
If you had issues with this recipe like too soupy or too grainy… If you set it any forget gluten free pasta and don’t keep mixing it will not cook evenly. You have to mix it and make sure the pasta is submerged. Otherwise that’s when you get that grainy texture = not enough moisture. Also don’t over cook it, if you overcook it’ll turn into a mush. Once it’s ready turn it off and take it out of the heat even if you’re not ready to serve it just yet.
Anyway THANKs for this recipe!
Christina says
Do the gluten free elbows hold up well? I’ve made this recipe several times with regular pasta, but am considering trying gluten free. The recipe says to not use gluten free, but you’ve had good results?
Sarah says
Texture and taste-wise it’s great. Cooking-wise it’s trickier than regular pasta no doubt, you’ll really have to watch it. Too long and the gluten free elbows just disintegrate. Too early and it’s grainy. My slow cooker cooks really fast and this is done in less than 2 hours for me. As soon as it’s done, I turn it off and serve. I wouldn’t keep it on warm.
If you need to cut out gluten though and love mac and cheese this recipe definitely works as-is with gluten noodles. I’ve recently found that “Signature Select” brand gluten free elbows hold up better.
Dan says
Like others have said in the comments, mine turned out grainy and gritty. Yes, I shredded my own quality cheeses.
When you make it the real way, without a crockpot, you typically use a binding agent like flour or corn starch to bind the cheeses to the milks. You thicken up the milk/flour/butter over high heat and only add the cheese slowly OFF of the heat. It is of no surprise to me that it did not turn out well in the crockpot.
I’m still going to eat it though.
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.
Audrey says
Followed the recipe right down to the Barilla elbow macaroni, with the exception of omitting the cayenne and shredded about 4 oz of Velveeta for the American cheese. Super tasty, added an extra 1/4 cup of milk at the end (I left my crockpot on “warm” while I fried chicken and it thickened up a bit) The ground mustard was so tasty in this. It was a hit all around and will definitely make again!
Nope says
Why this this recipe appear on a “dump and go” list?
Also followed all instructions exactly and it is grainy and awful. We used good noodles, whole milk, and top quality cheese. If you want a grainy gritty Mac and cheese that can just as easily be cooked on the stove, this is the recipe for you!
Amanda Davis says
Hi – not sure what you are referring to about a “dump and go list”. You must have followed a link from another website to get here as we have never referred to it as such.
Melrose says
You’ve really got to trust the process on this one, but it turns out delicious if you follow the recipe! Definitely shred your own cheese.
At the first check, after an hour, i was so worried because the butter hadn’t even melted. But I let it keep going and checked it every 25 minutes for the next hour or so, and it turned into a delicious gooey mac and cheese after an extra hour and 10 minutes or so. I’ll be making this again!