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
- Strawberry Sangria - May 19, 2026
- Chile Lime Chicken - May 13, 2026
- Key Lime Pie - May 11, 2026
S says
If I could have left a zero star I would have. I should have followed the warning. Mine was an epic fail. It turned to a mushy blob. What a waste of money for all of the ingredients. It all went into the trash.
Mar Ann says
Giving 4 stars because the only issue I had is that it was VERY DENSE. I followed instructions and read all FAQ. Was this supposed to be super thick? It was thick as opposed to creamy. Not sure what happened. It tasted fine. Macaroni was fine. The picture just showed something very different from what I got.
Kelly Eastridge says
it turned out too gritty and I used block cheeses. won’t make again
John Coury says
I don’t know what you all are talking about. if you follow this recipe, exactly how it reads it comes out perfectly! And it’s very easy. I just made it for the first time this Thanksgiving and its absolutely perfect.
Cassie says
Why does this have so many good reviews. I should have read them. Followed directions carefully and read the notes. Still turned out mushy and liquidy
Doreen Johnson says
I haven’t made it yet. I went to a party today and it was fabulous! host is passing out the recipe now. I’d say those didn’t like it must not have made it correctly.
Renee says
After reading the reviews as an owner of a 20 plus year old crockpot, I was apprehensive, but didn’t need to be. If you follow the instructions as written this turns out perfectly. I used fancy elbow noodles that were beefy and after 1:40 in the crockpot stirring as instructed, it was thick and creamy and the pasta had a perfect texture. Don’t let the comments scare you!
Henry says
I should have read the comments before trying out this recipe. I follow the instructions exactly, and it turned out too watery, too mushy, even the pasta (I used Barilla). Kids shook their heads after one bite.
Amanda says
okay genuine question because you have listed for the recipe to use 12 oz of cheese or three cups 12 oz is actually a cup and a half of cheese and then 4 oz of the other cheese that is only half a cup. what is the real measurements for the cheese? maybe that is where people are getting the recipe confused
Amanda Davis says
Hi Amanda and thanks for checking! I can see how you might think that since measurements by weight and volume can vary by ingredient. Ounces is a volume measurement (by weight). So while 4 ounces of liquid like milk or water will always be 1/2 cup, 4 ounces of shredded cheese is about 1 cup because it weighs differently. A good example is to weigh out 1 cup of rice on a scale and then measure 1 cup of marshmallows, the ounce measurement will be significantly different between the two. The glass or plastic measuring cups you see that have ounces listed on the side are for measuring liquids. Measuring cups made for “dry measures” don’t list ounces. The recipe measurements listed are correct, but I completely understand your confusion. I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out — questions like this help me make sure everything’s as clear as possible for everyone.
Kathy says
Why should the uncooked noodles be rinsed before going into the crockpot?
Amanda Davis says
It helps remove any dust and grittiness.
Melissa says
I’ve never made a homemade Mac & cheese before and my son needed to make one for his Friendsgiving this past Saturday. I found this recipe, which seemed the easiest compared to most others, and it was a one dish crockpot recipe. Win win. It came out way better than I expected. It took about 2 hours total in my crockpot I used. I had only a little bit of separation, but that could be because I used raw whole milk. I’m actually making the recipe again right now. I was in the middle of making it and realized I had ran out of American cheese, so I added 4 extra ounces of cheddar cheese in place of it. I’ll update how that works out. I see a lot of negative reviews about the pasta turning to moosh but I did not have that problem and I used Barilla elbows. There is a specific note on this recipe about not using thin elbows. Y’all are giving this recipe bad reviews on your lack of reading skills. I’m glad I didn’t read the reviews on here cause I love this easy recipe
Ashley says
I have no idea how this recipe has good reviews. I followed it to a t. It was a watery, runny, mushy MESS. Went straight in the garbage. My crock pot cooks everything else perfectly.
Pam says
Flavor was great, but I followed the recipe exactly and my noodles turned to mush and there was too much liquid. Glad I tried before thanksgiving… I really wanted to love it. At the 1 hour mark my noodles were barely warm and partially cooked, and at 1.5 hrs the dish was ruined.
Lexi says
Followed the recipe to the exact and the noodles completely disintegrated! Maybe it’s my crockpot but unservable.
Alicia says
I did read the reviews, but it had so many stars that I did it anyway. Made it for work pot luck today. Complete failure. Had a great taste, but you couldn’t tell that it was Mac and cheese. Should have brought my immersion blender and made it a soup. Very embarrassing. I also followed directions exactly except for trying to make it ahead of time to test out timing. If I had done that I would’ve gone with a different recipe. Just don’t. Find a different one
Amanda says
Not great. Followed recipe to a T and sauce came out gritty. I shredded my own cheese and everything. Would not recommend this recipe.
Bobbi says
I need to make this for a function, and I’d like to start it with extra time.
If it gets done with 30 minutes to an hour to spare, can I just leave it on “warm”? Or how should I handle this?
Amanda Davis says
To be honest, like any other pasta, it’s best served when done. You CAN leave it on warm, but I would suggest having some milk or cream available in case you need to thin it after it’s sat for a bit.
Angela says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but based on the comments with different crock pot temps effecting texture I would be interested to know if you have temperature probed the Mac and cheese at different intervals and final? If you are able to post a target temp for an ideal “doneness” that may be helpful and I would be willing to try it out with a cordless probe to monitor… thank you!
Amanda Davis says
Hi Angela. We haven’t done that, but we have tested the temp in different crockpots. We placed 4 cups of water into three crockpots, put the lids on and cooked on low for 30 minutes. An older crockpot from the late 80s cooked at 110F and that made perfect mac and cheese. The newer ones were 140 and 160.
Mary says
Awful recipe. I should’ve listened to the other reviewers. I thought maybe they didn’t do it right. Follow directions to a T checked it after 45 minutes. It was complete mush. The texture was weird and there was a ton of liquid left in the pot, dumped the whole thing down the trash, waste of money.
Amanda Davis says
If yours was mush after 45 minutes then your crockpot runs REALLY hot. Did you set a timer? Or cook it on high?
Brian says
I made this a week or so ago and followed the recipe pretty much word for word. (I kinda guessed on the butter.) Not sure what the difference might be but I LOVED it and it turned out creamy just as advertised.
In fact, I plan on making it AGAIN in a day or two.
Caroline says
This recipe is terrible. It turned into complete mush and I followed the recipe completely
Tricia says
Horrible. Follows exactly and it’s a bowl of pure liquid mush. I’m really upset. Ruined dinner for my family.
Kari says
Yes. Somehow my noodles seemed undercooked and mushy at the same time. Very disappointing!