This recipe for Baked White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is creamy, decadent, and delicious. It includes a crispy bread coating that provides a delightful crunch. It’s made with multiple types of cheese, hot sauce, and panko crumbs for the ultimate mac and cheese dish.
This creamy baked white cheddar mac and cheese has a burst of flavor from the seasoning and hot sauce I’ve included in this creamy white mac and cheese recipe. Using cheese sauce (and multiple types of shredded cheese) means this macaroni and cheese recipe is extra cheesy. Bonus – you can easily swap out the cheese for options you prefer without sacrificing flavor.
If you’re not a huge fan of cheddar cheese I found The 10 Best Substitutes for Cheddar Cheese.
Use leftover cheese to make other mac and cheese dishes like my French Onion Mac & Cheese, Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese, or Homemade Mac and Cheese Sauce.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cheesy – This creamy white cheddar mac and cheese features three types of cheese and a cheese sauce for an ultra-gooey recipe.
- Decadent – The cheese combined with the cheese sauce and milk help create a deliciously rich dish.
- Slightly spicy – The small amount of hot sauce adds a delicious heat and flavor boost to this gourmet white mac and cheese.
- Full of flavor – I’ve included a good amount of seasoning (like garlic and onion powder) in this recipe to ensure each bite is flavorful.
- Great for family dinners – This baked white cheddar mac and cheese is picky-eater approved.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Milk: You can use whichever milk you have in the fridge for this recipe, including skim, reduced fat, or whole milk. As a note, the type of milk you use will change the richness slightly, especially when using milk with lower fat content.
- Pepper Jack: If you do not want a peppery flavor, use more white cheddar, gruyere, or Swiss cheese instead of pepper jack.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Baked White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
Quick Overview
- Bring water to a boil.
- Melt butter in a separate pan.
- Add flour and cook.
- Add seasoning and cook.
- Reduce the heat.
- Slowly add milk while stirring.
- Remove the milk mixture from the heat.
- Stir in shredded cheese.
- Boil pasta and strain.
- Toss pasta in cheese sauce.
- Combine topping ingredients.
- Grease the baking dish.
- Add pasta mixture to the dish.
- Top with panko and cheese.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Season the pasta and cheese mixture to taste before adding it to the baking dish.
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Add the garlic, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. It will have the consistency of a paste.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium-low. While whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the milk. The milk should absorb quickly and thicken.
Step 4: Repeat this process by adding about 1/2 cup of milk and whisk until combined with the remaining milk. This will prevent the sauce from becoming grainy. Stir in the hot sauce.
Step 5: Reduce the heat to low. Boil the pasta for about 1 minute less than the shortest time instructed on the back of the package. While the pasta is boiling, remove the sauce from the heat and immediately stir in the cheddar and pepper jack, reserving some for topping if desired.
Step 6: Strain the pasta and gently fold it into the sauce. Set aside. Taste and add salt if needed.
Step 7: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the panko, parmesan, melted butter, and garlic. Set aside.
Broil for two minutes for a golden-brown top.
Step 8: Grease a medium baking dish. Transfer the pasta to the greased dish.
Step 9: Sprinkle the cheese on top of the pasta.
Step 10: Sprinkle the panko topping on top of the cheese.
Step 11: Bake for 12-15 minutes. Broil if desired to brown the top. Do not overbake the pasta, or the casserole will dry out.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish this baked white cheddar and mac and cheese with fresh parsley, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and a dash of hot sauce (if you prefer spicier recipes).
I love serving this mac and cheese with a salad to make this meal more nourishing. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Use good quality cheese. Cheese is one of this recipe’s primary flavors, so using a good quality option is important. When possible, shop at the deli counter instead of opting for pre-bagged cheese. This method allows you to taste the cheese before buying it to ensure it’s good quality.
- Shred your own cheese. Shredded cheese from the grocery store has an anti-caking agent to prevent the pieces from sticking together. Because of this, store-bought shredded cheese will not melt as well as cheese you shred at home. Use freshly grated cheese for the best white cheddar mac and cheese recipe.
- Salt the pasta water. It’s best to always salt the water when you cook pasta. Salting pasta water helps add flavor to the noodles and keeps them from sticking together as they cook.
- Undercook the pasta. I always recommend undercooking pasta recipes like this baked white cheddar mac and cheese as it helps to avoid mushy pasta. Use the instructions on the back of the pasta package as a guide. Simply remove them from the water one minute before the instructions note.
- Add the milk in intervals. Adding milk slowly to this recipe creates a smooth roux and sauce. If you add the milk too quickly, it will form lumps in the sauce.
- Do not overbake. Overbaking this recipe means you’ll be left with dried-out, hard-to-eat mac and cheese. It should only take about 12-15 minutes to form a crispy top layer on this gooey pasta recipe.
Make Ahead Tips
- Add extra liquid: As the mac and cheese sits, the pasta will absorb some of the liquid in the sauce. Add extra liquid so you don’t end up with dried-out mac and cheese.
- Refrigerate or freeze unbaked mac and cheese: If you plan to make this baked white cheddar mac and cheese later in the week or month, assemble it according to the instructions in my recipe. Do not bake it before storing it. Instead, bake it right before you plan on eating it. If you’ve frozen the mac and cheese, you must thaw it before baking. As a note, it will need more time in the oven if you’ve frozen the recipe.
- Double the recipe: If your family loves mac and cheese, you may want to double or triple the recipe. Then, freeze it in batches until you want to enjoy this decadent dish.
Additions & Variations
- Pasta shape – For this baked white cheddar mac and cheese, you can use any pasta shape. I recommend using smaller noodles, like penne, rigatoni, and ziti, since they’re easier to eat.
- Use heavy cream – If you prefer a more decadent dish, make white cheddar mac and cheese with heavy cream instead of milk. Simply swap in a 1:1 ratio.
- Bacon – Adding bacon also helps create a more decadent recipe. Before including it in this mac and cheese dish, ensure you cook the bacon first.
- Seafood – Scallops, crab, shrimp, and lobster all pair well with this recipe. Using seafood helps boost the protein and elevates the dish simultaneously. Ensure you cook the seafood before adding it to the dish.
Recipe FAQs
If you’ve used store-bought shredded cheese for this baked white cheddar mac and cheese recipe, it’s likely the culprit. Instead of using pre-shredded cheese, buy blocks of cheese and shred it at home for creamier mac and cheese.
Many types of cheese work well in baked mac and cheese, including gruyere, cheddar, smoked gouda, brie, Monterey jack, cheddar, and fontina. You can use any combination you prefer.
You can add quite a few ingredients to mac and cheese recipes to elevate them, including veggies like broccoli, bacon, seafood, and fresh herbs.
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Baked White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, onion powder, & ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups milk*
- 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 8 ounces (2 cups) extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces (1 cups) pepper jack cheese, shredded*
- 8 ounces dried elbow pasta
Panko Topping
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- Add the garlic, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. It will have the consistency of a paste.1 teaspoon granulated garlic, onion powder, & ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt*, fresh cracked black pepper
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. While whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the milk. The milk should absorb quickly and thicken.2 1/2 cups milk*
- Repeat this process by adding about 1/2 cup of milk and whisk until combined with the remaining milk. This will prevent the sauce from becoming grainy. Stir in the hot sauce.1-2 teaspoons hot sauce
- Reduce the heat to low. Boil the pasta for about 1 minute less than the shortest time instructed on the back of the package. While the pasta is boiling, remove the sauce from the heat and immediately stir in the cheddar and pepper jack, reserving some for topping if desired.8 ounces (2 cups) extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded, 8 ounces dried elbow pasta, 4 ounces (1 cups) pepper jack cheese, shredded*
- Strain the pasta and gently fold it into the sauce. Set aside. Taste and add salt if needed.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the panko, parmesan, melted butter, and garlic. Set aside.1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Grease a medium baking dish. Transfer the pasta to the greased dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top of the pasta.
- Sprinkle the panko topping on top of the cheese.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Broil if desired to brown the top. Do not overbake the pasta, or the casserole will dry out.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Milk: You can use whichever milk you have in the fridge for this recipe, including skim, reduced fat, or whole milk. As a note, the type of milk you use will change the richness slightly, especially when using milk with lower fat content.
- Pepper Jack: If you do not want a peppery flavor, use more white cheddar, gruyere, or Swiss cheese instead of pepper jack.
- Use good quality cheese. Cheese is one of this recipe’s primary flavors, so using a good quality option is important. When possible, shop at the deli counter instead of opting for pre-bagged cheese. This method allows you to taste the cheese before buying it to ensure it’s good quality.
- Shred your own cheese. Shredded cheese from the grocery store has an anti-caking agent to prevent the pieces from sticking together. Because of this, store-bought shredded cheese will not melt as well as cheese you shred at home. Use freshly grated cheese for the best white cheddar mac and cheese recipe.
- Salt the pasta water. It’s best to always salt the water when you cook pasta. Salting pasta water helps add flavor to the noodles and keeps them from sticking together as they cook.
- Undercook the pasta. I always recommend undercooking pasta recipes like this baked white cheddar mac and cheese as it helps to avoid mushy pasta. Use the instructions on the back of the pasta package as a guide. Simply remove them from the water one minute before the instructions note.
- Add the milk in intervals. Adding milk slowly to this recipe creates a smooth roux and sauce. If you add the milk too quickly, it will form lumps in the sauce.
- Do not overbake. Overbaking this recipe means you’ll be left with dried-out, hard-to-eat mac and cheese. It should only take about 12-15 minutes to form a crispy top layer on this gooey pasta recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
is it 1 teaspoon EACH of granulated garlic, onion powder, & ground mustard or combined?
Yes, that’s why it says EACH.
So good!!
OMG can you say heavenly, creamy and delicious! This is the ultimate mac and cheese.
My daughter really enjoyed this mac and cheese. She loved it baked and super cheesey!
This is the Ultimate Mac. Love the Pepper Jack- I spiced mine with a little extra hot sauce – so good! DEvine! I love this site
Baked White Cheddar Mac and Cheese? Oh, that’s pure comfort food heaven! ? Cheesy goodness in every bite. It’s irresistible!
Now that it’s almost fall, I’m already looking for new casserole recipes to give a try. This baked white cheddar mac and cheese sounds really delicious, and I’m going to put it on my bucket list!
Ah! This went down beautifully with my girls. The combination of cheeses made it such a flavorful dish. Loved it!