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Baked Mac and Cheese with Cheez-It Crust Recipe

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  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Baked Mac and Cheese with a Cheez-It Crust combines creamy sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese sauce with a crunchy, savory cheese cracker topping. The macaroni is cooked perfectly then baked with a rich, flavorful cheese sauce seasoned with mustard powder and hot sauce for depth. The Cheez-It crust adds an irresistible crispy texture, making it the ultimate comfort food dish for family dinners or gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta and Cheese Sauce

  • 16 ounces uncooked macaroni noodles
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (approximately 2 ¼ cups)
  • 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (approximately 2 ¼ cups)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, divided
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (or 2 tablespoons cornstarch)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 3-4 dashes hot sauce (or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper)
  • 3 cups half and half (or whole milk)

Crust Topping

  • 2 cups Cheez-It crackers
  • ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserved from above)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the mac and cheese later.
  2. Cook Macaroni: Boil a large pot of salted water, add the macaroni noodles, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. Shred Cheese: While pasta cooks, shred both the sharp cheddar and Swiss cheeses and set them aside for the sauce and topping.
  4. Prepare Roux: Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Melt ¼ cup butter, then whisk in ¼ cup flour to form a roux. Season with salt, pepper, mustard powder, and hot sauce, whisking to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes to develop flavor.
  5. Add Dairy: Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk in the half and half. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil while whisking to achieve a smooth sauce.
  6. Make Cheese Sauce: Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (reserve ¼ cup for topping) and all the Swiss cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese has melted fully into a creamy sauce. Remove from heat.
  7. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained macaroni noodles to the cheese sauce, stirring well to coat all noodles evenly. Transfer this mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
  8. Prepare Crust: Crush the Cheez-It crackers in a large zipper bag with a rolling pin or pulse in a food processor until finely crushed.
  9. Mix Topping: Melt ¼ cup butter in a medium bowl. Toss melted butter with crushed Cheez-Its and the reserved ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
  10. Top Mac and Cheese: Sprinkle the Cheez-It and cheese mixture evenly over the mac and cheese in the baking dish.
  11. Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
  12. Optional Crisping: For a crispier crust, switch the oven to broil on high for the last 2 minutes of baking, watching closely to avoid burning.

Notes

  • Substitute cornstarch for flour if desired for gluten sensitivity.
  • Use whole milk instead of half and half for a lighter sauce.
  • Adjust hot sauce or cayenne to taste for spice preference.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheated in the oven.
  • To crush Cheez-Its, a food processor is faster but a rolling pin and bag work well too.
  • Broiling at the end is optional but enhances crunchiness of the topping.

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Find it online: https://dessertpinspiration.com/baked-mac-and-cheese-with-cheez-it-crust-recipe/