Description
This classic Baked Mac and Cheese with a crunchy Cheez-It crust is a comforting and flavorful twist on traditional mac and cheese. Creamy cheddar and Swiss cheese sauce coats perfectly cooked macaroni noodles, topped with a buttery, cheesy, and crispy Cheez-It cracker crust. Baked to golden perfection, it makes a perfect side dish or hearty main course for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese Sauce
- 16 ounces uncooked macaroni noodles
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 ¼ cups)
- 8 ounces swiss cheese, shredded (about 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
- 2 cups Cheez-It crackers
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserved from above)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the mac and cheese.
- Cook the macaroni. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove, then add the macaroni noodles. Cook according to the package directions until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
- Prepare the cheese. While the pasta cooks, shred the sharp cheddar and Swiss cheeses and set them aside separately, reserving part of the cheddar for the topping.
- Make the roux and sauce. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of the unsalted butter and let it melt. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes while adding salt, black pepper, mustard powder, and hot sauce or cayenne pepper. Slowly add the half and half while whisking continuously to avoid lumps, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil to thicken.
- Incorporate the cheeses. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar and all of the Swiss cheese. Keep stirring until the cheeses melt completely and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Combine pasta and cheese sauce. Remove the cheese sauce from heat and mix in the drained macaroni noodles until they are fully coated with the creamy sauce.
- Prepare the baking dish. Transfer the cheesy macaroni mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Make the Cheez-It crust. Crush the Cheez-It crackers by placing them into a large zipper bag and rolling with a rolling pin, or pulse them a few times in a food processor to achieve coarse crumbs.
- Mix the topping. In a medium bowl, melt the remaining ¼ cup of unsalted butter. Combine this melted butter with the crushed Cheez-Its and the reserved ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, mixing well.
- Top and bake. Evenly sprinkle the Cheez-It crust mixture over the mac and cheese in the baking dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
- Optional broil for extra crispiness. If you prefer an extra crispy topping, switch the oven to broil on high for the last 2 minutes of baking—watch carefully to prevent burning.
Notes
- For a lactose-free version, substitute half and half with lactose-free milk and use lactose-free cheese.
- You can substitute Cheez-It crackers with any crunchy cheese crackers if desired.
- For a spicier kick, increase the hot sauce or cayenne pepper slightly, but add carefully to taste.
- Make sure to watch closely during broiling to avoid burning the topping.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
