Description
This Baked Mac and Cheese with Cheez-It Crust recipe offers a creamy, cheesy macaroni base topped with a crunchy, flavorful Cheez-It cracker crust. Combining sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese melted into a smooth sauce, then baked to golden perfection, it’s a comforting and satisfying dish perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 ounces uncooked macaroni noodles
Cheese Sauce
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (shredded, approx. 2 ¼ cups)
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese (shredded, approx. 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)
Topping
- 2 cups Cheez-It crackers
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserved from above)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the mac and cheese later.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over the stove. Add the macaroni noodles and cook them according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Prepare Cheese: While the noodles cook, shred the sharp cheddar and Swiss cheeses and set them aside for the cheese sauce and topping.
- Make Roux: Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Add ¼ cup of unsalted butter and melt it fully. Whisk in ¼ cup flour to form a roux. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, and 3-4 dashes of hot sauce. Continue whisking and cook for 1-2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Add Dairy: Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the half and half while whisking continuously. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, ensuring it thickens into a smooth sauce.
- Incorporate Cheese: Stir in 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (reserve ¼ cup for the topping) and all the shredded Swiss cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted completely and the sauce is creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the cooked macaroni noodles to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat the pasta evenly. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Prepare Crust: Crush the Cheez-It crackers using a rolling pin inside a large zipper bag or pulse them in a food processor to a coarse crumb texture.
- Make Topping: In a medium bowl, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter. Mix the melted butter with the crushed Cheez-It crackers and the reserved ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese until well combined.
- Add Topping: Evenly sprinkle the Cheez-It and cheddar topping over the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
- Optional Broil: For an extra crispy crust, switch the oven to broil on high for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- If you prefer a spicier cheese sauce, increase the hot sauce or cayenne pepper cautiously to taste.
- Using half and half rather than milk creates a richer, creamier sauce, but whole milk is an acceptable substitute.
- You can substitute Swiss cheese with Gruyère for a more robust flavor.
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta to avoid mushy mac and cheese after baking.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta and cornstarch instead of flour.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven to maintain crispy topping.
