Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese
We’re taking turns catching colds around here. As I write this I’m wrapped in a blanket with a stiff neck (my mom keeps telling me to wrap a wool sock around it, like my grandad did, and I just might) and a mug of warm lemonade (yes!), sneezing approximately every 3 minutes, my face fixed with that expression you get when you’re just about to sneeze. (This cold is such a cliché.) We’re anticipating a high of -19 tomorrow, not that we’ll likely leave the house anyway after getting up at 5 to watch the gold medal hockey game. My ambitious plan is to make doughnuts and bellinis – or perhaps fizzy wine smoothies – and plenty of coffee. But later in the day, when everyone is cold and sleepy and huddled on the couch to catch the last of the Olympics, a batch of mac & cheese will be in the slow cooker. Oh yes it will. I wish it was in there now.
The first time I made this was back in late December, when some friends threw a house party and asked me to bring slow cooker mac & cheese. I have not had good experience with slow cooker mac & cheese in the past, and I debated cheating and making a regular batch of mac & cheese and bringing it in a slow cooker to keep warm. But I love the idea of a gooey, extra cheesy mac & cheese done in the slow cooker – it’s something that should work well, and there should be no need to have to precook the pasta – its starch should contribute to the thickening of the sauce and all that. It should work. And its success should not rely on a can of condensed cheddar cheese soup.
Also: I need crispy bits.
Mostly when I make mac & cheese I cook the noodles while simultaneously turning butter and flour into a paste to which I add milk and cook to thicken (or if you want to get fancy about it, make béchamel with a roux) and add big handfuls of grated old cheddar to melt. But this macaroni with lots of cheese went about things differently, amalgamating pasta, butter, milk and cheese into one delicious unit, rather than dousing cooked noodles with cheese sauce. A variation worked in the slow cooker – huzzah! I used up half a cheese ball from our Christmas party, which was really just grated cheese and cream cheese anyway, but if you don’t happen to have half a leftover cheese ball, cream cheese will work just fine. And there will be crispy bits aplenty.
And while it was meant for the kids at the aforementioned party, the adults devoured it and asked for the recipe, and I’ve made it twice since. Soon to be three times.
Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese
AuthorJulieCombine all the ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker; cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, removing the lid to give it a stir about once an hour.
Serve warm.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker; cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, removing the lid to give it a stir about once an hour.
Serve warm.
Go Canada Go!! I don’t remember ever saying “I can’t wait until 5 am” before.
Sorry to hear you are under the weather. Speedy recovery to you! And you are so right – the crispy bits are the best part. 🙂
This is kind of blowing my mind. I work on-call and have recently realized slow-cookers keep me alive. Thanks for sharing! Hope you feel better soon.
I think I need to eat a whole batch of this.
A kilogram of cheese to a pound of pasta?? Then it better be delicious!!
Thank you. Golden!
Did you line your slow cooker pot with tin foil (picture looks like it, but not mentioned)? Is that for easier clean-up?
This looks heavenly! I have yet to make mac’n’cheese myself, this looks like such a great simple recipe! Using my slow-cooker as well as we speak (or..as I type more like!) and cannot wait to have some philly turkey tacos 😀 Happy Sunday! x
Yeah, it’s definitely cheese heavy! I used a whole block of cheddar.. you could experiment with less, but I’m afraid to 🙂
Hi Julie
I tried this Mac and cheese for my Grandchildren. It did not work. It is like glue. Followed to the letter. What did I do? All Mac Is broken down?
R. Thompson
Darn, sorry to hear it – apparently it happens occasionally, I’m not sure if it’s the difference between slow cookers?
Yes indeed, this was THE HIT of our party! People still bring it up to me. LOL.
In my family you slather your neck with Vicks, wrap a wool sock around it and use a large safety pin to keep it there.
Mine too!!!
Nope, no foil Kathy – I can’t see where it looks like it’s pictured? I know you can get slow cooker liners to ease clean-up, but I’ve never used them. I have a husband who scrubs!
julie if you spray the sides and bottom of the pot with spray butter it will clean up very easy.
Awesome, thanks for the tip!
I got up at 4 to watch the gold medal game – everyone else got to sleep longer than BC! But it was worth it to see them win – though I would have liked Sweden to get one goal! (but not the US 🙂 )
I’s suffering from allergies – I’m allergic to tree pollen, and it normally starts in March, but this year it started in February – sneezing, my eyes and ears are itchy
So I have sympathy for you being sick, Julie. Get well soon
This sounds fantastic! Though my only concern would be mushy pasta (my pet peeve) by the time it’s done. Does it stay somewhat firm? Thanks!
What size of slow cooker do you use?
Thanks and best regards,
Anja
Looks yummy, though I’d be tempted to get by with a little less cream cheese…what a great idea!
This is Brilliant! Can’t wait to try it!
Anja – I made mine in a 6 quart slow cooker, but it certainly didn’t fill it, so there’s no need to use such a big one!
What’s up, its nice article on the topic of media print, we all be aware of media is a great
source of information.
Unfortunately, The Mac and cheese turned out like glue. Was very disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly. It didn’t even cook three full hours. My daughter tried it and had the same results as me. Sorry! But worst Mac and cheese I have ever tried.
I’m so sorry to hear it! I’ve made it several times now and always get asked for the recipe – I wonder if it makes a difference what slow cooker you make it in? I’ve done it in two different ones, and both have been successful. Sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Can you use light cream cheese?
Great and easy recipe. I added 3/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp dehydrated onion and 1/2 tsp dry mustard. My entire family LOVES it. Can even be reheated as long as you add about a 1/2 cup milk.
I was super excited to try this recipe because it’s making mac and cheese in the crock pot! Unfortunately, it didn’t come together at all and ended up being a soupy mess. Oh well!
Sounded delicious but ours also came out a soupy glue mess. Followed the recipe and temps exactly. I’ve never seen that happen before 🙁
I made this today for a potluck at work and it turned out very well. It’s still not as good as the old fashioned oven baked kind but still very good. I used medium shell pasta instead of elbow macaroni. I wonder if people who had problems used a type of pasta that was…maybe not as good a quality?? Just a thought. I’ve found some pasta to be better than others.
Can you use gluten free pasta with this recipe?
Didn’t work for us either. Really too bad since cream cheese and an entire block of cheddar was wasted :*(
I made this today and was disappointed it came out mushy and dry. And it was only on for two hours. The flavor was good but I was not happy with the texture. Next time I will try using more milk and an hour and a half in the crock pot–hopefully that will work better.
Made this yesterday and ohmygod it was TO DIE FOR! It was exactly what I was looking for – rich and creamy without requiring velveeta or canned soup. Delicious!
Best mac and cheese ever!! I also added bacon and a little bit of garlic powder, white pepper and worcestershire sauce. Huge hit! Everyone loves it. Thanks for the recipe!!
Wondering if I should be using 450 grams of uncooked pasta, or 4-1/2 cups of uncooked pasta in this recipe.
did not work, from a family that loves oven baked mac and cheese this was not good. A gluey block of pasta and cheese.
Making this for a company potluck and need more than 8-10 servings…can I simply just double everything?
I doubled the recipe and made it as described minus the salt and nutmeg. 2 lb block of Colby Jack grated, 2 lbs elbow noodles, 1/2 gallon whole milk, two 8-oz packages cream cheese cut up into 1-inch cubes, and a little pepper. I was freaking out halfway through, thinking it was not going to thicken up properly, but by 3.5 hours it was perfect. I soaked about 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs in melted butter and smoothed that over the top. Served straight out of the crock at my potluck event and basked in the compliments! Will definitely do this again, planning to bring it to my in-laws’ for Christmas dinner. Thanks, Julie!
I won’t be making mac & cheese like this again the texture is mushy and on the dry side…I will go back to my other recipe in the slow cooker that always came out similar to how you bake it in the oven.
Sorry to hear it! It sure sounds like the results of this recipe varies with peoples’ slow cookers!
didn’t work for me either. It’s a mushy mess. Not one in tact noodle! I was so excited…then sadly disappointed 🙁
Oh no – so sorry to hear it! It’s crazy that it works so well for some people (including myself!) and not for others.. must be the differences between slow cookers. Perhaps yours is hotter than mine?
I just made this today and it was absolutely fantastic, not mushy or liquid at all. I’ll definitely be making it again.
So great to hear!
No pinch of garlic or chopped onion? Bland without it. Needs some kick..including a dash of tabasco sauce and a 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Don’t you have any creativity lady?
And butter too..God do I have to teach you how to really cook?
Have made this many times and EVERYBODY loved it. However, I included dehydrated onion flakes (1 tbsp.) , dried mustard (1 tsp.) and tabasco sauce (1 tsp.). It’s become a staple – especially with my vegetarian daughter-in-law.
I’m so glad you like it Anna!
I made a different slow cooker mac & cheese recipe and my kids didn’t like the flavor. I came across your recipe, which is much simpler in flavor so I’m going to give it another try. My feeling is that they didn’t like the tang that the cream cheese imparted. Any suggestions for substitutions? Evaporated milk, perhaps?
I made it and it is delicious! Mine cooked for 3.5 hours and was ready. I didn’t add the macaroni until an hour in to make sure it didn’t disinigrate… Wonderful! Thanks so much!
Maybe it’s the type of pasta? If u use whole wheat or something other than white pasta? Could that be why it’s mushy?
Julie, what type and brand of crock pot do you use?
Great recipes I cooked mines for half the time and it came out great not mushy my slow cooker is great
I made this on Halloween and it was very good! I added a bit more milk when it was almost done, but that’s it. It was exactly what I needed for a quick and easy recipe, even though I really wanted to make the meat hand 🙂 Thanks so much!
I’m not a fan of cheddar cheese. Could I replace it with Velveeta?
Sure!
Julie, I am currently making this for a work party today. I’ve been watching 2 crock pots loaded with cheese and noodles since 10am!! Its starting to come together nicely. I used whole milk and several dashes of ground mustard. It’s really cheesy (yummm) and creamy. So far all the noodles are intact. I’ve only stirred it once every hour, per your instruction. Maybe that’s why some people are having the mushy mess, they might be stirring it too often and/or with a vengeance. Anyway, Keeping my fingers crossed that it tastes as good as it smells right now.
Yes, I think you’re right! I hope it turned out well!
Hi Julie – this is a family favourite. I’ve got a question – do you think I could add white kidney beans for a boost of protein? Or would they turn to mush?