Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Updated Nov 19, 2025
This Baked Macaroni and Cheese is a classic family favorite! Macaroni noodles are coated in a creamy homemade cheese sauce and finished with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Everyone loves this baked mac and cheese!
If need a side dish to bring to Thanksgiving dinner, this baked macaroni is the PERFECT!
There is nothing more delicious than a big serving of ultra cheesy baked macaroni and cheese with a buttery crunchy bread crumb topping.
This is the kind of comfort food meant to make you feel like you are back in your childhood home at the holidays!
This macaroni recipe features two kinds of cheese, a homemade thick cheese sauce, and a crunchy topping that makes every bite delicious!
This mac and cheese recipe is pure comfort food.
You can find the complete recipe and instructions at the bottom of this post, but here is what you will need to make this recipe.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Elbow macaroni noodles
- Butter & all purpose flour: to make the roux
- Whole milk
- White sharp cheddar cheese: freshly grated
- Yellow sharp cheddar cheese: freshly grated
- Salt
- Bread Crumbs: panko style
How to make baked macaroni and cheese
Step 1: Cook the elbow macaroni noodles to 1 minute lower than al dente, then drain them immediately.
Recipe Tip
Be careful not to overcook the pasta since it will also be baking in the oven. We want the noodles to still have a nice texture to them!
Step 2: Make the cheese sauce while the macaroni noodles are cooking. Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes constantly, until browned. Pour the milk in gradually, whisking until smooth.
Whisk the milk and roux until the sauce thickens, around 7-8 minutes.
Step 3: Remove the cheese sauce from the heat and stir in the salt and 3 cups of the cheese until smooth.
Joy’s Tip
Freshly grating your cheese is an absolute must for this recipe. Freshly grated cheese melts so much better and also has the best flavor!
Mix the macaroni noodles into the cheese sauce until the they are all coated in cheese sauce.
Step 4: Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish and spread out half of the mac and cheese into the bottom of the dish.
Step 5: Top the noodles with 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
Step 6: Add the last half of the pasta over the cheese, then top with the remaining cheese over it.
Step 7: Stir together the ingredients to make the panko topping: bread crumbs, melted butter, and salt. Spread the topping over the top of the cheese.
Step 8: Bake the macaroni and cheese at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
How to tell it’s done
Watch the mac and cheese closely towards the end to avoid burning it. You want to get a nice golden brown crunchy topping. The mac and cheese should be hot and bubbly with a crunchy browned top.
What is the best cheese to use for macaroni and cheese?
You want good quality cheese when you are making macaroni and cheese from scratch. Do not skip grating it fresh for the best flavor. We like using a white sharp cheddar and a yellow sharp cheddar for this recipe.
If you want to try something new, this would be delicious with different shredded cheeses like Gruyere, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, or Swiss cheese.
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Storing
- Storing: Leftover macaroni and cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: You can reheat individual portions of this macaroni and cheese in the microwave until heated through.
Can I freeze this mac and cheese?
We do not recommend freezing mac and cheese. Once thawed the texture will become mushy and it will lose its creamy consistency.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 oz white sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 8 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
For the Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions for 1 minute less than al dente, then drain them immediately.
- While the pasta is cooking, start on the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes constantly, until browned.
- Pour the milk in gradually, whisking until smooth.
- Continue whisking until the cheese sauce thickens (7-8 minutes).
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the salt and 3 cups of the cheese until smooth.
- Mix the cooked macaroni noodles into the cheese sauce.
- Grease a 9 by 13 baking dish.
- Pour half of the mac and cheese in and spread it out.
- Top with 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Add the last half of the pasta.
- Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Stir together the ingredients to make the panko topping: bread crumbs, melted butter, and salt.
- Top the macaroni and cheese with the panko bread crumb mixture.
- Bake the macaroni and cheese at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
My family and I loved this recipe! It was delicious, Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it Nicole!
This is the best Mac and cheese ever- I added garlic powder and onion powder !! Made this 3 times already lol
So glad you enjoyed it Kim!!
Can I make this in the morning, store in fridge then cook 4 hours later??
It was delicious! This will be my new go-to Mac-n-cheese recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it Rachel!