Description
This Baked Mac and Cheese with Cheez-It Crust combines creamy sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese sauce with a crunchy, savory Cheez-It topping. It’s a comforting twist on the classic macaroni and cheese, baked to golden perfection and bursting with cheesy flavor and a crispy crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaroni and Cheese
- 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)
Cheez-It Crust
- 2 cups Cheez-It crackers
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserved from above)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the casserole later.
- Cook the Macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Add the macaroni noodles and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the Cheese: While noodles cook, shred both the sharp cheddar and Swiss cheeses; set aside.
- Make the Roux: Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of unsalted butter and let it melt completely. Then whisk in the ¼ cup of all-purpose flour to form a roux. Season the roux with salt, black pepper, mustard powder, and hot sauce. Continue whisking and cooking for another 1-2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Add Half and Half: Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the 3 cups of half and half, whisking constantly to combine with the roux. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring frequently until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Incorporate Cheese: Stir in 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar and all the shredded Swiss cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese fully melts into a creamy sauce, then remove from heat.
- Combine with Macaroni: Add the cooked macaroni noodles into the cheese sauce and stir well to combine. Transfer the cheesy macaroni mixture evenly into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Prepare the Crust: Crush the Cheez-It crackers by placing them in a large zipper bag and using a rolling pin, or pulse them in a food processor until finely crushed. In a medium bowl, melt the remaining ¼ cup unsalted butter and combine it with the crushed Cheez-It crackers and the reserved ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Top the Mac and Cheese: Sprinkle the Cheez-It and cheese crumb mixture evenly over the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. For an extra crispy top, switch the oven to broil on high during the last 2 minutes of baking.
Notes
- You can substitute whole milk for half and half if a lighter sauce is preferred but expect a slightly less creamy texture.
- If you like it spicier, increase the hot sauce or cayenne pepper to taste.
- Using fresh shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded yields a smoother sauce because it melts better.
- Ensure to watch the casserole closely during the broil step to prevent burning the crust.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave with a splash of milk to maintain creaminess.
