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Baked mac and cheese is a comforting, heartwarming dish any time of year. Make it a part of your holiday spread, or serve for a delicious family dinner.

A baking dish filled with freshly baked mac and cheese with a golden, melted cheese topping. A striped cloth is partially visible beside the dish.

Macaroni and cheese has long been a favorite meal in our house, yet somehow I had never made it for Thanksgiving.

Last year I made this baked mac and cheese recipe, and everyone went nuts for it. Obviously, that meant it now had a permanent place in our menu!

I’ve been testing the recipe over the past year to make sure it is just right, and now I’m finally sharing it with you.

While this dish does call for baking the mac and cheese, you can certainly serve it without baking. My older son prefers it that way!

Ready to add mac and cheese to the menu? Grab your graters!

Ingredients for baked mac and cheese

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

A flat lay of ingredients for macaroni and cheese, including pasta, milk, cream, cheddar, gouda, parmesan, sour cream, butter, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Dijon mustard.

You’ll need:

Uncooked pasta – I recommend using a kind that is hollow, so it will hold the cheese sauce inside. For these photos I’ve used macaroni, but my favorites are cellentani, medium shells, or pipette pasta.
Butter
Flour
Milk
Heavy cream
Dijon mustard
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Cheddar cheese
Smoked gouda
Parmesan
Sour cream
Salt and pepper

For your cheeses, make sure to buy blocks and shred it at home. Bagged shredded cheeses have a starchy coating, which can make your cheese sauce gritty instead of smooth. Buying a block of cheese is also cheaper!

A serving of macaroni and cheese on a white plate next to a baking dish filled with more macaroni and cheese, with a striped cloth underneath.

How to make this recipe

First, make sure you have all of your cheeses shredded. Combine together into one large bowl, then divided out 2 loosely filled cups.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.

Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Salt the water, then add the pasta and cook for 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain under cold water and set aside.

In a large saucepan, add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk until no lumps remain. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

A whisk in a pan with melted butter and flour on an electric stove, beginning the process of making a roux.

Whisk mixing red spices, cream, and thickening agent in a silver pan on a stovetop.

Whisk in the milk, dissolving any lumps, then whisk in the cream, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until visibly thickened.

Reduce heat to low and add two handfuls of cheese from the large bowl, whisking to melt. Keep adding cheese by the handful, whisking to melt and combine fully before adding more. Once all of the cheese (aside from the reserved 2 cups) has been added and melted, stir in the sour cream until incorporated.

A saucepan on a stovetop contains a creamy mixture with shredded cheese and a whisk.

A bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese with a green spoon on a black stovetop.

Remove from heat and stir in the cooked pasta. (If your pan is not large enough, you may need to transfer the pasta back to the empty pot you cooked it in, and pour the cheese sauce over.)

Pour half the pasta into the baking dish. Scatter on half of the reserved cheese, then top with remaining pasta and remaining cheese.

A rectangular dish filled with macaroni and cheese, topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

Baking dish filled with creamy macaroni and cheese topped with shredded cheddar.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until bubbly. For a crispy top, cook under the broiler for just a few minutes.

Let the mac and cheese cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

A baked dish of macaroni and cheese in a white rectangular baking dish, with a striped cloth beside it.

Recipe tips

Use your favorite cheddar, from mild to sharp. My favorite is sharp white cheddar, but if you have pickier eaters in the mix, you might want to stick with a medium sharp cheddar cheese.

If you don’t want to use (or can’t find) smoked gouda, swap in shredded mozzarella cheese. Make sure it is low-moisture mozzarella from a block, not the wet balls of cheese. Gruyere is also a great option for a melting cheese.

Feel free to adjust the seasoning as you like. Sometimes I add ground cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce for a kick.

If you like, top the mac and cheese with buttery bread crumbs or crushed crackers before baking.

A spoon scoops a portion of baked macaroni and cheese from a casserole dish.

Storage and reheating

This dish is best served right after baking, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover tightly with foil.

To rewarm in the baking dish, remove from the fridge, then preheat the oven to 350°F. Do not put the dish into a hot oven straight from the refrigerator, or it can break. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.

A plate with baked macaroni and cheese is in the foreground, and a casserole dish with more of the dish is in the background. A fork is placed beside the macaroni on the plate.

The whole family will love this creamy mac and cheese recipe!

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It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.