Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese

This Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese is creamy, golden and my teenage son’s favorite food. He would eat it every day if he could!

It took a lot of pans to get here. I’ve tested so many macaroni and cheese recipes, and finding the balance between flavor and creaminess has been a challenge. So many things can break a sauce, including too much heat or certain cheeses.

To make this recipe, I stir medium cheddar, Gruyère and Monterey Jack into a simple white sauce with a little cream cheese. More cheese goes on top, and a short, hot bake keeps it saucy.

The mustard makes the cheese taste cheesier, and the cayenne just adds flavor, not heat. And yes, I know Gruyère isn’t very old-fashioned. I’ll explain myself below.

Why You’ll Love It

Creamy, not dry. I don’t like dry macaroni and cheese. It needs to have a melty, looser texture, and this creamy mac and cheese stays smooth and saucy even after the bake.

The cheese in this Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese goes into the sauce off the heat, so it melts slowly instead of breaking.

Big cheese flavor. This three cheese mac and cheese tastes like real cheese from the first bite to the last. The Gruyère gives it a nutty flavor that keeps you going back for more. It’s the best baked mac and cheese to come out of my kitchen.

A true old-fashioned top. There are no crumbs or crackers here. It’s just elbows and bubbly cheese with a few golden brown spots. This is old school mac and cheese, the kind of pan everybody remembers from a big family dinner.

Simple ingredients, one pot. This easy baked mac and cheese cooks its sauce in the same pot you used for the pasta, so you won’t wash a stack of pans. Homemade mac and cheese doesn’t take anything fancy. Everything comes from a regular grocery run.

Made for a crowd. One 9×13 baking dish makes plenty of mac and cheese for a crowd. It works as a main dish for a family dinner or as a holiday side dish. It’s also a great potluck mac and cheese.

Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese Ingredient Notes

The list for this Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese is short, but I changed a lot of it during testing. Here’s where I landed and why.

Elbow macaroni: To me, the best pasta for mac and cheese is a ridged elbow. I like Barilla elbows because they have ridges and hold their texture well.

I boil them a little shy of al dente, because cooked macaroni keeps softening in the oven. Check the package directions and take off a couple of minutes.

Olive oil: A quick toss keeps the drained pasta from sticking together while you make the sauce.

Whole milk and half-and-half: This is mac and cheese without heavy cream, and you won’t miss it. My very first batch used evaporated milk and cream, and it baked up grainy and greasy.

Cream cheese: I think mac and cheese with cream cheese is just creamier. I use it cold and cut into cubes, not softened to room temperature. It melts right into the hot sauce and cools it down a little before the shredded cheese goes in.

Dry mustard and cayenne: Don’t skip these because they sound odd. This mac and cheese with dry mustard doesn’t taste like mustard, and it isn’t spicy. I tested garlic powder too and left it out.

Why I Chose Each Cheese

People love to debate the best cheese for mac and cheese, and I get it now. After all that testing, my 3 cheese mac and cheese comes down to this triple threat.

Medium cheddar: This is the classic mac and cheese flavor everybody knows. I started with sharp cheddar cheese, then switched to medium because a younger cheese melts smoother. The Gruyère brings plenty of flavor, so I don’t miss the extra bite.

Gruyère: Okay, I’ll admit it. Gruyère is not very old-fashioned, and I doubt it ever made it into a church cookbook mac and cheese. I tried to behave myself, but this is what makes the pan taste special.

It’s nutty and rich, and it melts into those long, stretchy strands. Yes, it costs more than a block of cheddar, but I think it’s worth it. This Gruyère mac and cheese still looks like grandma’s mac and cheese. It just tastes a little better.

Monterey Jack: It’s mild, soft and creamy. I tried Colby Jack in its place, and that batch separated, went grainy and lost its creaminess.

When Monterey Jack went back in, the creamy sauce came back too. That’s why Monterey Jack cheese mac and cheese is the one I make now.

Why certain cheeses break: Sharp and extra-sharp cheddar are aged longer, so they have less moisture. When they melt in a hot sauce, the proteins clump and the fat can separate. That’s why this recipe leans on younger cheese.

Shred your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps the shreds from sticking, and it won’t melt smoothly. For best results, I shred all three from the block, then toss them together in a large bowl.

How to Make Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese

To start my Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese, I preheat the oven to 400°F and boil the elbows in a large pot of well-salted water and drain them. Then I make the sauce right in the same pot.

If you’ve never made mac and cheese with roux, don’t worry. It’s just butter and flour cooked over medium heat with the milk and half-and-half whisked in slowly. That’s how old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese gets its creamy sauce.

I turn the heat up and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Then I turn it down, let it gently simmer and take it off the heat. It will still be a little thin, but it will thicken.

The sauce sits for a couple of minutes before anything else goes in. Then I stir in the dry mustard, salt, black pepper and cayenne, whisk in the cream cheese and add the shredded cheese a handful at a time. The macaroni goes in last.

Everything gets spread in a greased 9×13 casserole dish with the rest of the cheese on top. It bakes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, then it rests before you scoop it.

If you want more color, a quick trip under the broiler does the job. Every amount and step is in the recipe card below, so pull it up before you start shredding.

My Best Tips

• Watch the heat. Too much heat is the fastest way to break a cheese sauce. Keep the pot off the burner once the cheese starts going in.
• Add the cheese slowly. Let each handful melt before you add the next one. It takes a little bit longer, but it gives you a smooth, creamy cheese sauce.
• Trust the thin sauce. It should look looser than you think when the cheeses go in. One of my thicker batches set up stiff a few minutes out of the oven, and it wasn’t saucy at all.
• Go easy on top. I once piled on too many cups of cheese, and the top baked into pure grease. The amount in the recipe card is plenty.
• Pull it when it bubbles. A short, hot bake keeps the pasta from soaking up all the sauce and keeps the edges from separating.

Substitutions and Variations

I’ve tested this Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese as written, so these are ideas to try and not tested swaps.

Swiss for Gruyère: If Gruyère isn’t in the budget this week, Swiss or Jarlsberg costs less and has a similar nutty flavor. You’ll still get a great pan of Swiss cheese mac and cheese.

A little heat: If you like a little heat, add a touch more cayenne, some red pepper flakes or some hot sauce. Pepper jack in place of the Gruyère works too. Start small, because my family didn’t love the hot sauce in my first test.

Ham or bacon: Baked mac and cheese with ham is a great way to use holiday leftovers. Baked mac and cheese with bacon works the same way, and both get stirred in with the macaroni.

Ritz crackers or bread crumbs: I keep my top plain. If your family likes a crunchy topping, crushed Ritz crackers tossed with melted butter are a good one.

Broccoli or jalapeños: Steamed broccoli florets or diced jalapeños can go in right before the pan goes in the oven.

A paprika top: A light dusting of paprika before baking gives old fashioned mac and cheese that retro look.

Different pasta: Shells or cavatappi hold the sauce well if you don’t have elbows.

What to Serve with Mac and Cheese

What goes with mac and cheese depends on the day. As a classic baked mac and cheese side dish, this pan sits right next to Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham. I also keep a full list of what to serve with ham for a holiday table.

For a bigger spread, add French’s Green Bean Casserole and a bright Christmas Salad. If you’re planning mac and cheese for Thanksgiving dinner, it’s worth saving oven space for, right next to my Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Dressing.

This is the comfort food I want on a holiday table. On a regular weeknight, I just add a green vegetable and call it dinner, or I make it a side for Old-Fashioned Skillet Meatloaf.

How to Store Leftovers

Refrigerator: How long does mac and cheese last in the fridge? It keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Refrigerate leftover mac and cheese within 2 hours.

Reheating: Here’s how to reheat mac and cheese so it stays creamy. Add a splash of milk, microwave it and stir until it’s hot all the way through (165°F).

Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese FAQs

What are the best cheeses for Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese?

The best combination of cheeses has one big flavor and one smooth melter. My Gruyère and cheddar mac and cheese gets Monterey Jack for that smooth melt. Mild cheddar cheese or white cheddar can work too, as long as you shred it yourself.

What cheese should you not put in mac and cheese?

I’d skip bagged shredded cheese first. Very aged cheeses can also turn grainy, so use them as a small part of the mix and not the whole thing.

Is Monterey Jack good for mac and cheese?

Yes, it’s one of my favorites. Monterey Jack cheese for mac and cheese melts soft and creamy, and its mild flavor lets the cheddar and Gruyère stand out.

Can I use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar in Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese?

Yes, and it will add more flavor. The tradeoff is that it can cause the sauce to separate. To me, the best cheddar for mac and cheese is medium. Sharp cheddar mac and cheese is still worth a try if you love that bite.

Why put cream cheese in mac and cheese?

Cream cheese makes the sauce velvety and helps it stay creamy as it bakes and cools. You get a little extra richness without adding heavy cream.

Why is my mac and cheese grainy or oily?

A grainy sauce usually comes from too much heat, bagged cheese or a cheese that’s too aged. Oily mac and cheese usually means too much cheese on top or too long in the oven.

Here is how to fix a broken cheese sauce in the pot. Take it off the heat and whisk in a splash of milk. That can smooth out a small break, but it can’t fix a sauce that has fully separated.

Does Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese have eggs?

Some old fashioned macaroni and cheese recipes do, but mine doesn’t. Southern-style baked mac and cheese often uses eggs and evaporated milk for a firmer, sliceable custard. This baked mac and cheese without eggs uses a white sauce, so it stays creamy and scoopable.

How do you make mac and cheese creamy?

Start with a sauce that looks a little too thin, because the pasta keeps soaking it up. Cream cheese and half-and-half keep it smooth, and a short, hot bake keeps it from drying out.

Can you make mac and cheese ahead of time?

Yes. You can assemble the pan up to 2 days early, but leave the top cheese off until it’s time to bake. Cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate it.

I like my Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese best fresh, but the recipe card has the bake directions if you need them.

Can you freeze mac and cheese?

Yes, and I’ve frozen this baked mac and cheese with good results, but it’s never quite the same as that first day. In reality, mac and cheese is best served fresh from the oven and nice and hot.

If you do freeze it, wrap it airtight and use it within 3 to 4 months. Reheat it low and slow with a splash of milk.

Can I halve or double Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese?

Yes, though I haven’t tested either one. For half, use an 8×8 dish at the same oven temperature. For a double batch, use two 9×13 dishes so it bakes the same way.

It took a lot of mac and cheese to get this pan right, and I can’t say my son minded. This is one of those warm, comforting and nostalgic recipes that will make you famous among your family and friends. Don’t miss it!

More Holiday Side Dishes

• Pineapple Casserole
• French’s Green Bean Casserole
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams
• Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Dressing
• Jiffy Corn Casserole