Description
This Baked Mac and Cheese with Cheez-It Crust is a creamy, cheesy comfort food classic elevated with a crunchy, flavorful Cheez-It cracker topping. Combining sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese in a rich, seasoned roux-based sauce, this macaroni casserole is baked to bubbly perfection, making it a crowd-pleasing dish perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaroni and Cheese
- 16 ounces uncooked macaroni noodles
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (approximately 2 ¼ cups)
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (approximately 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 unsalted butter
- ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserved from above)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the mac and cheese.
- Cook Macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Add the macaroni noodles and cook them according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Cheese: While the noodles cook, shred the cheddar and Swiss cheeses and set them aside for the cheese sauce and topping.
- Make Roux: Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add ¼ cup unsalted butter and allow it to melt. Stir in ¼ cup flour and whisk thoroughly to form a smooth roux. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon mustard powder, and 3-4 dashes of hot sauce. Whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes to develop the spices’ flavors.
- Add Dairy: Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the half and half while whisking continuously. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil to start thickening the sauce.
- Melt Cheese: Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (reserve ¼ cup for topping) and all of the Swiss cheese. Stir consistently until all cheese has melted and the sauce becomes creamy and smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir the cooked macaroni noodles into the cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer this mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Prepare Crust: Crush the Cheez-It crackers by placing them in a large zipper bag and rolling with a rolling pin or by pulsing them in a food processor until finely crushed.
- Mix Topping: In a medium bowl, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter. Combine the melted butter with the crushed Cheez-It crackers and the reserved ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until evenly combined.
- Apply Topping: Evenly sprinkle the Cheez-It and cheese mixture over the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish to form a crunchy crust.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden and the mac and cheese is bubbly.
- Optional Broil: For an extra crispy crust, switch your oven to broil on high and broil the mac and cheese for an additional 2 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
Notes
- You can substitute cornstarch for flour in the roux for a gluten-free option, but results may vary.
- Use half and half for a richer sauce or whole milk for a lighter version.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce or cayenne pepper according to your spice preference.
- Make sure to reserve some shredded cheddar cheese for the crunchy topping.
- Keep a close eye during the broil step to avoid burning the crust.
- Use fresh sharp cheddar and Swiss cheese for the best melting and flavor.
- This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated; just add a few extra minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold.
