I first tasted this magical Cheez-It Mac n' Cheese during a time in my life I like to forget. That said this dish stuck with me and I knew one day I would give my hand at my own version. It is THE creamiest mac and cheese ever, and when you use my Cheddar Syrup (my favorite cheese sauce) to make it you will 100% be in love, you may even want to drink the "syrup", and I couldn't blame you!
How to make Cheez-It Mac n' Cheese
Making the sauce is super quick and easy. It can be made in the time it takes for the pasta water to boil and cook the pasta. And throwing it in the blender ensures that you get the SMOOTHEST and most perfect sauce, and not cheese burned to the bottom of the pan. Plus the sauce is so good that I like to refer to it as "Cheddar Syrup" and you might even want to drink it.
The ingredient list is minimal and yields the BEST comfort food.
Put a pot of water on the stove to boil, and while you are waiting, start the sauce and finish it by blending in a blender.
And place some cheez-it crackers in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin to create a cheez-it crumble.
When the pasta is cooked, mix it together in a casserole dish.
Top with cheez-its and some reserved shredded cheddar cheese and bake in a warm oven until the cheese melts.
Serve and enjoy immediately.
What to serve it with...
I put a little effort into this sided dish so I usually keep the rest of dinner simple. Serve it with my Perfect Grilled Chicken, or my Crispy Chicken Wings for the ultimate comfort feast! Or take it to the comfort food NEXT LEVEL and use the mac and cheese itself to make my Chicken & Mac n' Cheese Waffles, they are AMAZING and totally worth the cleanup!
Cheez-It Mac n' Cheese
This is the most beautifully creamy and decadent mac and cheese every. And the added crunch of the cheesy crackers on top make it one you will enjoy time and time again!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Elbow Macaroni Noodles
- Kosher Salt
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 2 ½ cup Whole Milk
- Dash hot sauce
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1.5 pounds Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated and ¼ pound or about 2 cups reserved for topping
- 3 cups Cheez-It crackers, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Put a large pot of water on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni noodles to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking start the sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, forming a roux. Add in the milk and whisk until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Place the warm milk into a blender and add in the hot sauce, salt, and the cheese, blend starting on low, and working up to high, until the cheese is completely worked in. Let the blender run for 1.5-2 minutes to emulsify the sauce.
- Place the cooked pasta and the sauce into a casserole dish and stir to combine. Top the casserole dish with the crumbled crackers and some of the reserved shredded cheese.
- Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven until the cheese melts.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately.
Notes
This mac and cheese can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Remove from the fridge one hour before baking at 350˚F to warm. Bake covered for 35-40 minutes until warmed through. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months, thaw and bake as directed for refrigerated directions.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
If you make this recipe, please let me know by leaving a review at the bottom of this page!
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These Rösle Silicone Tongs are a little pricey but they will last you the rest of your life and are the softest in your hand. This is important for someone like m that cooks so much. It reduces strain, I have 4 sets in my kitchen!
These are my FAVE Nordic Ware Sheet Pans, every kitchen should have at least 2 sets of these! I think I have at least 4 of each of these.
This is my favorite pressure cooker, the Fagor is the same concept as the “Instant Pot” but easier to use in my opinion, if you don’t have one you NEED one, it will be your best friend in the kitchen!
A sharp knife is the most important tool in the kitchen, these Japanese steel “Shun” knives are my favorite! And this is a great starter set to build on. Once you try them you will be in love so use this as a foundation you can build on for years to come.
This Scanpan 11″ skillet is just the right size for almost anything you will need to cook and my best friend and a real workhorse in my kitchen, it’s also a great deal at $99. Scanpan is the best in the world for healthy cooking. It is coated with a proprietary ceramic-titanium coating that is durable while allowing you to use fewer fats and oils when cooking. It is a coating only they use. I could talk all day about my love for these pans, message me if you want more info. Here are some other sizes that are available if you are looking to outfit your kitchen with some new goodies. 8″ & 10″ Skillet set or 8″ Skillet, I still need this one for my kitchen Also, I don’t really know how to cook small so the 12.5″ is my other fave!
This giant vat of olive oil is my favorite, I decant it into a smaller bottle for my counter. Or put this spigot on top of a wine bottle!
My favorite baking dish that is so easy to clean even burnt on cheese slides right off!
This Tovolo jar scraper has to be my single favorite kitchen tool, it is definitely the most used tool in my kitchen. If you are NOT a gadget person, this is the only necessity I say is a MUST beyond the wooden spoon.
A great wood spoon is essential, this Olive Wood one is my favorite, I have more than I can count. But can you really ever have too many?
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