When you spread your mac and cheese out on a sheet pan and top it with lots of buttery breadcrumbs, you achieve maximum crunchiness in every cheesy bite.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the macaroni, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.
- Heat the half-and-half, cream cheese, and reserved pasta water in a large pot over medium heat, stirring until the cream cheese is completely melted and the mixture just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce, whisking until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Add the macaroni to the pot and stir to combine. (It will look very loose, but the pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes.) Season to taste with salt if desired. Spread the macaroni mixture on an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan.
- Toss the panko, butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the pasta. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are brown and crisp, rotating halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 537 |
| Total Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 87 mg |
| Sodium | 398 mg |
Reviews
Mmmm. Love cookie pan mac & cheese
I will try it for sure!!
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For those who couldn’t print. For an iPhone simply click on the upper right side the arrow with half a box. Scroll down and you will see print. Click it and follow the steps.
Flavor was a bit flat. This made a very nice portion and tons of leftovers, but there was not enough spark for flavor. If I make it again, will try some other cheeses that perhaps pack more bunch, a Fontina or Jarlsberg. Added additional hot sauce but that did not help. Any other suggestions?
I won’t even try a recipe if it can’t be printed. Just say’in!
Best Mac and cheese recipe by far. Just need to add salt.
Delicious. My kids were not huge fans of the panko topping, but maybe with more butter or just a layer of cheese it would have been a better fit for my kids. The Dijon was key. I will definitely make again.
Love this Mac and cheese! It allowed everyone to enjoy the best part of Mac and cheese, the crispy bits! I used only cheddar cheese (all I had) and sprinkled a little extra cheddar before I added the breadcrumbs. Will definitely make again.
It was ok, but there was a little too much breadcrumb, and the dish got cold and clumpy extremely fast.