Baked Macaroni Cheese Breadcrumb (Printable)

Creamy baked macaroni with rich cheese sauce topped by crispy, golden breadcrumbs for texture.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 3 cups whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
07 - 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Topping

13 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until just al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
04 - Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 to 7 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheddar, Gruyère, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
06 - Add the drained macaroni to the sauce and stir until fully coated. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
07 - Mix fresh breadcrumbs, melted butter, grated Parmesan, and paprika (if using) in a bowl. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the macaroni.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling.
09 - Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crispy breadcrumb topping gives way to silky, two-cheese sauce that tastes like you spent hours on it but takes less than an hour total.
  • Sharp cheddar and Gruyère together create depth that plain cheese sauce could never achieve, and everyone notices the difference immediately.
  • It feeds six people generously or stretches to eight for casual dinners, making it perfect for feeding a crowd without fussing.
02 -
  • Do not skip cooking the flour in the butter for that first minute—it's the difference between sauce that tastes like raw flour and sauce that tastes like a proper béchamel.
  • Grating your own cheese and shredding it as you add it is crucial because pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that create a grainy, broken sauce instead of a smooth one.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and whisk in a splash of cold milk to bring it back together.
03 -
  • Measure your milk and cream together before you start cooking so you can pour gradually and focus on whisking without fumbling with multiple cartons.
  • Keep the pasta slightly underdone—it continues cooking in the oven and finishes perfectly while overcooked pasta turns into mush no matter what you do.

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