Ultimate Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese 🧀🍝

Introduction

This Ultimate Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese is a comfort food dream — rich, cheesy, and perfectly golden on top. Velvety cheese sauce coats every elbow macaroni piece, with an optional crispy breadcrumb topping for extra indulgence. Perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or a cozy night in.

Ingredients

For the Mac and Cheese:

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 cups milk (whole or 2%)

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

  • ½ tsp paprika

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Topping (optional):

  • ½ cup breadcrumbs

  • 1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter

How to Make