Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Crock pot mac and cheese is an easy, super cheesy macaroni and cheese recipe made right in the slow cooker, great for a busy weeknight dinner. It comes together quickly and can easily be scaled up, which makes it perfect for potlucks, holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, and any time you are feeding a crowd!
I am a macaroni and cheese lover through and through. I loved it when I was a kid, and I appreciate it and all of its varieties even more so now. I love trying new recipes at home (see all of my mac and cheese recipes here), and I can't seem to resist it on a menu when I go out to eat, either (my very favorite was this short rib variation I had years ago).
Why We Love This Creamy Mac and Cheese
Many years ago, I put together an easy and hands-off menu for 4th of July. I first planned on our favorite beer and brown sugar kielbasa and sauerkraut, and then started choosing side dishes and served up this slow cooker mac and cheese. It immediately became a huge favorite and has been making appearances at family functions ever since!
I love that this crockpot mac and cheese recipe doesn’t use eggs (I’ve never had luck using them in macaroni and cheese recipes), nor does it use condensed cheddar cheese soup.
This is perfectly creamy, and cheesy, and doesn’t require much at all in terms of prep.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a handful of ingredients to create this amazing mac and cheese; here are a few notes on them:
- Pasta – I love using elbow macaroni noodles because they’re so classic, but feel free to use whatever pasta shapes you like!
- Butter – Unsalted is called for, but you can substitute salted butter and just use a pinch of salt in the recipe.
- Evaporated Milk – Evaporated milk has been cooked down to allow some of the water to evaporate out, which results in a product that is more concentrated than regular milk. This means that it's richer and creamier, which makes for absolutely outstanding macaroni and cheese!
- Half and Half – If you do not have or cannot get half and half, simply substitute equal amounts of heavy cream and whole milk.
- Cheddar Cheese – I recommend not buying packaged shredded cheese, but instead buying a block and shredding it yourself, as it will melt better and produce a creamier cheese sauce. If you like a cheese blend, you can substitute all or part with colby-jack cheese.
- Velveeta Cheese – One of the keys to keeping this mac and cheese ultra-creamy! If you cannot get Velveeta cheese, you can substitute a half pound of American cheese, purchased at the deli counter and not the pre-packaged slices.
How to Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
It’s so easy! Here is a quick rundown of the steps:
- Boil the noodles, drain, then add them to the slow cooker and toss them with the butter until it’s melted.
- Stir in the milk, half and half, and almost all of the cheese, salt, and pepper, then stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours; 15 minutes before finishing, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top, then keep warm until ready to serve.
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FAQ: Can You Cook the Noodles in the Slow Cooker, Too?
In this recipe, no; you'll need to boil the noodles to al dente on the stove before adding them to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Some recipes may be formulated to allow you to cook the pasta with the other ingredients, but this has the potential to result in very mushy pasta since it will be cooked for a longer period of time.
Enjoy More Mac and Cheese Recipes:
- Ultimate Baked Mac and Cheese
- Cajun Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese
- Butternut Squash & Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese
- Chrissy Teigen’s Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Watch How to Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese:
If you make this crock pot mac and cheese recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, cut into cubes
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 cups (480 ml) half & half
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Spray a slow cooker (4 to 6-quart capacity) with cooking spray. Cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Place the macaroni in the slow cooker, immediately add the butter and stir until melted.
- Add the evaporated milk, half & half, whole milk, 3½ cups of the cheddar cheese, the Velveeta, salt and pepper; stir to blend well.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese. Once done, turn the slow cooker setting to warm until ready to serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Crock Pot – A 4 to 6-quart capacity is ideal for this recipe. I recommend the KitchenAid 6-Quart Slow Cooker.
- Pasta – I love using elbow macaroni noodles because they’re so classic, but feel free to use whatever pasta shapes you like! I do not recommend adding uncooked pasta to the slow cooker, as it could absorb too much liquid and become mushy.
- Butter – Unsalted is called for, but you can substitute salted butter and just use a pinch of salt in the recipe.
- Half and Half – If you do not have or cannot get half and half, simply substitute equal amounts of heavy cream and whole milk.
- Cheddar Cheese – I recommend not buying packaged shredded cheese, but instead buying a block and shredding it yourself, as it will melt better and produce a creamier cheese sauce. If you like a cheese blend, you can substitute all or part with Colby-jack cheese.
- Velveeta Cheese – One of the keys to keeping this mac and cheese ultra-creamy! If you cannot get Velveeta cheese, you can substitute a half pound of American cheese, purchased at the deli counter, and not the pre-packaged slices.
- Increasing the Recipe – This recipe doubles and triples wonderfully! A great one for serving to a crowd. You can make a double batch in a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker; if you want to make more than that, you’ll need an additional slow cooker.
- Storage – Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on July 9, 2014.
[photos by Whitney Wright]
Hi! Okay I can’t seem to ever get the “white sauce” right in a traditional mac & cheese recipe, so I tried this over the weekend while we were at Awana & it was AMAZING! Just the right amount of cheesiness! Wish the store would of had sharp cheddar, but the mild worked fine in a pinch. Thanks for adding this.
Oh also, reheated the next day in the oven & it was just as good, if not better!
I was wondering, if I wanted to add croutons to the top of this could I do it in the crock pot or would that turn them soggy? I like the crunchy texture topping and I have used it when making mac and cheese and tuna noodle casserole in the oven.
Hi Becky, They would definitely get soggy, I would add them at the end. Enjoy!
Making a double batch tomorrow for our family summer birthdays celebration. Didn’t know they still made Velveeta but had no problem finding it. Will go with the three hours as suggested by Joylynn.
I doubled this to take to a family reunion today and got rave reviews (and an empty slow cooker). Very cheesy and yummy! 3 hours on low was perfect for a double batch in a 6 qt slow cooker.
Wanted to try doubling but wasn’t sure if it would be as good. Will do as you suggested. Thanks!
Had this the other night and it’s fantastic! It’s delicious and a great consistency.
Love your blog! And I love a slow cooker recipe, I would have never thought to do mac and cheese in this way!!
Tegan | The Macadames
http://www.themacadames.com
Do you think low-fat ingredients would work? Not the non-fat stuff, but reduced fat (2%milk) ? Mac n Cheese is a favorite in my house, but it loves me just a little too much, if you know what I mean.
Hi Patt, I think you could do that, it just might not be as thick or rich. Enjoy!
This looks so perfect! Love that it’s made in the slow cooker!
Hmm, I can’t wait to see posts from people who made this. I don’t see the point in crock pot recipes where you have to cook ingredients first and/or have to be home while it cooks (i.e., less than 8 hours of cooking), it’s not convenient at all! If you want to make M&C w/o a white sauce, use this award-winning M&C from a Bobby Flay Throw Down: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/delilahs-7-cheese-mac-and-cheese-recipe.html.
The other thing about slow cooker recipes – they all that that same slow cooker taste.
I disagree. It’s perfectly convenient when it’s too hot to turn on the oven, or you don’t want to spend an hour or more standing at the stove stirring a mornay sauce. Running the crock pot on wall power is also cooler, less expensive, and more environmentally friendly than leaving a gas burner running for an hour at a time. “Cooking unattended” is not the only purpose of a crock pot. The recipe you recommend requires seven kinds of cheese, driving the price per serving way up, and requires an oven (not welcome in the heat of summer). And, I’d add, beating Bobby Flay on his dumb TV show does not make a recipe “award-winning.” As to that “same slow cooker taste,” I’ve never found any such thing. Every dish I make in my slow cooker tastes of itself, not the machine, and no two dishes taste the same.
Amen to that!
Lynne, I don’t see the point of going on someone else’s web page and posting a recipe of your own or a celebrity chef. Want to post recipes? Start your own blog. How rude.
LOL. And “slow cooker taste” makes me think commenter doesn’t wash the dish very well.
Couldn’t agree more.
Do the noodles get at all mushy? Seems like in 2-3 hours they’d be really, really, really soft.
Hi Kate, Not at all! They are cooked perfectly; just be sure to boil to al dente before putting them in.
Good to know, thanks for the reply!
I’m so excited to try this recipe! I was just talking to my mom about crockpot mac and cheese because I’ve been on the lookout for a recipe that’s moist and cheesy. I’ve had really good crockpot mac and cheese but I’ve also had some that was dried out. Your recipe sounds perfect! I can’t wait to make it!
That first photo is worth a thousand words!!! So gorgeous! Can’t wait to try this easy recipe out!
Wow! I really want to eat this right now!
who doesn’t love mac & cheese?! this looks perfect, I couldn’t resist it! yum!!
I’ve been wanting to make mac and cheese in my slow cooker for some time now. I need to get on this asap!
I love crock pot mac n cheese!! Looks amazing!
Hi I’m in the uk what is velveeta cheese?
I’ve never seen it? Maybe we have an equivalent.
Always love a good slow cooker recipe. This looks like a winner
I’m in the UK as well, though I grew up in the US. There is NO equivalent to Velveeta, unfortunately!
Velveeta is a processed cheese product made by Kraft, designed to melt smoothly. Someone upthread posted a recipe for home-made Velveeta; you might try that.
You can make ANY cheese melt as smoothly and creamily as Velveeta by using 1/2tsp sodium citrate (aka “sour salt”) per 1 cup shredded cheese. A trick I learned from Modernistcuisine.com.
This mac and cheese looks perfect!
oh my gawd, I LOVE this!!!
This looks incredible! Holy YUMMO!
I love the convenience of Crock Pot cooking and Mac and Cheese is always the perfect side to summer Barbeques. What does the 12 ounces of macaroni equate to? 1 1/2 cups?? I know some measurements differ when we convert here in Canada.
P.S. Loving your website!! I’ve even book marked it here at work !!
Hi Elizabeth, It would be about 3 cups of uncooked macaroni. So glad you’re enjoying the site! :)
There’s 8oz in 1 cup, so 12 oz would be 1 1/2 cups… Should I be using 3 cups instead (without doubling the other ingredients) to just make the standard recipe shown above??
Hi Sara, Actually, the whole 8 ounces = 1 cup is the standard for liquid measurements, not dry ingredients. Based on volume, 1 cup of a particular ingredient can have vastly different weights. I didn’t measure the dry macaroni using cups.
I use my kitchen scale to weigh it
How easily do you think this recipe would double? We’re going to a cookout this weekend. Or do you think throwing it in a dish and warming it in the oven before going would be sufficient?
Hi Colleen, I think you could easily double this in a 6-quart slow cooker. I actually plan on doing that the next time I make it for a crowd!
Thanks! I’ll definitely give it a shot for a cookout we’re going to this weekend. I love the website! Your homemade Primanti’s recipe has made us miss Pittsburgh just a little bit less.
Michelle, I plan on making a double back in a 6 quart this weekend, since I am doubling what are you thoughts on the cooking time. I know you said to half the time for a single recipe in the 6 quart slow cooker. Thanks so much, Kathy.
PS Congratulations on the new addition, so happy for you all.
Hi Kathy, I think if you do 3 hours it should be good, just check it when you stir towards the end – if there is still liquid not absorbed, it will need to go a bit longer. It will be easy to tell if it’s ready or not. Enjoy!!
Thank you so much for the quick reply, making this for our great nephews 1st birthday party.
Just curious how the doubling went? Going to the lake in a few weeks with about 20 people and wanted to try it.
I made this & it came out wonderful . However I was also wondering about doubling it . how long it takes to cook if doubled & does it still come out as good? Thanks !
What would you use as a substitute for the velveeta? I know that is a crazy question considering it is a major cheese in this recipe and it gives it that smooth cheesy consistency, but my childhood days involved a lot of velveeta. I didn’t like it as a kid, but had to eat it and now I just can’t put it in a recipe…. just can’t do it but the idea of crock pot mac and cheese is an awesome idea!
Hi Aimee, As I mentioned above, you could use another type of cheese, although I can’t guarantee the consistency. This recipe makes a really smooth and creamy mac and cheese; substituting something else for the Velveeta would probably be okay, but the texture and consistency will likely be a bit different.
I found this Homemade Velveeta Alternative recipe: http://www.momables.com/momveeta-i-cant-believe-its-not-block-cheese/
I might try combining that with this mac & cheese recipe to see how it comes out.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!
You can easily substitute white American for Velvetta. I had some of the best M&C I’d ever tasted in a restaurant a couple of years ago. When I commented to the owner how good it was she kindly gave me her secret….White American cheese! I was surprised but it was so good I came home and tried it. It melts easily and has a smooth and creamy texture and perfect taste along with the cheddar. I think you will love it too!
Velveeta tastes exactly like cheez whiz which is much cheaper
Michelle,
Crock pot macaroni and cheese is most definently a familly favorite- My mom indroduced it to us a couple of years ago (with a recipe very similiar to yours)… super easy, delicious and always gone after family get-to-gether :)
Another AMAZING macaroni and cheese recipe that I was recently introduced to:
Zoe’s Blue Crab Mac’n’cheese:
½ pound unsalted butter (two sticks)
½ cup flour
4 cups whole milk
½ to ¾ pound shredded white American cheese
¼ pound shredded white cheddar
2 tablespoons dusted Parmesan (the sprinkle kind)
1 to 2 tablespoons Old Bay
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 pound cavatappi pasta cooked al dente and drained
¾ pound lump backfin crabmeat, or your favorite crabmeat to taste
Heat butter and flour in a saucepan over low heat, constantly stirring, to make a light, loose roux, about 3 to 4 minutes, or just until it melts. In a separate pot, heat the milk until it is medium-hot, but not scalding. Add the heated milk to the roux and whisk over medium heat until it is thick and smooth. Add the other ingredients, except the noodles and crabmeat, and mix well. Add the sauce to the cooked noodles and mix well. Stir in the crabmeat. If desired, brown the top under a broiler.
*****AMAZING!!!!
I love your blog :)
Happy Wednesday
Being from Maryland, this sounds amazing and I will HAVE to try it!
My kid’s and I love mac and cheese. This is the perfect thing to bring to mom’s thanksgiving or easter meal. Everyone will love it!
Looks amazing! What would you consider a “larger” crockpot?
Hi Gina, Anything larger than what is called for in the recipe. Just reduce the cooking time by the same ratio, i.e. if you have a 6-quart slow cooker, it’s 50% larger than a 4-quart (the largest recommended size for this recipe), then reduce the cooking time by 50% (so, cook it for 1 hour 30 minutes). I used a 6-quart and found 1 hour 30 minutes to be perfect for the consistency you see above. I’ve also cooked it a little over 2 hours and it ended up being a bit on the crustier side.
ok wow this looks like heaven… you’ve definitely inspired me to re-create the classic mac + cheese recipe. thanks for the inspiring ideas and great post.
Using the slowcooker, using Velveeta and not having to stand and stir to make the cheese sauce, and how great this looks (and I’m like your mom, not really a big mac and cheese person) – totally sold! Pinned :) Looks amazing!
make me…hungry!!!
see you soon!!!
MMMMmmmmm Macaroni and Cheese is like the BEST{EST} comfort food ever created by mankind!!!!!! This looks amazinglllly ooey – gooey and cheesy!!!!!!!!!!!! I would also go for thirds, maybe even fourths!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 Loved it!!!!!!!!