Have each guest fill up a small baking dish with some of the mac and cheese, then customize their own by adding mix-ins or toppings.Follow the recipe up to the point of combining the cheese sauce with the pasta.Our best friends came over one night to test out our Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe, and we ended up having a Build-Your-Own Mac and Cheese party!

If you do broil at the end: Make sure to check every minute because it can burn quickly under broiler!) (I like to bake mine for 20 minutes, then broil the top for 2-5 minutes until lightly browned. Bake at 375✯ for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.Top with the reserved 2 cups of shredded cheese mixture and crushed Ritz crackers mixture.Pour the mac and cheese into a greased casserole dish (I used non-stick cooking spray.).Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta, and mix well.(If needed, turn the heat back onto low to help melt the rest of the cheese.) Add in about half of the shredded cheese mixture, whisk until melted and repeat with the remaining cheese.Turn off the heat, and immediately whisk in the cream cheese and stir until melted.Once the mixture is slightly thickened, add the spices.Next, a mixture of milk and cream is slowly mixed in.Add the flour, and cook for about 1 minute, constantly whisking.In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, add the butter and cook until melted.The sauce is started off by first making a roux (a mixture of butter and flour). This combination gives the mac and cheese a buttery crispy topping! The Sauce: To make the topping, simply crush the Ritz crackers and combine it with melted butter. Rinse the pasta in cold water, then drain and set aside.Make sure to cook the pasta under al dente by about 1-2 minutes, because it will continue cooking in the cheese sauce.How to Make Creamy Mac and Cheese with Ritz Cracker Topping The Pasta: If you swap out the gruyere for romano or parmesan cheese, just make sure to cut back on the salt called for in the recipe! Reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp, and then just add more to taste once the cheese sauce is made. You can swap out any of these for other types of cheeses, but this is the blend we liked the best. This recipe calls for gruyere cheese, extra sharp white cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. This is definitely a cheat meal! But it makes a perfect side for the holidays and special occasions…or a regular weeknight when you feel like splurging. It’s extra creamy and rich from the whole milk, heavy cream, and 4 cheese blend used in it. This Creamy Mac and Cheese is made with a blend of four cheeses, and topped with crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter, then baked for a buttery crispy crust!

Extra sharp white cheddar recipes