Easy Mac and Cheese Muffins
This takes a fun approach to the traditional mac and cheese recipe. Kids can eat it like a muffin and with their hands, making it a new mac and cheese experience!
This takes a fun approach to the traditional mac and cheese recipe. Kids can eat it like a muffin and with their hands, making it a new mac and cheese experience!
I will give this 5 stars for presentation! They look great. However, just by reading the ingredients I could tell they would be bland so I added some spices to my preference like garlic powder, onion powder, salt and Pepper to the pasta. Because my true favorite recipe for Mac & cheese has cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese in it, I thought I'd add them too! I am glad I did. So, I can't really rate this recipe as written because I tweaked it too much, but baking them in the muffin pan is a brilliant idea and it went over well with my daughter who only likes the boxed process kind...untill now! thanks.
Read MoreI questioned the use of mozzerella cheese in this receipe but I tried it anyway. The mozzerella does not melt like cheddar cheese. I could not get it blended in. It is way too stringy to use in mac and cheese.
Read MoreI will give this 5 stars for presentation! They look great. However, just by reading the ingredients I could tell they would be bland so I added some spices to my preference like garlic powder, onion powder, salt and Pepper to the pasta. Because my true favorite recipe for Mac & cheese has cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese in it, I thought I'd add them too! I am glad I did. So, I can't really rate this recipe as written because I tweaked it too much, but baking them in the muffin pan is a brilliant idea and it went over well with my daughter who only likes the boxed process kind...untill now! thanks.
I wanted to make something special for my son's first day of Kindergarden. This fit the bill perfectly. I used 8 oz. extra sharp white cheddar, 4 oz. sharp cheddar and 4 oz. grated parmesan cheese. I sauteed a little garlic in with the butter, then added the milk and eggs. For me, this made 16 large mac and cheese muffins. More than enough for a couple lunches or dinner warmups. My son was impressed with handheld macaroni and cheese. I'll make this again for another special occasion. EDITED TO ADD: My family at all 16 mac and cheese muffins. This was a huge hit. Think about making it my way. You'll thank me.
The mac and cheese is no doubt bland - but, that can be fixed. I too like the idea of using muffin tins to cook this. Makes lovely individually sized servings and you really can't find anything more simplistic than this. I froze them and have found they make perfect lunch time treats. As for the mac itself, I admit that I doctored it up quite a bit to make it better. Add black pepper, more cheese and even a dash of garlic powder. I also added some sour cream to the noodle mixture and it comes out tasting creamy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
I made these for my son's Christening, as I wanted to serve comfort food, but not a box of store-bought mac and cheese! My husband and I did a few test runs before the big event, just to work out any kinks. We finalized the recipe by using 3 cups of sharp cheddar (instead of the 1.5 cups) and adding an extra 1/2 cup of milk (total of 1.5 cups of milk used), because we thought they were a little dry and bland with the basic recipe. I also added salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to the mixture before putting it into the cupcake pan. To get the best results, we used foil cupcake liners, so they came out easily and were a little more individualized for our guests. They came out amazing, and were a huge hit with everyone! The were gooey and had great cheesy flavor! My mom (who is known for her baked mac and cheese) asked me for the recipe for Thanksgiving! Thanks for the fun twist on a classic family dish! :)
First I have to say my 6 year old son gobbled this up! He loved it! However, it was a little bland for me and the breadcrumb topping was salty. I followed the recipe without any change. On the positive side it was creamy yet kept a good muffin form. Next time I will lessen the salt in the crumb topping and maybe add a little salt in the mac mixture instead. This was such a fun food! Thank you. EDIT: I'm back to add an afterthought. I heated these up the next day and I have to say, they reheat very well. They weren't bland the next day. It seems to be that this is a great "make-ahead" meal. Delicious!
At first I was a little skeptical because of the other posts. I was expecting something super bland, but I thought I would try it as is and I actually really liked it, as did my kids. They usually do not like strong flavors/spices, so this was perfect. real easy and fun too!
This dish is always a big hit - of course, I tweek it to make it a little more flavorfull by adding garlic pepper and seasoned salt to the eggs, chicken bouillon to the boiling macaroni water, and sub one cup of parmasean cheese. I also add half the bread crumb mixture to the macaroni mixture itself to help make it more "muffin-y". If you spray the crumb topping with cooking spray before baking, it will crisp up better.
For the most part I enjoyed these, but there were less of a hit with the kiddos than I thought - a few of the pasta corners got crunchy which they did not like. I think that next time I will cover with foil until the last few minutes and see if they are more gooier.
I questioned the use of mozzerella cheese in this receipe but I tried it anyway. The mozzerella does not melt like cheddar cheese. I could not get it blended in. It is way too stringy to use in mac and cheese.
The best mac'n'cheese recipe I've made. The only thing I added to the recipe was a Tbs. of ground mustard. So delicious!
These tasted great! My pasta said to cook for 11 min, and I cooked for 8 which was perfect. I used closer to 2 cups each of medium cheddar and jack cheese, and about 1/4 cup shredded parm. I left out the bread crumbs because I don't care for them much on my mac. I was concerned the sauce would be too thin, but it firmed up perfectly. I also covered the mac with foil and cooked for 20 minutes to avoid browning. A nice change to the casserole mac & cheese dish, but I didn't care for the clean up so I'm not sure if I'll make again...
quick & easy to prepare easy to eat delicious good for picky eaters
These came out even better than I was expecting, however I took the advice of other reviewers and tweaked the seasonings a bit to avoid a bland result. I added about 1/4 cup of sauteed finely chopped onion, a dash of garlic powder, pepper and about 1/4 cup grated parmesan in addition to the cheese in the recipe, and along with the recommended cheeses, I also used up a little shredded Mexican blend that I had on hand. I was worried about the mac n cheese setting correctly, so I added about a tbsp of flour - no idea if it really had an effect, but the end result (after cooling) was perfectly set but still moist. And more importantly, delicious!
Great recipe, Joplin - you're contribution rocked the mac 'n cheese snobs' world with such a great method & presentation. Thanks for sharing. Of course, everyone enhances a recipe to their own taste, but you deserve 5 stars for a beloved American classic recipe taken to a higher dimension in it's presentation. Very cool.
Maybe it's because I like my macaroni and cheese creamy that I wasn't a big fan of this. It is anything but, but then I guess it would have to be on the dry side in order to keep its shape. I noted some of the reviewers' comments that this was bland, lacking flavor. Normally I dismiss comments like that, thinking that some people forget or don't appreciate what simple fresh flavors are or taste like. And in this case, I wondered how this could be any more bland than any other basic macaroni and cheese recipe, since the ingredients were essentially the same. But curiously this WAS bland, and it WAS rather flavorless, and I had even given it a good shot of King Arthur's Vermont Cheese Powder! And again, this was dry, all the sauce absorbed during baking, which won't appeal to others like myself who prefer creamy macaroni and cheese. So for me the macaroni and cheese itself was mediocre, forgettable. But I'll give it five stars for presentation and cuteness. Overall, I'll rate this four stars and call it a day.
Liked them - didn't love them. I really like the novel idea of these, but they are a bit on the dry side. I'm going to keep playing with this recipe to try and add some moisture. I individually froze 10 of the 15 cups. They heat up nicely, but are still a "stiff" version of mac and cheese. I'm going to make these again and will update if I figure out what to add to increase the moisture. Thanks joplin_7_7_7 for sharing.
Great Idea!! Fun and easy! I made it with a group of kids and they had a blast. They all loved the way it tasted and so did I!
My kids absolutely loved it! It was one of the few meals that they actually asked for seconds! (before wanting dessert of course!)
I LOVE this recipe! To give it a somewhat 'fancier' flavor, I like to substitute half the olive oil with truffle oil - YUM. Also, I will add a cup of breadcrumbs to the mixture itself, in addition to just putting them on top. To serve at parties as an appetizer, I bake them in foil baking cups for easy serving and reheating (have tried both the small and large foil cups - both work great).
I halved the recipe but used the whole egg. I added minced onion, red pepper flakes and Worcestershire for additional flavor after reading the reviews that said they were bland. I used extra sharp cheddar and romano cheese with no additional cheese on top but just a sprinkle of Panko on top. These are very good and a simple way to make individual portions of mac and cheese. Thanks! I will make them again.
These muffins were very tasty, and I think they may have even tasted a little better warmed up the next day. I only had unseasoned bread crumbs so I added some seasoned salt to them and that turned out well, although now that I've eaten them I would also recommend adding some seasoned salt to the pasta itself to give it a little more zip. Perhaps a little garlic powder or pepper as well depending on your tastes. I would also recommend adding more of the sharp cheddar to the pasta and maybe a little less to the top. Overall though, they were easy to make and turned out pretty well.
super cute idea for mac and cheese! added seasonings as did most other reviewers (garlic and onion powders, cracked black pepper), and i omitted the oil in the topped as it seemed unecessary. these turned out to be creamy although i was worried they'd be dry. for some bizarre reason my kids wouldn't eat them, which is so weird - they love macaroni and cheese. but i thought they were good! thanks!
I added some spices to the mixture - and could see adding more cheese.
Delicious! I added 1 1/2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese too...
I loved this recipe! I was so worried I was going to mess it up, but it ended up fabulous! My husband loved these so much! I don't understand why people in the reviews said they were bland. Maybe they did not use seasoned bread crumbs or put enough salt in the bread mixture. One thing I noted, I let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Mine slightly fell apart, but when I went for seconds they held their shape! Don't be afraid to put the bread crumb mixture or the cheese on top. The only thing I changed is I used whole wheat elbow macaroni. Great recipe!
I've only made a few changes, which is typical for my regular mac & cheese. I always cook the macaroni in water & chicken boullion cubes for a much richer flavor. I don't add the breadcrumb topping and add a little white pepper to the mac & cheese mixture. The macaroni will absorb most of the milk so if you think it looks too dry, add a little more milk or 1/2 & 1/2, just don't make it too soupy. I make mine in a mini-muffin tin sprayed with butter flavored spray and they make great appetizers!
The kids loved these! I got 18 regular size "muffins" out of this recipe.
This was a pretty good recipie. different but good. I'll defenitly be making these again. they turned out good. enjoy
This is good and is a great idea. I will doctor it up a little next time because it was a little too bland for me--I like my spices! I usually use a little mustard, a pinch of thyme, a tad of sour cream and black pepper and an additional egg and more cheese.
Great Dish! I'm trying out recipes that could be taken in my kidos lunches to school. Made 2 changes: we don't eat eggs, so I used an egg replacement product.. Also, instead of bread crumbs, I used Panko (I also doubled the amount). The kids thought it was great!
What a great idea! Served these at my 2 y.o. b-day party. Perfect for tiny hands. I was short on time so I used a packaged blend of shredded cheeses rather than grating my own. I made these in 2 batches and for some reason the first batch crumbled apart, and the second batch stayed firm. Maybe it needs to rest a bit after everything is combined before putting into the muffin tins.
Crowd Pleaser! Made these for my daughter's birthday party... just be sure to bake close to serving, if left out the macaroni will get a bit stiff (naturally) I used whole wheat shell noodles and it came out wonderful
These are very good, but they do come out bland so you may want to add more salt the pasta and less to the bread crumbs.
Really delicious, very simple to make. The whole family enjoyed them.
For concept alone, these babies get 5 stars, LOL!! Mac n cheese in a muffin, doesn't get much better than that! My 6 yr old and 1 yr old especially loved these (me too!), my middle guy is a bit pickier! I did switch up the cheese based on what I had, used some light cheese whiz to make them creamy in with shredded mozz. I too added some granulated garlic, pepper and mustard powder to the mixture and used panko crumbs (added some garlic and oregano too). Fantastic, I got 18 muffins out of the recipe and these will become a regular in our house, thanks for sharing! **UPDATE 02/08/10 - have made these a few times and always add seasonings to both my breadcrumbs (panko) and some to the cheese mixture as well! My 2 older boys (8 and 6) love them...they work beautifully in my silicone baking cups!
Like everyone else said, bland. With some added spices it was great! Next time I think im gonna add some cream cheese into the mix to make it creamier (:
Good but bland. Need to add some bacon and garlic salt to liven them up. If making as an appetizers definitely use a mini size muffin tin.
I did not try the recipe as-is. I minced and sauteed a small onion in the butter, then added 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard. Instead of the 1 cup Milk, I added 1/2 C Half N Half to the Macaroni after draining, then added the onion/butter mixture and cheeses (I used what I had in the house which was 1-1/4 C Monterey Jack/Cheddar, 1-3/4 C Sharp Cheddar. Out of 3 kids the good eater among them asked for seconds. The pickiest one said No Thanks, the other thought they were okay. I, on the other hand, thought they were terrific which means I need to cut back on the onion and definitely leave off the crumb topping.
Made these this week~ I did read all the reviews, and added season salt, pepper and garlic powder to the mixture. They were delicious! The only small shaped pasta I had on hand were shells, and they worked as well. Thanks for a great recipe! my kids loved it!
The kids (and husband) LOVED thes! Although, I thought they were kinda bland even after I added garlic and onion powder. I will try this recipe again though. But definately make them the night before.
As preparation for my 2-year-old's birthday party, we tried multiple versions of mac and cheese -- THIS RECIPE IS THE BEST HANDS DOWN. Other reviews mention that it is a bit bland, and so I added a little garlic powder and Ms. Dash. Also, I use RITZ crackers for the topping. The second time I made them, I completely forgot to add anything extra, and we hardly noticed the difference. They were a HUGE hit with both kids (ages 2-10) and adults at the birthday party!! We served all finger foods, so the mac-muffins were the way to go in that respect as well. I made them in mini-muffin tins, so they were a 3-bite type of appetizer. UPDATE: Maybe I was just in a Mac and Cheese mood when I previously gave this 5 stars, but I have made this at least 4 more times and it's just not as good as I remember. To be fair, I haven't been putting it into muffin tins, just a baking dish, but it's just not a 5 star for me anymore.
This turned out great - but as others suggested I added a little seasoning before baking. Some Mrs Dash and garlic powder. I skipped the breadcrumbs nd just added cheddar chesse at the very end on top!
I liked the idea of the muffin shape for mac and cheese. However, this really needs a cheese sauce, held together with a little flour. Made the way it calls for, the cheese clumped and the milk pooled in the bottom. Although they did stick together after cooling, the top half had no sauce on the noodles. I added garlic like another reviewer recommended, and it was a nice addition.
Yeah, mozzarella cheese was an exceptionally poor choice for this recipe. It got all stringy and was very difficult to incorporate. I did heat the macaroni mixture to get the mozzarella to melt and eventually got it incorporated enough to finish the recipe but next time I would definitely substitute jack cheese instead.
These were a little bland, even after I added hot sauce to the macaroni and seasoned salt to the bread crumbs. My kitten, however, seemed to love them. I found him on the counter digging in!
5 for creativity, but only a 2 for flavor. This is a terrific idea. The individual portions are great for school lunches. Unfortunaely, the flavor was bland. I think I'll adapt my regualr recipe to this method. Thank you for the inspiration.
What a great idea! I made a whole batch of these to freeze when I was pregnant and they have been great to pull out of the freezer and eat with a salad or vegetables on the days where I am too tired or frazzled to cook.
OK, I have made these 3 times now and I end up eating them not my kids. I love them. Old fashion mac cheese taste. Not processed enough for my munchkins because they want the box stuff. Hopefully one day they will convert-until then, I will continue to enjoy these!
This was excellent with only slight modification and a very easy recipe which both adults and children devoured! Modifications: I added 1 tsp salt and 1tsp pepper and 2 dashes of cayenne pepper to the mac and cheese mixture. I also used plain Panko bread crumbs and added 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and a dash of cayenne to the bread crumb mixture before adding the olive oil. The tiny amount of cayenne pepper gave this recipe a little more flavor without being spicy. I did not use Mozzarella cheese as that seemed strange for a mac and cheese recipe. Instead, I used 3 cups of a mixture of shredded Cheddar, Gruyere, and American cheese (Harris Teeter sells their own brand of this "mac and cheese" ready shredded cheese mixture, which I used). The recipe was delicious and EASY.
These didn't turn out to be muffins for me but it was a delicious mess
I just made these this afternoon. We couldn't wait until they were cool enough to taste...mmmm!!! I made them for a work cocktail party I'm hosting next week...I may have to make more. Here's what I did to change up the recipe. Made mini cups lined with prosciutto and also without for the non meat eaters. To the recipe I added some Dijon mustard and some paprika and a little extra milk to make them extra creamy since I'll be freezing and reheating. I topped them with a mixture of panko and cheddar. I might try some caramelized onions next time. The recipe is a keeper.
I added some bread crumbs into the macaroni mixture. If it looks too dry add some sour cream or plain yogurt to make it more moist. I also only used cheddar cheese, as that's what I had on hand. I followed another reviewer's advice and sprayed the tops with olive oil after I put the bread crumbs on to make it more crunchy. I make these in a mini size for a party, they were very well received. Oh, also, add some spices to the mixture. I think I used salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
Made them and my husband loved them! He's a mac n' cheese guru...so that really says a lot!
I doubled the recipe thinking to make 24 muffins, but it really made 20 muffins. I added onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and just a touch of nutmeg to the mixture prior to baking. I also added a dollop of sour cream after adding the egg to add creaminess. I have no idea why the recipe calls for so much breadcrumbs. You only need a bit with which to top each muffin -- same goes for the reserved sharp cheddar.
This is not the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted- but the presentation makes up for it. I used all cheddar instead of part mozzarella, but otherwise followed the recipe. They turned out great- kids loved them. Will definitely make again.
I didnt care for these too much. Im not saying they were terrible, I just thought they were a little bland. They tasted like noodles with bread crumbs.
We didn't love these. The muffin idea is a great one and I may use that again, but I really didn't care for the actual mac and cheese part- in the future, I will use my stand-by recipe and use the muffin cup idea. Thanks for sharing!
Loved these!! Fun and easy and delicious!! Great for my kids too :) Thank you!!
My family LOVES this recipe. I've found that using mini farfalle pasta works better for us, but that's the only change I make! These are great!
I'm really glad that I read the reviews before making these! I used less salt in the breadcrumb mixture and more salt and black pepper in the pasta mixture. I also baked them in mini-muffin tins so that they'd be more bite sized. I loved the crunch on the outside, it was a hit all around! Thanks!
12.21.16 Had to sub Six Cheese Italian blend (it has mozzarella in it) for the mozzarella, it’s what I had on hand. I totally love mac and cheese cups for portion control, since I tend to pig out when I have a dish of it in front of me (love it!). They are just loaded with flavor, and will be the perfect side dish for a Christmas ham dinner (they’re going into the freezer today).
This was a hit. I was skeptical when the milk didn’t absorb well but it all stayed together in the end with the muffin shape. The only thing I changed based on comments was I added a little garlic powder, black pepper and a dash of Parmesan on top. I also used panko bread crumbs and only used 2 kinds of cheddar skipping the mozzarella.
The turned out very cute but not so much in taste they needed a lil ummf.
These were ok. Definitely a little bland so I would suggest some seasoning- we added some garlic powder. At least they were fun but not sure I'll make them again.
This turned out really well. I used a little less milk, and added garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. The muffins held together well. I used white cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. Will def make again.
this was pretty good. I did add a little garlic to add some flavor. I ran out of room in my muffin pan so I used my mini muffin pan. Great idea! The kids loved them! When they were a little cooler they could use there fingers to eat it. they loved it!
This turned out ok, but probably would have been fabulous if I hadn't used my own homemade breadcrumbs (I overtoasted the bread!). The muffins were very cheesy and rich. Our children really loved them and they were even better as leftovers.
These individual mac and cheese "muffins" were outstanding. I served them at a cocktail party and they were the first food item to disappear. I doubled the recipe and added garlic powder, onion powder and some cayenne, since it wasn't for kids. I would suggest coating the muffin tins heavily with cooking spray and allowing them to cool completely before you attempt to take them out. I just reheated them in a chafing dish and they were absolutely delicious. I wish I would have had leftovers. This recipe is a keeper.
LOVE THESE !!! I added about a teaspoon of dry mustard and garlic powder. Cute idea and great for portion control.
Easy recipe to make. I like the idea but the recipe as it is I found to be pretty bland, needs something.
They did turn out I just wasn't a fan of the mac n cheese recipe. If I make it again I will use a different recipe in the cupcake tins.
I give these four stars, because I made a few changes. I added cheddar, mozzarella, smoked gouda, shredded parm, and a little bit of ricotta I needed to use up. Seasoned to taste with onion powder, garlic, S & P. Held there shape well. Will make again. Thanks for sharing!
I thought this mac and cheese was very bland. While I can see this being good for some kids, I like my kids to experience more flavors. They barely touched them anyway. I think for a muffin, they're too greasy to hold. I would also have liked it to be creamier. I think putting it into muffin tins dries it out too much.
These muffins have become a family tradition. Which is funny because everyone knows I normally am not allowed in the kitchen. I will admit that my family requested some upgrades to the recipe but my first two batches were original and they love if both ways!
The concept for this recipe is good, however there were a couple of problems -the breadcrumb topping was pretty dry. I think I will try a butter and cracker crumb topping instead. Also, the cheese needs to be a bit creamier. This recipe needs some work, but I am willing to try it again.
My kids loved these - anything that comes in individual servings seems to impress them. I loved it because it was really easy and they liked it. I followed the recipe, and they turned out great! Thanks!
I looked everywhere and couldn’t see how many servings the recipe is supposed to make. I had to run out and buy everything again because I didn’t have enough. Also, at the top it says 40 minutes of cooking time, but the recipe says 30. Since i can’t get basic information I won’t be using this site again.
I made these last night to go along side BQ ribs .Not at all bad - but not my fave . I think if I make them again I will leave off bread crumb topping . I heated one for lunch today to see how they reheat ( pretty good reheat ) and found myself eating only under the bread crumbs & liked that much better . It made 12 pretty good size portions .
I took a risk and made these along with the corn dog muffin recipe found here. They were for a gathering of friends to celebrate the Christmas holiday. The eight of us are senior citizens but these mac and cheese muffins received rave reviews from everyone. The only change I was forced to make was at the last minute I found that I did not have the mozzarella cheese that I thought I had. I used the same amount of Mexican blend instead. Fabulous. My grandkids can't wait for me to visit, so I can make them. I sent pictures and they want to have some.
Made these for a party and they got rave reviews. So nice to mix the mac and sauce up all in one pot without slaving over a cheese sauce. We now make our regular mac & cheese this way. All we do is add a bit of pepper and everyone loves it!
Really good. I was worried the "muffins" wouldn't hold shape or would be hard to clean up but it wasn't too bad: letting them cool in the pan for a bit is definitely a good tip. The breadcrumb topping was ok but if I make this again I might use a little less and add the seasoning to the egg/butter instead of putting it all in the topping to distribute it a bit better. I might also add a few more spices, like paprika and a bit of garlic powder. I substituted half the called for mozzarella for Monterey jack. It definitely made for a richer cheesy taste.
Really good! I am and have always been a Mac-n-cheese lover. This is a great way to serve it up for change. I baked it in a silicone muffin pan and did not get the browned sides I was looking forward to but the bottom had the brown, crunch that was really good and the toasty bread crumbs on top were great.
I didn't care for the topping. I think it will be better without it. The mac 'n cheese, however, was very flavorful.
Very good and great presentation. I made it just as the recipe called for and was very pleased. thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! Although I did tweak the recipe a lot. For starters, I made my own breadcrumbs by tearing up a piece of bread, tossing it with salt and spices and drying it in the oven on 350 for about 5 minutes. I also used half the butter and added a tablespoon of chive and onion cream cheese to the noodle mixture and a tad less milk. I added more salt and pepper and spices (parsley, chili powder, garlic, oregano) to the noodles. I did not have cheddar so I used whatever cheese I did have. Colby, pepper jack, seasoned feta and horseradish cheddar slices that I tore up. I used a tad more than recommended. SO delicious. I think next time I might add some corn or pimentos or broccoli to the mix!
Added some additional spices based on the reviews and this dish was a hit. The kids loved it.
Great and easy recipe to make, even with a lot of little helpers fighting to help. I agree that it is a very basic mac and cheese flavor, but that is easily fixed by adding spices or just changing the type of cheese. (I am trying it out with smoked gouda next.) Also, I used crushed buttery crackers on top instead of the bread crumbs. Delicious!
I followed the recipe as written. For me, they were a little bland and dry. I liked the flavor of the bread crumb mixture, but not the texture. My 7 year old agreed, but my picky husband loved them.
I made the recipe as it was written, and I have to agree w another persons comment about the mozzarella being so stringy which made it difficult to put in the pan, and it was hard to get completely mixed together before that. Also I love crumb toppings usually but this one just seemed to make a big mess when transferring. Also agree w another persons comment on slightly bland despite sharp cheddar. Now I did make this one day ahead for a work party and maybe wouldn't be so critical if I had tasted fresh out of the oven. I had also made a different recipe which I preferred to this one. Love the presentation.
SO easy and still delicious, but want to make a creamier version. I added chopped bacon too, delicious. Best when eaten right out of the oven, I made some in the AM and reheated them at noon for a pot luck at work and they were drier than I liked. But I think they're supposed to be like that, I just want something creamier. They were still a hit. So fun too! After baking them, I put them in cupcake liners, great to just grab and put on your plate. Would be great for kids, super easy and a fun, different way to serve mac and cheese. :)
These turned out great, with a few tweaks recommended by other reviewers. I used 3 cups of sharp cheddar and no mozzarella and added paprika, salt, pepper and dijon mustard to the mixture. I always use dijon mustard in my regular mac and cheese - it might seem strange, but I think it really makes a difference. I also sprayed the tops of the muffins with Pam toward the end, because the bread crumbs weren't turning golden brown on top. The Pam did the trick. I made regular sized muffins as well as mini muffins (baked for 10 minutes instead of 30). The only thing I would do differently next time is not use muffin liners for the large muffins. They really stuck to the muffins and were hard to get off. This wasn't as much of a problem with the mini muffins for some reason. Overall, a fun and tasty party snack!
I loved the ease of this recipe and not having to make a separate cheese sauce. I was concerned about the egg cooking in the hot pasta so I added a little milk to egg along with salt, pepper, onion salt, nutmeg, and dried mustard. I loved that each serving had crispy edges. Hubby liked it very much, too!
I grew up on the usual boxes of mac and cheese, both the powdered cheese and envelope of liquid cheese varieties. This recipe is SO MUCH BETTER! Loved the topping, although to be honest my son didn't. Too bad for him!
I only had plain breadcrumbs, so I seasoned them myself, delicious!
A big hit with the kids (2 & 5 yrs)! I made it a bit healthier by using whole wheat pasta & reduced fat cheeses. I also added some Mrs. Dash & Black pepper. No leftovers, so next time I'll have to double it so we can have some to freeze for later.
I made it for my wife who loves it ... easy to make ... I added chopped up ham and broccoli to give it more substance and make it a full light lunch !!! ??
We found these are not that great as is. I think next time I will make a cheese sauce like I usually would for mac n'cheese and then put it in the muffin tins. We made 2 batches of them and added a bit of curry powder to one batch - they tasted great, but would have been neter with a creamier sauce.
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