Crockpot Mac and Cheese - Recipe Diaries (2024)

Why You Will Love This Recipe

For the beginning of this recipe there is a lot of stirring involved. Once you combine the cheese sauce with the noodles you could actually serve it right there. I think the crock pot is just used to keep the cheese sauce warm and or heat it up more.

This recipe can be made all year long. Not just for Holidays. I like to add some cut-up hot dogs to this or some cheddar wursts. Use your air fryer and cook them at 350 for 5 to 7 minutes. Then slice them up and throw it in there.

Air fry some breaded chicken patties and cut them up to add on top of the mac and cheese. Then drizzle some buffalo sauce over it. It's delicious. 🙂

Looking for more easy cheesy appetizer recipes? Try out Paula Deen's Corn Casserole, Banana Pudding Cake (Not Yo Mama's) Crock Pot Potato Soup, Cheesy Hash Brown and Potato Casserole or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.

Ingredients List

• Uncooked elbow macaroni - I also like using cavatappi noodles with this recipe.
• Butter - always use unsalted butter to control the salt
• Sharp cheddar cheese - If you really want to be spontaneous try a mix of different cheese like Asiago or White Cheddar
• Large eggs - a lot of people have better results omitting the eggs in the recipe. Check out the comments below. If not made properly the eggs might scramble.
• Sour cream - light sour cream or regular and be used
• Condensed cheddar cheese soup
• Salt - Kosher
• Whole milk - 2% or skim milk also works
• Dry mustard - grounded
• Black pepper - grounded
• See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make

Step 1: Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes. Drain and set aside in a crock pot.

Step 2: In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Slowly incorporate the sour cream, cheddar soup, milk, and spices. Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit. About 3 - 5 minutes.

Step 3: Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and slowly start incorporating them into the cheese sauce.

Step 4: In a slow cooker, combine the cheese mixture and noodles.

Cook on low for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese Tips

If you watch the video on how to properly make this on Youtube (It's a video of her making it on her old show that she used to have on Food Network) it shows her combining all the cheese sauce ingredients into a crock pot that she places on one of her stove top burners. My mind was blown when she did that. 😉

Paula Deen adds in the whisked eggs when all the other ingredients are slowly starting to warm up so that the eggs don't scramble. You can however do all that in a sauce pan like step 2 says.

This is a very popular recipe that is made a lot for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you're wondering what else to serve this with I have ideas below.

This is not a slow cooker recipe you can leave sitting in the pot for 6 hours. The whole entire recipe is made in less than 3 hours. Probably even 2 hours depending how hot your slow cooker gets. It's a great dish to make on the weekend and not during the weekday when you know you are home.

What can I serve with this recipe?

People love to make this recipe as a side dish on Christmas or Thanksgiving.

For a protein, I would also make her Pepper Jelly Glazed Ham recipe which I also love or maybe serve it with Alton Brown's City Ham.

I'd make smoked asparagus, twice baked potatoes, or bacon-wrapped green beans for some vegetable options.

Do I need to add in the eggs?

No you do not, if you are worried about the eggs scrambling in the crock pot or slow cooker leave them out.

Will dry pasta cook in a slow cooker?

This depends on how much liquid is in the crock pot that the recipe calls for. I think it is just easier to cook the noodles in a sauce pan prior to making this recipe.

Can you make this the day ahead?

Make ahead by prepping all the noodles and cheese sauce and let it cool down before adding it to a slow cooker. Cover and put in the refrigerator over night. Heat the macorani and cheese 1 to 2 hours in the slow cooker before ready to start serving.