This Crockpot Mac and Cheese recipe is creamy and cheesy and just plain DELICIOUS. This comfort food comes together quickly and easily. It is a great dish for a holiday meal or for a busy week night. It’ll get devoured by adults and kids alike!
Original post: 2014. Updated: 2018.
Original recipe at the VERY BOTTOM OF THIS POST IN THE PHOTO, directly above the recipe card.
Why This Recipe Works
You know those meals that can be made for nearly every holiday meal, no matter what time of the year it is? This Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is that recipe for me. I make this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July and so many other occasions that fall in between.
Why? Because I can dump everything into my slow cooker while saving oven and stove-top space for other recipes. I give the mac and cheese a few stirs throughout and before I know it, it’s ready to eat!
This recipe gets devoured every single time without fail, no matter the season. It requires such little attention, it is an easy recipe and it always turns out perfectly. Don’t limit making this recipe on just holidays.
This is a great kid meal option any night of the week and also the perfect party food for a larger gathering.
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Why Make Mac and Cheese in a Slow Cooker?
Ahh great question and I’m so glad you asked! Any time your oven is being used (think busy holidays!) or when you don’t have an oven to use (think potlucks!) is a great opportunity to make a creamy dish in your crockpot.
Recipe Ingredients
Elbow macaroni – If you opt to use uncooked pasta, please be sure to watch it carefully while it cooks. Nobody likes mushy noodles! When removing the lid to stir the noodles, do so quickly!
Cheeses – Cheddar, Parmesan and Velveeta are my absolute favorite combination of cheeses to use for Crock Pot Mac and Cheese. Feel free to replace them with equal amounts of American, mozzarella and/or sharp cheddar cheese. Monterey jack works great, too!
Milk – Replace a portion of the milk with heavy cream for an even creamier end result.
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How To Make The Best Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Follow these super simple instructions to make the most delicious crock pot mac and cheese your lips will ever taste!
Step 1
Throw only 5 ingredients (yep, five!) into your crock pot: elbow macaroni noodles (cooked the pasta 3 minutes shy of al dente, so approximately 5 minutes total), milk, Velveeta cheese, butter and Parmesan grated cheese.
Step 2
Set the crock pot on Low heat and the cook time will be somewhere between 2-3 hours. Give it a stir a couple times throughout, if possible, and start checking on the pasta at the 2-hour mark.
Depending on the crock pot, this dish will be done anywhere between 2 and 3 hours. My crock pot produces PERFECT results after 2.5 hours.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe started out as a much different recipe (scroll way down to the bottom, below the recipe card), so try the original version if you’d like!
- This makes a large batch of mac and cheese! It will easily feed 8 hungry people as a main dish or 12 people as a side dish or party food. This is a great dish for pot lucks!
- Add cooked ham or bacon pieces to add flavor and when serving as a main dish.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper just before serving!
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder would be a great addition to the cheese sauce.
What To Serve With Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a comfort food favorite! But what goes with it?! This roundup provides 16 delicious ideas about what to serve alongside mac and cheese to create a complete, satisfying meal!
How Long Does This Recipe Last
If you have leftovers and you are wondering whether to toss or eat, read this article for information about how long mac and cheese lasts.
How To Reheat Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese leftovers are inevitable since most recipes make huge batches. Learn how to reheat mac and cheese, while retaining moisture and flavor!
Substitute For Milk in Mac and Cheese
Whether you are looking for a different flavor in your next creamy pasta dish or you just don’t have milk on hand, learn replacements for milk in macaroni and cheese!
Mac and Cheese Recipes for Thanksgiving – 13 Delicious Ideas!
Mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving staple! Read on for some scrumptious mac and cheese recipes for Thanksgiving that you can make this year! You’ll find a ton of options to choose from in this roundup.
More Delicious Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese – Healthify Mac and Cheese by adding cauliflower! Kids won’t suspect a thing and you’ll secretly be adding nutrition to a favorite comfort food.
- Looking for a new way to enjoy comforting mac and cheese? Make these baked mac and cheese bites for a fun and perfect finger food to serve to kids and adults.
- Instant Pot mac and cheese is a dream come true! Done in 20 minutes, this side OR main dish cooks absolutely perfectly every single time!
- Baked mac and cheese cooks perfectly every time with the perfect amount of creamy cheese. Great as a holiday side or weekday main dish. Kids and adults alike will devour it!
- Add pumpkin to your next batch of mac and cheese so it’s more delicious and more creamy. This pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is 100% kid-friendly and done in 30 minutes!
- This chili mac recipe is the perfect marriage of two of the most comforting comfort foods of all time. Delicious way to use up leftover chili!
FAQ About Mac and Cheese
You can definitely freeze mac and cheese! Place in a freezer resealable bag or air-tight container and store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. When defrosting it, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours before heating and serving.
To reheat mac and cheese, transfer it to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and stir. Place the saucepan on a stove top over medium-low heat and stir until consistency is smooth and noodles are warmed through. If microwaving, heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring after each, until cheese has melted and the noodles are heated through.
Just about anything can be served alongside mac and cheese. Here are a few great options: steamed veggies such as broccoli or cauliflower, chopped salad, spinach or a Ceasar salad. Or how about roasted tomatoes or sauteed mushrooms?!
Mac and cheese can be made ahead of time. Make the recipe in its entirety the day before, then reheat until hot and serve.
Comfort Food Recipes
- This easy crab soup recipe requires only 5 ingredients and it is done in less than 30 minutes!
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is a delicious combination of the tastiest flavors you will ever eat in a single bite.
- This is the best meatloaf recipe with crackers you’ll ever eat and it is such an easy classic dish. It’ll quickly become a favorite family meal!
- Runza Casserole is inspired by a world-famous sandwich made with ground beef and cabbage. This is a filling, delicious and affordable way to feed an entire family!
Easy Side Dish Recipes
- Slow Cooker Hot Creamy Corn Dip is ADDICTING! Bacon and green chiles gives this dish the kick is needs. Sprinkle some cilantro into the cheesy corn dish for a perfect party dish.
- These baked apple slices with cinnamon are the perfect sweet, gluten-free any-time dessert OR side dish.
- Baked stuffed sweet potatoes take dinner to the next level! Load up a perfectly baked potato with your favorite ingredients for a hearty side dish.
- Oven Roasted Butternut Squash is super easy to make. Delicious side dish for any meal. This delicious fall staple is versatile!
- Tater Tot Hotdish is perfect when you’re craving comfort food. Whether it’s the main dish or a side, everyone at the table will be happy.
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“Made this tonight for new years! This is definitely gonna be my go to mac and cheese recipe from now on! Soooooo good!!” ~Leah
“Hi, I made this Mac and cheese. My family loved it !! I cooked my noodles let them cool. Then I followed the old recipe with 4 cups of milk and cream cheese. I used American cheese instead of Velveeta. Next time I want to try pepper jack cheese. I put every thing in my crockpot and mixed it. I covered it and cooked for 30 minutes on high. Then turned down to low for 1 1/2 hours stirring in between. All times vary according to your crockpot. “ ~Connie
“I made the original recipe, doubled the recipe and put in one big crock pot. It was filled to the brim but it did fit. Everyone who ate it LOVED it. Now I get asked to make it for every upcoming occasion. Thanks for sharing this simple, quick and tasty recipe. “ ~Sally
“I made this for a potluck at work and everyone absolutely LOVED it. I never even got to have any because they ate it all. At the second potluck we had, everyone begged me to make it again. I’m not the biggest fan of velveeta so I did switch that out for mozzarella but it’s still a fantastic recipe and it is my go-to Mac n cheese recipe now. “ ~Katie
Original Recipe
Throw the ingredients from the photo below into your crockpot on Low. Start checking for doneness at 1.5 hours. (side note: boil the macaroni for a few minutes first for optimal results)
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Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 cups milk
- 8 oz velveeta cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup salted butter cut into chunks
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling water 3 minutes short of being al dente.
- Place the cooked macaroni, milk, Velveeta, butter and cheddar cheese into a crockpot. Stir and top with Parmesan cheese. Set heat to Low and cook for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally and check for doneness starting at the 2-hour mark.
Notes
- This recipe started out as a much different recipe (scroll way down to the bottom, below the recipe card), so try the original version if you’d like!
- This makes a large batch of mac and cheese! It will easily feed 8 hungry people as a main dish or 12 people as a side dish or party food. This is a great dish for pot lucks!
- Add cooked ham or bacon pieces to add flavor and when serving as a main dish.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper just before serving!
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder would be a great addition to the cheese sauce.
Hi there, can you use regular parm from a shaker or does it have to be freshly grated? Thanks
Hi Kasey, good question. I recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese because it’ll melt into the recipe and become part of the sauce. You could technically use the shaker but it wouldn’t turn out the same. However, if you don’t mind it, it’s your preference. Hope that helps!
I got the stuff shown on the picture so that’s what I’m using but do I have to cook pasta first
Hi Christina,
Yes, Cook pasta in boiling water 3 minutes short of being al dente (for either version)
Which way is better with cream cheese or with velvetta cheese
Hi Teresa – great question! I guess looking through the comments might be the best way to get people’s responses tallied. I like both! My original version is at the bottom and then I redid it and so they’re not exactly the same but similar. I think you should try both and let me know what you think!
Help. I want the original recipe without the velveta. I scrolled to the bottom and can’t find it.
Hi Madori, It’s a picture with the ingredients shared in it and it’s at the bottom of the post – past where the updated version is shared. It’s labeled: ORIGINAL RECIPE Throw the ingredients from the photo below into your crockpot on Low. Start checking for doneness at 1.5 hours. (side note: boil the macaroni for a few minutes first for optimal results) 3 C CHEDDAR, 4 C MILK, 16 OZ ELBOW MACARONI, 8 OZ CREAM CHEESE AND 12 OZ EVAPORATED MILK. Thank you for asking.
The picture calls for cream cheese and evaporated milk but I don’t see either in the ingredients? Can you tell me why that is??
Hi Amy,
This recipe has two recipes referenced in it. One is the original recipe. I then updated that recipe to the current one shown in the beginning of the post. I got a lot of readers missing the old version, so I updated this post at the bottom to show the old recipe too. What you see in the recipe card is the updated version. What you see at the bottom after I explain how to make the recipe, is the old version which is still delicious! I showed the ingredients in the crockpot to differentiate. I’m sorry it was confusing.
Could this be made on the stove top?
Great question, Amy. Yes, you could easily prepare this on the stovetop. Follow step 1 and in step 2 you can mix all of the ingredients on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, keeping the heat really low and stirring. It’ll be melted and heated through much sooner!
Made this for a work potluck and it was sooooo good! I received many compliments on it.
Very cheesy and gooey. I was able to bring everything to work and have it cooking in my office (just had to cook pasta at home before I left). Highly recommend!!
Thank you Katelyn! Glad it was a hit.
So yummy! Super easy!!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free pasta?
May I ask, what is the difference in texture/taste between the two recipes? I’m looking for one that stays creamy and gooey, not chunky and dry like many other Mac and cheese recipes I’ve tried.
Thanks,
Gina
Gina – great questions! So the original post (the one at the bottom) is easier. It’s a delicious recipe. But I would say the improved version is more creamy. Either way, you could make the recipe even creamier by adding heavy cream or more cream cheese but these are both good recipes. Thanks for asking!
What size crock pot should be used?
Hi Martha, I use a 6 qt crock pot but if you have a larger one, that works well too. Thanks!
What is the smallest size Crockpot that can be used?
I would not attempt it in less than 6 qts.
Loved the recipe!!! Thank you!
I’m glad you made it and enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
I would like to point out that the ‘original recipe’ is actually above the new recipe. If you click ‘jump to recipe’ and then scroll down as it instructs, you won’t find it.
The recipe shown in the picture and the recipe once you open to view are two totally different recipes. I bought the ingredients for What was in the picture. I was very surprised when I opened it up to get started.
Hi Jane,
I’m not sure where you’re finding different ingredients for the crockpot mac and cheese. The ingredients in the photo and in the recipe card match up: 16 oz elbow macaroni
▢3 cups milk
▢8 oz velveeta cut into chunks
▢1/4 cup salted butter cut into chunks
▢3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
▢1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
I just did same thing. The picture shows cream cheese and it’s not in the recipe, it says Velveeta cheese instead.
There are 2 different versions of this recipe – I think that’s the confusion. My original recipe is referenced at the bottom because I updated it and some people missed it so I included it in the post. Sorry for the confusion!
Been all over this page and still can not find the recipe that calls for cream cheese…
It says “ORIGINAL RECIPE” right above the recipe card at the bottom of the page. The picture shows the ingredients in the crock pot. This verbage is directly above it.
Original Recipe
Throw the ingredients from the photo below into your crockpot on Low. Start checking for doneness at 1.5 hours. (side note: boil the macaroni for a few minutes first for optimal results)
The photo shows cream chese
Yes, as explained in the post, there’s the original post (shown with the picture at the bottom) that I used in the original recipe. However, I updated this recipe and didn’t use the cream cheese. I had so many people request that old recipe that I added it to the bottom of the updated post for people to recreate on their own. Sorry you’re finding it confusing.
Jane is correct. The picture with ingredients to the link is different than the picture and recipe once the link opens. Then further down the page right before the recipe you have the photo to the link under the title “Original recipe “ but no instructions for that recipe.
I made this for Thanksgiving one year and now it’s become a staple- if I don’t make it, people get legitimately upset!
What a compliment! Thank you for sharing and I’m so glad it’s enjoyed and you found it worth making again. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Did you use the recipe with cream cheese or velveeta?
The original recipe (shown at the bottom of the blog) was made with cream cheese. The updated/revamped mac and cheese recipe doesn’t use cream cheese but does use velveeta. Both are good! Depends on what you like!
Which recipe did/ do you make? The original with the cream cheese or the updated one without the cream cheese?
I make the one with the cream cheese but without the evaporated milk. Super yummy but make sure you cook your noodles 3 minutes less or they will be mushy.
Made this tonight for new years! This is definitely gonna be my go to mac and cheese recipe from now on! Soooooo good!!
YES!! Love it!
I am making this as a side dish for a Friendsgiving of about 17-20 people. Do you think one batch will be enough? & If i double it do I need to change anything?
That sounds like a full Friendsgiving table! What a great way to love on people. I would recommend making this recipe in two separate batches rather than doubling it in one big batch.
A bit disappointed. Made this for thanksgiving today and not sure what I did wrong but mine looks COMPLETELY different than the photo of the mac n cheese in the blue bowl. Mine has much more liquid and not nearly as dry or even the same yellow color 🙁
Oh, that is frustrating. I’m so sorry that it didn’t turn out. When you stirred it while it was cooking throughout the day, did the liquid seem to mix in and change throughout the day?
Could you cook on High for less time?
I made this for the first time when my grandson came home from Brazil. It was a big hit! I’m making it again tonight and it was perfect the way it was. I didn’t change a thing.
Love to hear that! It’s great to love on your grandkids with good food. Thanks for sharing!
If you don’t boil your macaroni do you need to add extra milk or liquid?? Thank you!!!
Hi Tammy, The milk is to help mix in with the cheese and help it to melt into a sauce. The pasta itself if cooked al dente a head of time.
3rd year of making this for my large family Thanksgiving dinner! I prefer the cream cheese method but also slightly boil the macaroni first and also add butter.
Sounds delicious! I’m glad it was a hit. Thanks for sharing your tweaks with all of us!