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Mac and Cheese Bites
Mac and Cheese Bites are full of pasta and cheese in snack form. They have a crunchy breadcrumb topping and are a huge hit at parties.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese divided
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Topping:
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 teaspoons fresh minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook macaroni to al dente in salted water, according to package directions. Drain pasta into a large colander and set aside.
- Melt butter in the pot over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour, dry mustard and garlic powder and cook for several minutes, stirring often, until lightly golden; 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat milk in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Pour into the flour mixture. Whisk often as it comes to a simmer. Do not boil. The sauce will thicken as it simmers; about 5 minutes.
- Stir in cream cheese until melted.
- Remove from heat and add cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until completely melted. Stir pasta into the cheese sauce.
- Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon mac and cheese evenly into the cups.
- In a small bowl, stir together Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley and melted butter. Sprinkle on top of pasta and press down lightly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden and crispy. Cool 5 minutes before transferring to a serving platter.
Notes
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing: I don't recommend freezing because the structure doesn't hold up well and the pasta tends to absorb some of the moisture.
Reheating: These are delicious cold, but you can reheat in the oven or microwave. If reheating in the microwave, do so gently to avoid them breaking apart.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieceCalories: 227kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 11gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 196mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 342IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 222mgIron: 1mg