Baked Mac & Cheese Cups
Baked Mac and Cheese Cups are cheesy delicious, easy to make, and fun to eat. They are perfectly portioned to serve as appetizers or snacks, or have a few and make them a meal. These macaroni and cheese bites are definitely not just for the kids!
Servings: 12 cups
Calories: 198kcal
Ingredients
Mac & Cheese Cups
- 8 ounces pasta * shells, elbows, or gemelli
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic * minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Butter all 12 cups of a standard size muffin tin and set aside. Place a pot of salted water over high heat on the stovetop to boil and preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cook the pasta, according to the package directions, or until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the salt, pepper, and flour until the flour is smooth.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and heat until just boiling, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese.
- Once the pasta is done cooking, drain well, and gently stir into the cheese sauce.
- Divide the pasta among the 12 muffin cups.
- Top evenly with the breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are just starting to brown.
- Let cool completely before removing from the pan. You may need to loosen the cups with a butter knife before gently removing them from the pan.
Video
Notes
Tips and Techniques for Perfect Baked Mac and Cheese Cups
- Use a smaller pasta shape like elbows or shells to make filling the cups easier. Fun shapes like the gemelli used in the photos work too.
- Shred the cheddar cheese from a block for the best melting and texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 2-3 days.
How to Make Gluten Free Mac and Cheese Cups
To make this recipe gluten free, you will need to use gluten free pasta and gluten free breadcrumbs. Also, swap out the all purpose flour for cornstarch and the results should be almost identical. ** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 309IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 1mg