Mac & Cheese Cups are cheesy and delicious and totally adorable. I don't care what age you are, everyone will think these are awesome.
I love winter holidays because you can feed people cheese whenever they come over. And because winter holidays are often family oriented, it helps to have something in your arsenal that pleases multiple generations. Of course, in my house it was rough slices of Tillamook cheddar, summer sausage, and Ritz crackers. We weren't all that sophisticated, but we knew what tasted good.
As an obnoxious picky eater, I'm generally a good mark for what kids will like to eat. I mean, I basically eat like an eight year old anyway. If it's small and cheesy, you can guarantee it will be a good bet.
What makes these Mac & Cheese Cups so awesome?
Mac & Cheese Cups are the perfect little snack or appetizer for a family gathering. They're just three or four bites and can be eaten with your hands off a napkin if needed. They're of course plenty cheesy, but they also have a buttery cracker base that really amps up the flavor. And with a garlic & herb soft cheese added to the mix, there's just enough complexity of flavor to keep adults interested as well.
I also love that these can be eaten at room temperature. Obviously, you don't want to leave them out indefinitely, but they'll still be tasty even when they're not piping hot. So whether it's a holiday family gathering or a game day get together, put out a tray of Mac & Cheese Cups and watch the grown ups try to distract the kids so they don't eat them all first.
Magical Properties of Cheese
How does eating cheese make you feel? That's your most important clue to it's magical power. This ancient ingredient carries the energy of success, happiness, positive communication and cooperation. Serving cheese is a great way to get people talking and feeling good. Because of the transformative process of turning milk into cheese, this ingredient can also be used in spells for transformation. And I'm quite certain my ancestors would love to receive this as an offering.
For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, be sure to check out the Kitchen Magick page.
Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this dish. All the details are in the recipe card below.
- Elbow macaroni
- Ritz crackers - or similar buttery crackers
- Cheddar cheese - shredded
- Butter - salted is fine, but use whatever you have
- Garlic and herb flavored soft cheese - such as cream cheese or Boursin
- Egg
- Milk - whatever's in the fridge
- Sour cream
- Seasoning and spices - salt, pepper, chili flakes
Tips for making Mac & Cheese Cups
To start out with, you'll need to boil your pasta. Be sure not to overcook it in the pot because it will continue to cook a bit in the oven.
Pressing the cracker crumb mixture into the muffin cups can be a bit tedious if it gets sticky. I like to spray a little oil or non-stick spray onto the bottom of a shot glass and use that to flatten out the crust for your cups.
There's no need to make a roux for this mac and cheese. You'll basically fold together the pasta and cheeses, whisk together the wet ingredients, then stir it all together. Then scoop this into the muffin cups. The egg will help everything hold together as they bake. You'll have a crunchy cracker layer, a gooey cheesy layer, and some chewy macaroni popping up out of the top for a constrast of textures.
To remove the cups from the pan, I use an offset spatula. Just make sure you've loosened up any baked on cheese before trying to pop them out. All the details are in the recipe card below.
I can't wait for you to try these Mac & Cheese Cups at your next party. They're absolutely awesome.
Looking for more awesome mac and cheese recipes? Try this BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese or some hearty Potato & Pancetta Mac & Cheese.
PrintMac & Cheese Cups
Mac & Cheese Cups are cheesy and delicious and totally adorable. I don't care what age you are, everyone will think these are awesome.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170 grams) elbow macaroni
- 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs, or similar (about 12 crackers)
- 1-½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1.5 ounces (40 grams) butter, melted
- 2.5 ounces (70 grams) garlic and herb soft cheese, such as Boursin or cream cheese
- 0.5 ounces (15 grams) cold butter
- 1 egg
- ½ cup (100 ml) milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sour cream
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (175C), and lightly grease the cups of a standard 12 cup muffin pan.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once it's boiled, add a fat pinch of salt and your pasta. Cook for one minute less than the package instructions, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Drain.
- While your pasta is cooking, combine your cracker crumbs, ¼ cup of your shredded cheddar, and your melted butter in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Divide your crumb mixture between your 12 muffin cups. I use the bottom of a shot glass to gently press the crumb mixture into the bottom of each cup to flatten it down. Set this aside until your pasta is ready.
- Once your pasta is cooked, combine the cooked pasta, remaining cheddar, garlic and herb cheese, and cold butter in a mixing bowl. In a measuring jug, add in your milk, sour cream, and egg. Give this mixture a good whisk to smooth it all out, then pour it over your pasta mixture. Finally, sprinkle in your salt and crushed red pepper flakes, and give the whole thing a good stir until it's evenly combined.
- Evenly divide your pasta mixture into the twelve cups. Bake for about 20 minutes or until it's bubbly and just starting to hint at browning.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before attempting to remove them. I use an offset spatula to get them out. Run your spatula around the edge of each cup to loose then up, then carefully slide the spatula down the side and underneath. They should release fairly easily.
- These can be served hot, cold, or anywhere in between.
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