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Fried Mac and Cheese takes everyone’s favorite comfort food and turns it into crispy, golden, gooey-centered bites that disappear the second they hit the table. I made a batch for game day and Maddie and Lizzie guarded the plate like tiny security guards. If you love crowd-pleasing party food, you will also love our crispy onion petals.
Crunchy on the outside, melty on the inside, these are the ultimate party appetizer.
Fried Mac and Cheese Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour
- 🍽️ Serving: 52 pieces
- ⚡ Calories: 82kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Crispy golden panko outside with a gooey, cheesy center
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, just plan ahead since the mac and cheese needs to chill, like our crispy onion petals
Quick Answer
Make a thick homemade mac and cheese with a cheese sauce and elbow macaroni, then bake it and chill it completely, ideally overnight. Scoop and roll the firm mac and cheese into balls, freeze them briefly, then coat each in beaten egg and seasoned panko. Fry the balls in 350 degree F oil until deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, and drain on a rack. Serve hot with ranch for dipping.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A thick mac and cheese holds its shape. Starting with a rich, baked mac and cheese means the balls stay together when breaded and fried.
- Chilling is the secret. An overnight chill firms the mac and cheese so you can roll clean balls that will not fall apart in the oil.
- Panko makes the crunch. Japanese panko breadcrumbs fry up extra crispy and stay crunchier than regular crumbs.
- A quick freeze before frying. Freezing the breaded balls keeps the centers from oozing out before the coating crisps.
- They are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Crispy outside, gooey inside, and perfect for dipping. They vanish at every party.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They turn classic mac and cheese into an irresistible crispy finger food.
- You can make the mac and cheese ahead, so frying day is quick and easy.
- They are the perfect game day or party appetizer, right alongside our popcorn chicken.
Key Ingredients
Here is what you need for these fried mac and cheese balls. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
- Elbow macaroni: The classic small shape holds the cheese sauce and rolls into balls easily. Cook it just to al dente.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Shred it yourself for the best melt and bold, cheesy flavor. Most goes in the sauce, with some on top.
- Butter and flour: Cooked together into a roux, they thicken the cheese sauce so the mac and cheese sets up firm.
- Panko breadcrumbs: The key to that shatter-crisp golden coating. Season them well.
- Egg and milk: An egg tempers into the sauce for richness, and beaten eggs help the panko stick to each ball.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These fried mac and cheese balls are easy to customize. Here are a few ideas.
- Add bacon: Stir crumbled cooked bacon into the mac and cheese before chilling.
- Spice it up: Add diced jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne to the cheese sauce.
- Change the cheese: Use a blend of cheddar, gouda, and pepper jack for more flavor.
- Bake or air fry: For a lighter version, spray the breaded balls with oil and air fry at 400 degrees F until crispy.
- Serve them with extra dips like our homemade ranch, marinara, or the sauce from our onion petals.
How to Make Fried Mac and Cheese
- Make the cheese sauce. Cook a roux of butter, flour, and seasonings, whisk in the milk, simmer, temper in an egg, and stir in most of the cheese until melted.
- Add the macaroni. Stir the cooked elbow macaroni into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.
- Bake the mac and cheese. Pour into a baking dish, top with the remaining cheese, and bake until bubbly. Cool, then chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Form the balls. Roll the chilled mac and cheese into balls, place on a tray, and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Bread the balls. Dip each ball in beaten egg, then coat in seasoned panko, pressing gently so it sticks.
- Fry and serve. Fry in 350 degree F oil in batches until deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a rack and serve hot with ranch.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill overnight. The firmer the mac and cheese, the easier it is to roll and the better it holds in the oil.
- Use a cookie scoop. It makes evenly sized balls fast and keeps your hands cleaner.
- Freeze before frying. Thirty minutes in the freezer keeps the centers from leaking out.
- Keep the oil at 350 degrees F. Too cool and they get greasy, too hot and they brown before the center warms.
- Fry in small batches. Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature and makes them soggy.
- Drain on a rack. A wire rack keeps them crispy all over instead of steaming on a plate.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These fried mac and cheese balls are made for dipping. Ranch is the classic choice, but they are also delicious with marinara, spicy ketchup, or a drizzle of hot honey.
Serve them as a party appetizer or game day snack next to other finger foods like our popcorn chicken and hot honey chicken. Pile them on a platter with little cups of dip.
They are best served hot and fresh, but you can keep fried batches warm in a 170 degree F oven. Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat in the oven or air fryer to bring back the crunch.
Fried Mac and Cheese FAQs
Yes. The mac and cheese needs to chill anyway, so make it a day ahead. You can also bread the balls and freeze them, then fry straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time.
They were likely not cold or firm enough. Chill the mac and cheese fully, freeze the rolled balls for 30 minutes, and make sure they are well coated in egg and panko before frying.
Yes. For a lighter version, spray the breaded balls with oil and air fry at 400 degrees F for about 8 to 10 minutes, or bake until golden, though they will not be quite as crispy as deep-fried.
Ranch is the classic, but marinara, spicy ketchup, hot honey, or a chipotle aioli all pair beautifully with the cheesy, crispy bites.
Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor and melt. For extra flavor, use a blend with gouda, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack. Always shred it yourself for the smoothest sauce.
Store cooled fried balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a 375 degree F oven or air fryer until hot and crispy again; avoid the microwave, which makes them soft.
Need more party food? Try our crispy onion petals next.
More fried favorites await, like our coconut-battered sweet potato tempura.
Add a batch of crunchy fried pickles to round out your game day snack table.
Making a party spread? Add our cheesy crack chicken dip.
For another party bite, make our shrimp bruschetta.
Fried Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
For the mac and cheese:
- ½ pound elbow macaroni cooked al dente and drained
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 16 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the coating:
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Peanut oil for frying
- Ranch dressing for dipping optional
Instructions
- In a dutch oven melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, mustard powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, whisk for 30 seconds.
- Slowly add the milk a little at a time while whisking, this will help prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and simmer for 3 minutes. Take off the heat, temper in the egg. Add ¾ of the cheese and stir it in until melted.
- Add the cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and it is bubbly. Let cool completely on the counter.
- Place in the fridge for 6 hours or best overnight.
- Roll 1 & ½ tablespoons of the mac and cheese in your hands to form balls. I like to use a cookie scoop for this. Place on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- While the mac and cheese balls are freezing, start to heat up 3-4 inches of peanut oil in a dutch oven to 350°F.
- Place the eggs in a small bowl.
- Place the panko, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a medium-sized bowl, stir to combine.
- One at a time, place the mac and cheese balls into the egg and make sure it is coated, let any excess drip off. Place into the breadcrumbs and coat the ball in the crumbs, gently pressing them in so they stick. Place back on the parchment-lined sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Gently place the balls in batches into the hot oil, about 4-5 at a time. I like to use a metal slotted spoon to lower them into the oil. Fry, moving them gently around so they don’t burn on the bottom until dark golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Place the fried mac and cheese balls onto a paper-towel-lined plate to get any excess oil off them then transfer to a wire rack place over a sheet tray. This will help them to stay crispy all over. You can keep them in a warm 170°F oven. Repeat with the remaining mac and cheese balls.
- Serve with ranch dressing for dipping if desired.
Notes
- You can swap the cheese out for other good melting cheeses, see above for some suggestions.
- Use a deep fryer if you’d like.
- You can easily cut this in half to make less.
- Serve with any of your favorite dipping sauces.
- Panko breadcrumbs work best for these as they give the best texture, but regular will work just make sure they are coated well.
- These are great as an appetizer or even a meal itself.
Nutrition
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