Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust

Creamy, crunchy and completely irresistible this Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust is an easy and tasty dinner recipe that is comforting and will feed the whole family.

I’m always down for macaroni and cheese, it is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods every. I believe that you can never go wrong with a good macaroni and cheese recipe.

This Baked Macaroni and Cheese has a delicious cornbread crust or topping I should say. It is absolutely delicious, a little bit different but works so well together.

We like to keep packets of cornbread muffin mix around the house to make to eat a lot with our meals and I think cornbread and macaroni and cheese go great together.

That is why we decided to make this Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe with a cornbread crumb topping. Trust me, once you try it you will see why I did what I did. 

There really is no turning back when it comes to this recipe. Once you have it you’re hooked, at least that is how I feel. This is one recipe that we make all the time.

Now that the days are getting cooler and I’m craving more of that comfort food this recipe is made even more often than any time of the year! That is completely ok with us.

As I said, this is a super simple recipe and can be whipped up in minutes! I promise that once you try it you will love it just as much as we do.

Some of my other favorite comfort food recipes we have on our site include: Crockpot Swedish Meatballs, Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings and Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

• Easy-to-find ingredients help this come together quickly.
• The cornbread crust really gives it a great taste and a slight crunch.
• This can be a delicious dinner-time recipe or one you bring to gatherings.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):

Elbow macaroni
Unsalted butter
All-purpose flour
Mustard powder
Kosher salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Pepper
Whole milk
Egg
Sharp cheddar cheese
Cornbread crumbs
Parsley for garnish, optional

HOW TO MAKE BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CORNBREAD CRUST:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 11×7 baking dish with baking spray, set aside. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a medium-sized saucepan. 
2. Once melted add the flour, mustard powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, whisk to combine. Cook for 30 seconds whisking constantly.
3. Very slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Temper in the egg and take off the heat. 
4. Add ¾ of the cheddar and whisk it in until melted. 
5. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked noodles and the cheese sauce. Pour everything into the baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
6. In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add the cornbread crumbs and toss in the butter. Evenly scatter this mixture over the baking dish.
7. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, optional.

WHAT KIND OF PASTA SHOULD I USE?

Traditionally we use elbow macaroni for this recipe as it is the size we are going for. You can use any smaller pasta like penne, rotini, farfalle and more as long as it is the same amount called for in the recipe.

WHAT KIND OF CHEESE IS BEST FOR BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE?

We find that a stronger cheese works perfectly for this and doesn’t get lost in the flavor of everything else so we use sharp cheddar cheese.

You can use your favorite cheese or cheese combination for this Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe but sharp cheddar is our default as it works really well with everything.

Also, make sure to use freshly shredded cheese, do not use bagged cheese – it contains preservatives and it doesn’t like to melt properly.

DO I HAVE TO USE CORNBREAD CRUMBS?

We really like the flavor and if you have a mix laying around it doesn’t take that much time to whip up and then crumble them, but you don’t absolutely need to.

In its place, I would recommend using panko breadcrumbs as they have a chunkier texture than regular bread crumbs and will help soak up that butter and brown nicely.

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored in an airtight container or covered in the pan in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

This can also be frozen, to do that let your macaroni and cheese cool and then place in a freezer container or bag and it should keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Let defrost in the refrigerator and you can reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE:

• You can use any of your favorite cheeses, we like sharp cheddar because it really brings the cheese flavor through.
• Make sure that you use freshly shredded cheese.
• Cornbread really makes a nice contrast for the topping but if you do not have any on hand you can substitute with panko breadcrumbs.
• This can be frozen, see my tips above.
• Any smaller pasta will work with this recipe, we prefer elbow macaroni.

If you want that comfort meal to warm you up from your insides out, then you need to make a batch of this Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust!

If you like this recipe you might also like:

• Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Crack Chicken Noodle Casserole
• Garlic Cheese Muffins

If you’ve tried this BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CORNBREAD CRUST let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust

4 from 5 votes

Created by Dana at ThisSillyGirlsKitchen.com

Course Main Course

Servings 12

Creamy, crunchy and completely irresistible this Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust is an easy and tasty dinner recipe that is comforting and will feed the whole family.

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ pound elbow macaroni cooked al dente and drained
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• ▢ 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
• ▢ 1 ½ cups leftover cornbread crumbs or two cornbread muffins crumbled
• ▢ Fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 11x7 baking dish with baking spray, set aside. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to a medium-sized saucepan.
• Once melted add the flour, mustard powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, whisk to combine. Cook for 30 seconds whisking constantly.
• Very slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Temper in the egg and take off the heat.
• Add ¾ of the cheddar and whisk it in until melted.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cooked noodles and the cheese sauce. Pour everything into the baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
• In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add the cornbread crumbs and toss in the butter. Evenly scatter this mixture over the baking dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, optional.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 639mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 391mg | Iron: 1mg

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