Golden Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2025)

amazing. i always get requests for this. everyone loves it, kids and adults alike.

This was delicious!

I was unsure how mixing the flour/milk and adding the grated cheese separately would work out but it did and it was really yummy Mac and cheese. I used Panko breadcrumbs as they were all I had and they were excellent and crunchy. Super easy recipe with spectacular results!!!

Very good! The only difference I did was apply the melted butter about 15 mins. into cooking time on top. That helped the noodles not dry out on top as bad. I also used more cheese then the recipe calls for because we love cheese. I also only baked for 30 mins, opposed to the 45..I think that is what also causes it to dry out waaay too quickly.

I think next time I will cover it with tinfoil for part of the baking. The macaroni on top was brittle in some areas.....maybe just uncover for last 20 minutes.

This is a fantastic & easy recipe. I did tweak it a little as I think it was too plain for my husband & me. I sauteed a few strips of thick-cut bacon till crisp, then sauteed 1/2 C onion in the drippings. I added some good stone ground mustard to the flour & milk-shake. Soooo good! One thing to keep in mind is that you have to take it out of the oven as soon as the top is golden otherwise it will burn really quickly!

This is one of the best and easiest mac and cheese recipes that I have ever made. I have been using this recipe ever since it came out in Southern Living in 2004 and it is always a hit.

I made this recipe for Thanksgiving. Everyone seemed to like it, and I thought it was decent. I don't think it traveled well, though - it probably would've tasted much better straight out of the oven.

This is perfect and simple and was loved at my family gathering. I doubled the recipe to serve 20 at potluck, and that was more than enough. For breadcrumbs, I melted the butter in a skillet and stirred in cubed wheat bread to coat, then sprinkled the bread on top. I used store-brand, pre-shredded sharp cheddar, and it was great. Also, I used skim milk.

I followed this recipe exactly and tried it for the first time on my family for thanksgiving. That was a big mistake. This wasn't creamy at all and in fact very dry. No one liked it even a little bit. I thought with all the 5 star ratings that this would be a big hit and was seriously wrong.

This is a great mac and cheese recipe. Other than shredding the cheese it is super easy. It is always a big hit with everyone.

As I sit here eating leftovers, I can not believe how wonderful this mac-n-cheese is! I used two blocks of Lake District Cheddar along with a smallish slab of Gruyere, and added a little garlic salt. I totally left out the melted butter on top with excellent results. My five kids devoured it and asked for more, as did the husband. I will DEFINITELY make this again and again.

Never going back to the boxed stuff. It's much tastier and really easy to make for a homemade mac and cheese. Had some last night for dinner and today for lunch. Did use preshredded cheese (to save time). Also, I didn't have onion salt so I used a mixture of onion powder and salt.

This was a really yummy recipe, with a crisp cheesy topping, and creamy mac and cheese inside - so easy to make! Both kids and adults loved this dish. I used crushed whole wheat Ritz crackers for the topping instead of bread crumbs - really good! Will definitely make again!

Don't tell my grandmother, but this recipe has replaced hers in my kitchen. I have tried over a dozen macaroni and cheese recipes out there, and this one is hands down our favorite! I use panko bread crumbs and sometimes add mustard powder instead of onion powder, but both are great.

I have made several different versions of macaroni and cheese, and used many different recipes. This was by far the easiest, and was delicious! It was very creamy inside, with a little crustiness around the edges. I pulsed whole wheat hamburger buns in the food processor to make the bread crumbs since it was what I had on hand, and it made a very nice topping. This is definitely my new mac and cheese recipe!

So delicious and easy! Loved that I could just shake the milk+flour mixture, instead of cooking a roux. I added mustard powder, garlic powder and cayenne in the mixture for extra oomph. I also added the butter to the breadcrumbs before spreading over the noodles, this let the butter/grease to remain in the crunch, not seep into the whole dish. Indulgent, yes, but worth every calorie!

I've tried many homemade mac recipes, and this is the only one that stays creamy after baking. Easy to make ahead and put in the fridge, adding breadcrumbs before baking. It's delicious!

I doubled the amount of macaroni and used a 16 oz. box instead. I substituted oyster crackers for the bread crumbs (I processed them in a food processor first) and did not add the butter.

This is a very tasty dish and the recipe is oh, so simple! I modified it a little with 1) extra-sharp cheddar, instead of sharp; 2) 1 teaspoon garlic salt, instead of onion salt; and 3) during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, I placed the casserole under the broiler to achieve the toasty topping. Oh, I also used only two tablespoons butter mixed with the fresh bread crumbs. It tastes great!

Easy to make, easy to double, easy to modify, and you don't have to make a cream sauce...just shake that milk and flour! We add frozen mixed veggies to the noodles and it is so pretty when baked. Someone commented on it being too greasy...just don't add all the butter.

One of the better mac n' cheese recipes. Fairly smooth texture compared to many other mac n' cheese dishes. It was however a little on the greasy side. Beautiful presentation! I'd make it again.