Two-bite Mac and Cheese Cups
These mini Mac and Cheese Cups are a fun hors d’ouerve for parties, and they’re easy to make using a mini muffin pan.
This is mac and cheese turned into fun finger food!
Seriously though, as a dish that you normally have to eat with a bowl and spoon, there is something really enjoyable about setting out a platter of these at a get together.
People always rave about these little bites.
If you’ve seen recipes for baked pasta “pies” in the flavor of pasta carbonara, or classic red spaghetti, this is sort of like a mini version of that, with all the flavor of macaroni and cheese.
The trick to pulling these off is to make them more cheesy than saucy.
That way they hold together, and you can hold your mac and cheese cup in one hand and your glass of wine in the other!
That’s classy. We’re setting new standards today 😂
And since you all know I’m addicted to making recipes in my muffin tins (see Chicken Wonton Bites, Bacon Egg Cups, and Thanksgiving Stuffing Cups), it was time to take this American classic and present it in a fun, new way.
How to Make Mac and Cheese Cups:
As with any dish with few ingredients, it’s important to use good quality components. This dish is all about the CHEESE!
I usually opt for a sharp cheddar, either white or yellow, depending on my mood.
After you’ve grated your cheddar, melt a few tablespoons of butter with some paprika in a big pot:
Add flour to make a roux, then whisk in some milk, al dente macaroni, and your cheese.
That’s it, six ingredients! Pasta, butter, cheese, milk, flour, and paprika. So easy.
Cram big moundfuls of the macaroni into the cups of a mini muffin pan (affiliate) and get ready to send them into the oven:
Bake them until they’re bubbly and gooey, and top them with some snipped chives or chopped scallion greens:
Let them cool for about 10 minutes before attempting to take them out of the pan, then serve promptly while warm.
They will dry out and get cold if left out too long, so try not to make them too far in advance.
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits, Potato Cheddar Frittata, and Broccoli Cheddar Soup are some of my other favorite cheddar cheese-focused recipes. Enjoy!
Mac and Cheese Bites
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 tsp paprika (use smoked paprika if you have it)
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese grated
- chopped chives or scallions for garnish
- butter for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Grease a nonstick mini muffin pan very well with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, then cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package says. My elbow macaroni said to cook for 7 minutes, so I drained it after 5.
- After you’ve cooked and drained the pasta, return the empty pasta pot to the heat and turn the heat down to medium. Melt the butter and add the paprika. Add the flour and stir the mixture around for 2 minutes. While whisking, add the milk. The mixture will be very thick, but that’s intentional. Just make sure you have stirred out any lumps. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheeses and drained pasta, stirring it all together until the cheese and sauce are well distributed.
- Portion your mac and cheese into the muffin cups, either with a spoon or a 3-tbsp cookie scoop. Pack the mac and cheese into the muffin cups with your fingers really well. If you don’t pack the mac and cheese down, they won’t hold their shape when you take them out after baking, and you don’t want them to fall apart.
- Bake the mac and cheese cups for 15 minutes, until bubbling and gooey. Remove them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes, then carefully run a plastic knife or toothpick (assuming you need to not destroy the nonstick coating on your pan) around the edges to loosen. Remove the mac and cheese cups from the pan and garnish with chopped chives or scallion greens. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated in May 2019. Originally published June 2013.
65 Comments on “Two-bite Mac and Cheese Cups”
Can’t wait to make these. Don’t know how many will be left for other people to have!!! Thanks for the great new way to eat my favorite comfort food.
I hope you enjoy the recipe Janet!
So tiny…they’re like mac and cheese vitamins.
LOL! Better not take too many though =)
Great idea for one of my favorite foods. I love this idea for a party! Great photos and awesome post!
Thanks Bill! Hope you have some fun summer parties planned. I’m loving the weather!
Can I make these the night before to bring to a party?
Hi Erica, Sure, just make sure to refrigerate them overnight to avoid spoilage, and they may need to be warmed up a bit before the party. I’m not a fan of them cold, but room temp is fine.
Mine were so greasy they dripped all over my oven. They look cute but I hate cleaning my oven.
Can these be made in advance and frozen? Love the idea for my casual wedding!
Hi Stef, while I haven’t done it, cheese generally doesn’t freeze well (after it has thawed it has a watery, clumped texture), so I don’t recommend this dish to be frozen. I hope you have a wonderful wedding though, congratulations!
I made these and pushed the center down a bit to form a “well”, then baked them a little then added hamburger bbq that I had left over and then baked them until done. yum!!!!!
That’s a great idea Gail, glad you made these your own! Fun idea.
I want to make these for a card game on Saturday – I’m worried after baking they would be dried out – do they lose moisture?
Hi Lindsey, they’re not saucy mac and cheese cups, but I wouldn’t call them dry (it depends on your standards I suppose). The noodles don’t get hard, if that’s what you’re wondering.
Joanne,
I want to take these to an office casual luncheon. Do you see any qualms with making them to the point of baking and then storing overnight in the fridge? There is an oven at work I can bake them the 15 min required before the luncheon begins. I just wouldn’t have time to do all the prep at work. Thanks!
Hi Amanda, I think it would be better to bake them completely, store, then reheat with the oven at work. Enjoy!
does it make a difference if you cook these a day early?
Hi Liz, that would be fine, just make sure you reheat again before eating.
LOVE this recipe!
Did you use a mini muffin pan or the regular size muffin pan?
The recipe is for a mini muffin pan.
I am going to try this, but based on the pictures, it looks very dry so I will probably adjust the ingredients to my taste.
Hi Vera, a wet mac and cheese would not work here, because it would not hold the shape. So just keep that in mind when you tweak. Enjoy!
Can these be made ahead and then reheated? They look awesome
Yes, I have done that. I’m not sure I would recommend that for a party though, as reheating can be tricky. If you microwave too long they can fall apart or get too dry.
What about adding breadcrumbs or also using muffin pan paper liners?
Thanks!
You can do both of those! Add breadcrumbs before baking and you’re all set.