Creamy baked mac and cheese made into bite-sized portions, make the perfect appetizer for any holiday or occasion. the mac and cheese is made with a creamy and cheesy sauce, then baked in a muffin tin until the pasta is slightly crispy. You can make this cheesy mac and cheese as a meal itself, a side dish to go along with any meal, or you can serve it as an appetizer for any occasion.
The pasta is first cooked according to package directions. I used elbow-shaped pasta for this, but any small-shaped pasta will work for these cups. To make the creamy cheese sauce, butter is melted over medium heat, flour is whisked with the butter to form a thick dough. Pour in milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika. Continue to whisk over medium heat, until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce has thickened. Mix the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta and divide evenly into greased muffin cups. You can also bake them into a mini muffin tin instead to make them bite-sized. Bake until the mac and cheese cups are crispy.
Mac and Cheese Cups
Ingredients
- 8 oz. elbow noodles
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place into a large bowl. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Whisk in flour and cook for a minute to brown. Pour in milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk constantly until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce has thickened. Mix sauce with pasta.
- Evenly divide mac and cheese between 12 greased muffin tins. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
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