Looking for a fun and easy way to jazz up your mac and cheese? These homemade, creamy CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks Mac and Cheese Cups are the perfect solution! They're simple to make, and kids of all ages will love them--even adults. Plus, they're perfect for parties or potlucks. Give them a try today!
Why I Love These
- Easy to Make
- Features my favorite salty snack
- Family friendly
- Perfect make ahead meal that can be warmed in the microwave
- Packs easily in my kids' lunchboxes
I don't know about you, but I love a good dose of comfort "junk" food. And there's nothing more comforting than cheesy mac and cheese. These CHEETOS® Mac and Cheese Cups are the perfect bite-sized snack for when you're craving something delicious and naughty. But, on the plus side, they are good for portion control because we all know how easy it is to scoop that extra macaroni and cheese helping onto our plates.
How to Make These
Always start by gathering your ingredients, and preheating your oven. Now is also a good time to prepare your muffin pan with nonstick spray if it is not silicone.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add your macaroni. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until al dente. You do not want to over-boil your noodles or they will be gummy.
Remove pasta from heat and strain out excess water. Return pasta to the pan. Add the butter, milk, spices, cheeses, and egg. Mix until cheese is melted, and everything is evenly combined.
Using an ice cream scooper, fill coated muffin tins with macaroni and cheese.
In a food processor, pulse CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks until fine. Sprinkle on an even amount of crumbs over each muffin.
Bake cups for 25-30 minutes. Cups will be golden brown and feel formed to the touch.
Allow cups to cool for at least 15 minutes before carefully popping them out & eating warm
Recipe Tips
These macaroni and cheese cups are pretty straight forward to make but with any recipe, there are some tips and tricks for the yummiest results.
Cheese - For this recipe, I wholeheartedly recommend you shred your own cheese. There is nothing like freshly shredded cheese when it comes to macaroni and cheese. Prepackaged shreds contain anti-binding agents which interfere with their meltability. I used Mozzarella and Cheddar, but you can use Monterey jack, or Pepper Jack as well.
Pasta - I used traditional elbow macaroni for these, but if you want to make them a wee bit more nutritious you can use whole wheat macaroni.
Toppings - CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks make these cups the BEST! They give a tasty flavor, but if you want alternative toppings, you follow this Mac and Cheese Cup recipe.
Pan - I find these are best made in a silicone muffin pan. This makes it so easy to pop these out once they are baked. If you use a metal muffin tin, you will need nonstick spray and a plastic knife to help ease them out.
Cooling Time - It is important to allow these cups to cool for 15 minutes because it allows them to form, and keep their shape without breaking apart.
How to Store this Macaroni & Cheese
These cups are mighty tasty right away, but let's face it--typically even the most scrumptious meals have leftovers. Once cooled, these store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be easily heated in the microwave.
More Muffin Tin Lunch Ideas
Recipe
CHEETOS® Mac & Cheese Cups
Equipment
- 12-count silicone muffin tin
- food processor
- measuring cups & spoons
- oven adjusted to the center rack position
- 5-quart stockpot
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1½ cups mild cheddar shredded
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg beaten
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray your muffin tin with nonstick spray.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add your macaroni. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until al dente. You do not want to over-boil your noodles or they will be gummy.
- Remove pasta from heat and strain out excess water. Return pasta to the pan. Add the butter, milk, spices, cheeses, and egg. Mix until cheese is melted, and everything is evenly combined.
- Using an ice cream scooper, fill coated muffin tins with macaroni and cheese.
- In a food processor, pulse CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks until fine. Sprinkle on an even amount of crumbs over each muffin.
- Bake cups for 25-30 minutes. Cups will be golden brown and feel formed to the touch.
- Allow cups to cool for at least 15 minutes before carefully popping them out & eating warm
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