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A wooden spoon scooping Cracker Barrel mac and cheese from a baking dish.
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Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese

Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese is rich and creamy yet surprisingly easy to make. The rich sauce is made with chicken broth and Colby cheese, meaning it's extremely flavorful and decadent!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cracker barrel mac and cheese, cracker barrel mac and cheese recipe
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 594kcal
Author: Kasey Schwartz

Equipment

  • 9x13 casserole dish
  • Large pot
  • strainer
  • Large sauce pot
  • whisk
  • Measuring cup
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dry elbow pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Colby cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your elbow pasta according to the box directions. Strain and toss the pasta with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil so it won’t stick together while you make the sauce. Set aside.
    3 cups dry elbow pasta
  • Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
  • Add the butter to a large sauce pan and heat over medium high heat.
    2 Tablespoons butter
  • Once the butter is melted whisk in the flour until there are no lumps.
    2 Tablespoons flour
  • Slowly whisk the chicken broth into the flour mix, whisking constantly to blend the broth in evenly.
    1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • Whisk in the heavy cream.
    2 cups heavy cream
  • Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the shredded cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted completely.
    2 1/2 cups shredded Colby cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Toss the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce and stir to coat the pasta evenly in the sauce.
  • Pour the mac and cheese into a 9x13 baking dish then bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. The top should be golden brown.
  • Serve while hot!

Notes

  • Use white cheddar, parmesan, Havarti or your own cheese mix in place of colby cheese. 
  • Use milk in place of heavy cream for a lighter dish
  • Replace the chicken broth with veggie broth for a vegetarian Cracker Barrel Mac and Cheese. 
  • Sprinkle the mac and cheese with some breadcrumbs before baking for an extra crunch

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1373IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 336mg | Iron: 1mg