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 mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cracker barrel mac and cheese, cracker barrel mac and cheese recipe
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 594kcal
9x13 casserole dish
Large pot
strainer
Large sauce pot
whisk
Measuring cup
measuring spoons
- 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
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!
- 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
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