Mini Mac Cheese Muffins (Printable View)

Bite-sized mac and cheese muffins with crispy tops and rich cheese filling, perfect for parties or lunchboxes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz elbow macaroni

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
06 - 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
10 - 1/4 tsp onion powder
11 - 1/4 tsp salt
12 - 1/8 tsp black pepper

→ Topping

13 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
14 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
15 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
04 - Gradually whisk in 1 cup whole milk until smooth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until cheese melts completely.
06 - Add drained macaroni to cheese sauce and stir to coat evenly.
07 - Evenly divide the mac and cheese mixture into the prepared muffin tin, pressing down gently to fill each cup.
08 - Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over each filled muffin cup.
09 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until topping is golden brown and crisp.
10 - Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then loosen edges with a knife and gently remove each muffin. Garnish with parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The panko topping gives you that crispy exterior contrasted with warm, gooey cheese inside—basically the texture jackpot in one bite.
  • They travel beautifully to potlucks and actually stay delicious even when cooled, which is basically magic for entertaining.
  • Made in 45 minutes from start to table, yet they taste like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of cooking the pasta under al dente; overcooked pasta plus the oven heat equals mushy disappointment.
  • Cook your roux (butter and flour) for a full minute before adding milk—this removes the raw flour taste and helps prevent lumps that no amount of whisking will fix.
  • Let the muffins cool for those five minutes in the tin; trying to remove them while they're piping hot means they'll fall apart in your hands.
03 -
  • Always grease your muffin tin thoroughly—it makes the difference between muffins that slide out and muffins that become permanent fixtures.
  • The Dijon mustard is non-negotiable; it's barely noticeable as a flavor but acts like a flavor amplifier for the cheese.
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