Slow Cooker Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese is an extra-creamy mac and cheese made with uncooked elbow macaroni, cheddar, American cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and heavy cream. Everything cooks right in the Crockpot, so there’s no need to boil the pasta first or make a separate cheese sauce.
I love this mac and cheese when I’m making a big family or holiday meal because it keeps my stovetop and oven free for everything else. The combination of cheeses makes it incredibly creamy, and I especially love that I can put the pasta right into the slow cooker without boiling it first.
Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Elbow Macaroni: Use 16 ounces of dry elbow macaroni. There’s no need to boil the pasta first—it goes into the slow cooker dry and cooks right in the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and helps create the extra-creamy sauce that makes this Million Dollar Mac and Cheese so good.
- Whole Milk: I use whole milk because it gives the sauce plenty of creaminess without making it quite as heavy as using all cream.
- Cream Cheese: Adds extra richness and helps make the cheese sauce thick and creamy.
- Sour Cream: Gives the mac and cheese even more creaminess with a slight tang that balances all of the rich cheese.
- Onion: Finely chopped onion cooks along with the macaroni and adds savory flavor throughout the dish.
- American Cheese: American cheese melts especially smoothly, which helps give this Crockpot mac and cheese its creamy consistency.
- Cheddar Cheese: Adds that classic sharp, cheesy flavor. I prefer to shred my own cheese because I’ve found it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Spicy Mustard: Just a tablespoon adds a little tang and helps balance the richness of the cheese sauce without making the mac and cheese taste spicy.
- Butter: Adds richness and buttery flavor as everything cooks together in the slow cooker.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How To Make Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the chopped onion and uncooked elbow macaroni.
- Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream.
- Add the spicy mustard and sour cream and stir to combine.
- Add half of the American cheese and half of the cheddar cheese and stir.
- Place the cream cheese and butter on top.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour or LOW for 2 hours.
- Remove the lid and stir well. Check the pasta for doneness.
- Sprinkle the remaining American and cheddar cheese over the top.
- Cover and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the cheese is melted.
- Stir before serving and top with toasted panko breadcrumbs, if desired.
Optional Toasted Panko Topping
- Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
- Sprinkle over the finished mac and cheese just before serving.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Tips I Found Helpful
- There’s no need to cook the macaroni first. I add the pasta dry and let it cook right in the slow cooker with the milk, cream, and cheese.
- Shredding the cheese myself works best. It melts much smoother than pre-shredded cheese and gives me a creamier sauce.
- Don’t skip checking the pasta. Slow cookers can cook differently, and pasta can become too soft if it cooks too long. I start checking it toward the end of the cooking time.
- Give everything a good stir before serving. This brings the melted cheeses and creamy sauce together and coats all of the macaroni.
- Save half of the cheese for the end. Adding it during the last part of cooking gives the mac and cheese an extra cheesy finish.
- The toasted panko is best added right before serving. This keeps it crispy instead of letting it soften on top of the mac and cheese.
- I don’t recommend making this one too far ahead. The longer the macaroni sits in the sauce, the more liquid it absorbs, which can make the pasta softer and the sauce much thicker.
- Keep an eye on it if you’re using the Warm setting. Unlike some of my other slow cooker recipes, I don’t like leaving this mac and cheese on Warm for hours because the pasta continues to absorb the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What I Love to Serve with Million Dollar Mac and Cheese
This creamy mac and cheese goes with so many of my favorite family dinners. I especially love serving it with a hearty main dish for Sunday dinner, holidays, or when I’m feeding a crowd.
Slow Cooker Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese
Slow Cooker Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese is an extra creamy Crockpot mac and cheese made with cheddar, American cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, and uncooked elbow macaroni. There’s no need to boil the pasta or make a separate cheese sauce, making this an easy side dish for holidays, family dinners, and potlucks.
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry elbow macaroni
- 1 cup heavy Cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 8 oz Shredded American Cheese
- 8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 tbsp spicy mustard
- 4 tbsp butter
- Cooking Spray
For topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
Spray the inside of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the chopped onion and uncooked elbow macaroni.
Pour in the whole milk and heavy cream.
Add the spicy mustard and sour cream and stir to combine.
Add half of the American cheese and half of the cheddar cheese and stir.
Place the cream cheese and butter on top.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour or LOW for 2 hours.
Remove the lid and stir well. Check the pasta for doneness.
Sprinkle the remaining American and cheddar cheese over the top.
Cover and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the cheese is melted.
Stir before serving and top with toasted panko breadcrumbs, if desired.
Optional Toasted Panko Topping
Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the panko breadcrumbs.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
Sprinkle over the finished mac and cheese just before serving.
Notes
There is no need to cook the macaroni first. Add it dry to the slow cooker and let it cook right in the creamy sauce.
For the smoothest cheese sauce, I recommend shredding the cheddar and American cheese yourself instead of using pre-shredded cheese.
Slow cookers vary, so check the macaroni toward the end of the cooking time. The pasta should be tender but not mushy.
Add the remaining cheese near the end of cooking and stir well before serving.
I don't recommend making this mac and cheese too far ahead. The pasta continues to absorb the sauce as it sits, which can make the macaroni softer and the sauce thicker.
If using the optional toasted panko topping, add it right before serving so it stays crisp.
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Recipe was delicious, but I think I’ll add an extra cup of milk the next time
When do you add the sour cream?
I am making this recipe now and it called for 1/2 cup sour cream but in the directions there is no mention of adding the sour cream. I did take the sour cream and added it to the top. I’m hoping it comes out ok.
I was just thinking the same thing. How did it turn out? I think I’ll wait for the last half and hour.
You add it with the cream cheese sorry I will fix that