Crockpot Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese + Video
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese is made in a slow cooker with THREE cheeses! This recipe makes the cheesiest comfort food meal ever! This creamy macaroni is an easy recipe that makes the best homemade mac! You’ll love the creamy texture!!
I swear, this is the perfect comfort food. There are so many boxed versions out there, but I’m so over the flavor of those!
What I love about this homemade macaroni is that there are many different types of cheeses. You’ll love this new family favorite that shows how easy mac can be.
This recipe can be a side dish or the main star of the dinner table for your family gatherings. I think that this is a main course – why not?
When it comes to comfort food dishes, you can’t top this. It literally has the best flavor, and every bite is loaded with each kind of cheese.
This is a must at family dinners moving forward, without a doubt. To make this crazy good mac n cheese recipe, follow the simple tips on the recipe card below!
Table of Contents
Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese
If macaroni and cheese is one of your favorite meals, you’re in the right place, because it is one of our favorite comfort foods too!
One pot meals are always a winner in my book, and using a crock pot just takes that to the next level.
Every ooey, gooey bite of this homemade mac and cheese with cream cheese creates an explosion of flavor in your mouth!
When life is hectic, there’s nothing better than tossing a handful of ingredients into a pot.
Flip a switch and come back a few hours later to a hot, delicious meal, ready to eat.
This is our daughter’s favorite recipe, and she has been making it herself since she was 7 years old.
I guess this is the best testimonial you could have — crock pot mac and cheese with cream cheese is a kid-friendly favorite, and the recipe is easy enough for a picky 7 year old to make!
Macaroni and Cheese with Cream Cheese
Cream cheese and white cheddar are a bit tangy, while freshly grated Pepper Jack adds enough heat to make it interesting.
Plus, because it cooks right in the creamy sauce, corkscrew pasta soaks up all of that fantastic cheesy, saucy goodness!
The best thing about this macaroni and cheese with cream cheese recipe is the short prep time – it takes just 5 minutes!
Oh, and it cooks to creamy, heavenly goodness in only 2 hours!!
I’ve got another easy crock pot macaroni and cheese recipe made with Gruyere and mozzarella, plus a few extra spices for plenty of bold flavor.
Or, try another one — homemade mac and cheese with cream cheese, PLUS bacon and fresh chiles!
I think that dish tastes just like a jalapeño popper! Or try our smoked cream cheese that is always a hit!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cream cheese – Using cream cheese in mac and cheese helps add another layer of flavor to the cheese sauce.
Also, it acts as a thickener, helping the sauce stick to the ridges of the noodles.
You can also use my smoked cream cheese in this recipe to really amp up the flavor. - Other cheeses
This macaroni and cheese with cream cheese also has 2 other cheeses — medium sharp white cheddar and Pepper Jack.
When I make it for a potluck dish or when I know kids will be eating with us, I often swap the Pepper Jack out and use Colby Jack instead.
You could also easily use Monterey Jack Cheeses or mature cheddar cheese for a fun flavor. Any type of melty cheese will work! - Pasta – We use cellentani, otherwise known as corkscrew pasta, for this creamy mac and cheese.
If you want a substitute, any type of small pasta with ridges on it works well. Good options are penne, ziti, rigatoni, or even elbow macaroni would be fine. - Cayenne pepper – There is only a pinch of cayenne in this dish, just enough spicy heat to wake up your taste buds.
If you’re sensitive to spicy foods, feel free to leave it out.
Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook to al dente.
The initial cooking time will vary based on the type of noodle you use. If possible, start checking the noodles at the 1 hour mark.
When the pasta is no longer crunchy and has a slight bite to it, you’re ready for the next step. - How to keep it creamy.
The three cheese sauce does thicken as it cools, which can sometimes make it a bit dry and difficult to scoop.
If you plan on keeping the crockpot mac n cheese in the slow cooker, use the “warm” setting, and stir in a little extra milk before everyone digs in.
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese FAQs
First, be sure that you’ve added all of the ingredients in the correct amounts. The cream cheese will melt as the other liquids heat up.
Also, it helps to stir the ingredients really well when you first add them to the crock pot. If you would like, you can even stir the macaroni and cheese once or twice during the cooking time.
It can be tricky to convert crockpot recipes to an electric pressure cooker.
We haven’t tried making this crock pot macaroni and cheese recipe in the IP, but you are more than welcome to experiment.
If you do, please let us know how it turns out!
For a recipe that definitely works, I recommend my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. It is very rich and creamy, and it’s ready in under 15 minutes.
A lot depends on your flavor preference, but it helps to use cheeses that melt well.
Cheddar, pepper jack, and cream cheese are perfect in a creamy mac and cheese recipe, and the combination tastes scrumptious.
If you want a different flavor altogether, try cheeses like Gruyere, smoked gouda, or Fontina! All of them melt really well and add a more sophisticated flavor.
The recipe card below proves that this dish can be flexible. It’s not called the ultimate comfort food for nothing!
You can add garlic powder, black powder, mustard powder, dijon mustard, hot sauce, onion powder, or even chili powder for the best results.
This is one of my favorite dishes to make because of all the different cheeses and tender elbow pasta. It’s one of the first things that I make when I’m craving creamy pastas!
Adding a little bit of sour cream, whole milk, or melted butter can help thin out the sauce. You don’t need much – just a splash of milk or a tiny amount of the others is what you need. Start by adding a small amount and see what you think. You can always add more as needed to thin out the cheesy sauce.
This makes the best macaroni recipe without the need for toppings – but if you want to add some, go for it. You could try parmesan cheese, other types of grated cheese, or even a mix of cheeses right on top.
The best part of this recipe is that you have wiggle room to play with the outcome!
Prep Ahead Instructions
There’s not much to do in advance for this recipe, except maybe grate the cheeses. (You can also buy pre-shredded cheese to save on time!)
However, we do sometimes make 3 cheese mac and cheese to portion out for lunches during the week.
KITCHEN HACK – Reheating Mac and Cheese
I have a hack that makes reheating even easier, especially if you’re taking lunch on the go!
Before transferring to storage containers, stir additional milk into the mac n cheese to thin out the sauce.
This way, it will be easier to scoop when it’s cold from the fridge, and you won’t need to add any additional liquid when you reheat it.
Storing and Reheating Cream Cheese Mac and Cheese
Once cool, you can refrigerate the leftovers for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container. (You can also cover it with plastic wrap until the next time you eat it)
Use the same trick of adding extra milk as noted above, or simply add the liquid before reheating.
Or, for individual portions, reheat in the microwave or on the stove top until creamy and warmed through.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Other Easy Mac n Cheese Recipes
Crockpot Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese + Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound cellentani (corkscrew) pasta, uncooked, or other small pasta shape
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1 ounce pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, I use sharp cheddar
- 1 cup freshly shredded pepper jack cheese
Instructions
- Pour the uncooked pasta onto the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Scatter the butter and cream cheese pieces over the pasta.
- Sprinkle the salt and cayenne pepper over the top and pour the milk and cream into the slow cooker.Stir to combine everything and smooth the pasta into one even layer coated in sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 1 to 2 hours, until the pasta is chewy (not quite crunchy, but very al dente). Your cook time will vary if you use a different pasta or different size crockpot, so start with 1 hour and adjust from there.
- Stir once halfway through the cook time and be sure to smooth the pasta into one layer so it is well coated with the sauce.
- Once the pasta is ready, sprinkle on the cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses and stir to combine. Cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes. The cheeses will melt into the sauce to create the most luxurious creamy cheese sauce.
- Stir before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
- I love the flavor in this recipe, but when I am preparing it for a crowd I substitute Colby Jack cheese for the Pepper Jack. It gives it a great flavor, but it isn’t overly spicy for sensitive palates.
- The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools. If you plan to hold the mac and cheese in the slow cooker on warm, add extra milk as needed to keep the sauce nice and creamy.
- Also, if you are going to refrigerate it to eat later, add enough milk to the pasta to thin out the sauce before refrigerating. That way when you pull it out, it will scoop easily and the mac and cheese will warm up perfectly in the microwave or on the stove top. We do this every week and portion it out for easy lunches.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2017, updated and republished February 2025
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Welcome!
We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
OMG!!!!!!
This is the most amazing homemade macaroni and cheese I have ever had! It took me little time to make and allowed me to spend more time with my daughter. It was a double blessing. I will definitely be making this again and again and again!
Thank you for this recipe! I made it as follows and both my husband and i really enjoyed it. It only took an 1 1/2 hours in our instant pot on low. I will make this one again.
Can I use plain old elbow noodles?
Can you double this recipe? If doubling, do you have to adjust the cooking time?
Do you measure the cheese going by by 4 ounces (before shredded) of cheese per cup? Or do you just use a measuring filling it per cup of cheese?
Could this be done with a different kind of like Almond? We have issues with dairy and this looks good.
Has anybody tried doubling this recipe, yet? I have a 6qt multi pot, and I would love to know if a doubled recipe would fit. I'm making it for 13 people for Thanksgiving, so it would be nice to know if you can double it. Thanks!
yes, I double this recipe every time. I always add a little bit more milk, cream and cheese because I like it really creamy.
Total 10 STAR Recipe. I made this mac and cheese for Christmas 4 years ago and I now have to make it for every family get together. Yes everyone loves it THAT much! I have even started playing around with other cheeses and man, it is perfection every time.
what can i use in place of the pepper jack cheese
I love smoked gouda in my Mac & Cheese.
Hi there,
I’m currently in the process of making this recipe. Half way through the cooking time and it’s very dry. The noodlesseem to have suched up all the moisture!
…. perhaps because I used the lrg elbow macaroni noodles w/ ridges.
so I’ve added another 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1 cup hot water so the noodles finish cooking.
looking forward to the end product!
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
the reviews are great!
This was very good recipe. I used it more as my base and made adjustments for my own dietary restrictions.
I am dairy and gluten free, this is what I did.
Used gluten free elbow macaroni, dairy free cream cheese, dairy free cheddar cheese, silk next milk (I did not add heavy cream as the one I had was expired).
I followed the recipe, adding 3 1/2 cups milks to make up for the heavy cream, and added a bit more shredded cheddar.
It was very good, my cooking time was adjusted a bit because of the pasta but otherwise very easy to follow. I also oven baked some bacon and sprinkled that on top! Yummy!
Loved it! My grandkids did too. Question : Can you freeze it? Thanks.
Not cooking the pasta ahead of time was a time saver. So glad I used a slow cooker bag, made clean up a breeze. It was good but for my family not OMG this is the best Mac n cheese ever. To be fair I have yet to find that recipe.
Hi D!
We’re glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
This crockpot mac and cheese is a game changer! So creamy and easy to make!