Mac and Cheese Bites. If you are a fan of macaroni and cheese then you will love these bite sized cheesy snacks. They are perfect to serve as an appetizer or a side dish.
>>Scroll down for my step by step video<<
Who doesn’t love mini versions of favorite foods? Slider-sized burgers, mini lobster rolls, shots of tomato soup, and bite-sized chicken tacos. They are all just so adorable and so much fun to eat. Mac and cheese comes to mind as a recipe that is perfect to make mini. Introducing the Mac and Cheese Bites.
Macaroni and cheese is a crowd pleaser so it is just natural to fashion it into 2 bite snacks. And this recipe is nothing like the packaged variety. But, I must admit I do love making the one in the blue box with the neon orange dried cheese packet from time to time.
the ingredients for mac and cheese bites
- salted butter
- all-purpose flour
- whole milk
- cheddar cheese
- Monterey jack cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- onion powder and garlic powder
- mustard
- egg yolks
- elbow noodles
- panko
A batch of 24 mini mac and cheeses are perfect for parties or just every day meals. The pop in your mouth snacks are a crowd pleaser as are Antipasto Skewers, Honey Ham and Pineapple Tortilla Pizza and BLT Bites.
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chef cooking tips for making macaroni and cheese bites from scratch
Cheese and lots of it! I like to use a combo of sharp cheddar for the its flavor and Monterey Jack for its creamy meltability. And be sure to use a grater to shred a block of cheese by hand or use a food processor. The flavor is undoubtedly superior and the cheese melts better than the packaged and shredded cheese available at the grocery store.
Fill the muffin tin cups to overflowing. A heaping 2 tablespoons will make the perfect size macaroni and cheese bites. A medium cookie scoop makes for easy scooping. Pack the cheesy mixture into each cup for sturdy handheld snacks.
Add an extra special crunchy topping of buttered panko. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of panko. Stir occasionally until the panko just begins to become golden brown.
can mac and cheese bites be made in advance?
Don’t like to feel rushed before your guests arrive for a party? I know I like to have as much done in advance of the festivities. The Mac and Cheese Bites can be made ahead of dinner or party time. Prep the bites until just before baking. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Pull the pan out of the fridge at party time. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
If you make this mini mac and cheese bites recipe, I’d love hearing from you. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.
Also check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages for lots of fabulous foodie stories, videos, cooking tips, and recipes.
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Also, if you make this mini mac and cheese bite recipe, I love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.
Print Mac and Cheese Bites
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
If you love macaroni and cheese then you will love these mini mac and cheese bites. Make these delicious and adorable 2 bite snacks in a mini muffin pan.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons salted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, packed
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, packed
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 pound elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 2 tablespoons panko
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 24-count, nonstick mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking occasionally, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Add cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses and stir to melt.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and mustard.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks and macaroni.
- Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of macaroni and cheese into the prepared mini muffin pan. I like this medium cookie scoop. Pack each one down gently.
- Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a small saute pan. Add 2 tablespoons of panko. Stir occasionally until panko becomes golden brown. Remove from heat.
- Sprinkle bites with toasted panko.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling.
- Let cool 5 or so minutes in the pan. This will ensure the bites stay together.
- Using a teaspoon, carefully loosen the mac and cheese bites and transfer to a platter to serve.
Notes
- To make ahead, prepare the bites to right before baking (Step 8 above). Cover the pan with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Pull the pan out of the fridge at party time. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.
- Mac and Cheese Bites are tasty hot out of the oven or at room temperature.
- Category: appetizer
- Method: stove top and bake in oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mac & cheese bite
- Calories: 93
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 141 mg
- Fat: 4.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.2 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 4.2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: mac and cheese bites, mini macaroni and cheese, snacks
This recipe post first appeared in August 2013. Updates include text, photos and recipe enhancements. The recipe is adapted from one that appeared in Food & Wine magazine in 2007.
Amy – these are the best version of mac & cheese bites ever! Super easy and so cheesy.
Thanks Lisa! I love serving these at cocktail parties or for a fun side with barbecue.
I would like to make these 4 days ahead and then reheat as appetizers. What do you thin
Definitely! You can also freeze them. Just cool completely and freeze. Heat from frozen ~ add 5 to 10 minutes to the heating time.
Excellent value driven article here. Tons of information. Appreciate it.
Thanks!
Alright so it’s not really a question about the topic at hand here but… how long does it take you to put together these kind of posts? Is it easy? Like did you have to research all this stuff? I’ve been wanting to start a blog myself, so just curious. Sorry not totally relevant but figured I’d ask. Thanks in advance
Hi Brian ~ It all depends on the topic and recipe. I would suggest researching whatever your topic is because readers will be counting on your information to be true. Good luck!