Name: Baked Jalapeño Mac and Cheese Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 12 oz elbow macaroni; ¼ cup butter; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; ½ tsp salt; 2 cups milk; 4 oz jalapenos; ½ tsp garlic powder; 3 oz cream cheese; 1½ cups Cheddar Cheese; For Topping:; 1 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp Bread crumbs; 1 tbsp real bacon bits

How To Make Jalapeño Mac and Cheese

Spice up your usual mac and cheese with our easy recipe made with elbow macaroni mixed in a cheesy creamy jalapeño sauce, topped with a bread crumb topping.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Total: 40 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

12ozelbow macaroni
¼cupbutter
¼cupall-purpose flour
½tspsalt
2cupsmilk,warmed
4ozjalapeños,diced
½tspgarlic powder
3ozcream cheese,cubed
1½cupscheddar cheese,sharp shredded, divided

For Topping:

1tbspbutter
2tbspbread crumbs
1tbspreal bacon bits

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly add the milk a little bit at a time, whisking after each addition, until smooth. Once all of the milk is whisked in, add cream cheese and garlic powder and whisk until smooth.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, until thick and bubbly.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1¼ cups of cheese, macaroni, and jalapeños. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish.
Top with the remaining cheese. Mix the butter and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until the crumbs are golden.

Recipe Notes

Slowly add the milk, a little at a time. It will seem pasty at first. Add more milk and then whisk. Continue adding the milk and whisking until smooth after each addition.
Remove the sauce from the heat before adding the cheddar cheese.
It is preferred to use jarred, canned, or pickled jalapeños in this recipe. If using fresh jalapeños, roast, and seed them first.
Shred your own cheese for best results. Pre-shredded cheeses have anti-caking agents to keep them from clumping and they don’t always melt smoothly.