Mac Cheese Cupcakes Recipes

MAC AND CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Grease a nonstick mini muffin pan very well with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, then cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package says. My elbow macaroni said to cook for 7 minutes, so I drained it after 5.
• After you've cooked and drained the pasta, return the empty pasta pot to the heat and turn the heat down to medium. Melt the butter and add the paprika. Add the flour and stir the mixture around for 2 minutes. While whisking, add the milk. The mixture will be very thick, but that's intentional. Just make sure you have stirred out any lumps. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cheeses and drained pasta, stirring it all together until the cheese and sauce are well distributed.
• Portion your mac and cheese into the muffin cups, either with a spoon or a 3-tbsp cookie scoop. Pack the mac and cheese into the muffin cups with your fingers really well. If you don't pack the mac and cheese down, they won't hold their shape when you take them out after baking, and you don't want them to fall apart.
• Bake the mac and cheese cups for 15 minutes, until bubbling and gooey. Remove them to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes, then carefully run a plastic knife or toothpick (assuming you need to not destroy the nonstick coating on your pan) around the edges to loosen. Remove the mac and cheese cups from the pan and garnish with chopped chives or scallion greens. Enjoy!

MAC & CHEESE CUPS (CUPCAKES)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray your muffin tin with nonstick spray.
• Over low heat, melt butter. Once melted, add breadcrumbs, and garlic powder. Continuously stir crumbs until they are lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and add your macaroni. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until al dente. You do not want to overboil your noodles or they will be gummy.
• Remove pasta from heat and strain out excess water. Return pasta to the pan. Add the butter, milk, spices, cheeses, and egg. Mix until cheese is melted and everything is evenly combined.
• Using an ice cream scooper, fill coated muffin tins with macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle on an even amount of panko crumbs to each muffin.
• Bake cups for 25-30 minutes. Cups will be golden brown and feel formed to the touch.
• Allow cups to cool for at least 15 minutes before carefully popping them out.

MAC & CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 2. Cook the macaroni until tender. Drain, toss with a little bit of the oil, and set aside.
• 3. In a medium nonstick saucepan, whisk together the milk and cornstarch until well blended. Stirring often, bring to a boil over medium heat.
• 4. Stir in the mustard, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened.
• 5. Stir in the cheddar until it melts, then fold in the macaroni.
• 6. Butter two cupcake pans and coat with the bread crumbs. (Be sure to shake off the excess.)
• 7. Fold the chives into the macaroni mixture. Spoon the mixture into the pans and top with bread crumbs to taste.
• 8. Bake until golden on top, 15 to 25 minutes.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin or cupcake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Using 1 cup of the bread crumbs, coat the inside of each muffin cup with bread crumbs, shaking off any excess.
• In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey or chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to a large bowl. Stir in the cooked turkey and the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the prepared pasta mixture into the cupcake molds, filling evenly to about 2/3 full. Arrange a few pieces of tomato, broccoli and asparagus into each cup. Top with a thin layer of the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and carefully unmold with a spoon onto a serving platter.
• *Cook's Note: To blanch vegetables, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the vegetables and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until very crisp. Using a small strainer, remove the vegetables and immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water. Drain and use.

EASY MAC AND CHEESE MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil and salt; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes, it should still be a little bit firm. Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pan; stir in the butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of sharp Cheddar cheese and stir the remaining Cheddar cheese, milk and mozzarella cheese into the pasta. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and the bread crumb mixture over the tops.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is nicely browned. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan. This will allow the cheese to set and they will hold their muffin shape.

MAC AND CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, prepare pans:
• Either line a muffin tin with 12 paper or foil cupcake liners, or grease mini muffin pans (enough for 24 mini cupcakes) with butter and sprinkle with panko crumbs, dumping out excess crumbs.
• When pasta is done, drain and return to pot.
• Stir in shredded cheese until melted.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Beat eggs and milk together in a medium bowl; stir into pasta.
• Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups.
• Bake 20 minutes for full-size cupcakes; 15 minutes for mini cupcakes.

MUFFIN-TIN MAC AND CHEESE CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Place foil muffin liner in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. Spray liners with cooking spray. Cook macaroni as directed on package; drain, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook and beat with whisk 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Slowly beat in milk. Heat just to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese. Stir in macaroni. Divide mixture evenly among cups.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 2 tablespoons butter uncovered on High 60 to 90 seconds or until melted. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Spoon on top of mixture in cups. Gently press.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until bread crumb mixture is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.