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An easy set-it-and-forget-it Creamy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese has a luxurious cheesy sauce, tender pasta and the most delicious flavor that will have people begging for the recipe.
This mac and cheese pairs perfectly with my Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin, Holiday Cranberry Sauce, The Best Mashed Potatoes, Cornbread Dressing, or my Creamed Corn.
Why You’ll Love Creamy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
The best part is that it only uses a few ingredients making it simple and easy in addition to being absolutely yummy and comforting.
It’s the perfect solution for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or whenever you have an oven full of other dishes and need a low maintenance mac and cheese recipe you can just throw in a slow cooker.
Instead of having to make a more involved mac and cheese (like my Southern Baked Homemade Mac and Cheese and Tini’s Macaroni and Cheese) that require an oven and sauces, this creamy slow cooker version is all just combined in the slow cooker to set and forget.
Since it’s made in a slow cooker, it makes this mac and cheese a great choice for a campers or RV, tailgates and anywhere else an oven in not accessible!
Key Ingredients
Check out this short list of ingredients for my creamy slow cooker mac and cheese. The full recipe can be found in the recipe card toward the bottom of this page.
Macaroni – elbow macaroni is the best choice but you can also use cavatappi or your favorite short pasta.
Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup – or you can use cream of chicken, this shortcut ingredient replaces the need for butter or milk in this recipe.
Cheeses – gruyere, sharp cheddar and colby jack are used. Freshly shredded of of course 🙂
Sour Cream – adds freshness and creaminess with a little tang.
Mayo – I know, I know. This is an odd ingredient. But just like in my Hot Corn Dip the mayo is just enough to make it super smooth and creamy without the addition of processed cheese like velveeta.
Seasonings – onion powder, mustard powder (or dijon mustard), pepper and salt.
How to Make Creamy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
You can make these recipe in a just a few easy steps! It pairs so well with my other Thanksgiving recipes!
Cook the macaroni for 5 minutes in large pot of boiling water. Strain and rinse with cold water.
In a slow cooker add in the partially cooked macaroni, condensed soup, sour cream, mayo, seasonings, and half the cheeses. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high, stirring the mac and cheese once or twice during the cook time.
Add remaining cheese on top, cover and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes on low until the cheese has fully melted.
Make-Ahead Tips
Unfortunately, this recipe can’t be fully assembled ahead and cooked later and the liquid will be absorbed into the macaroni and won’t turn out right. But, there are still lots of time-saving tips you can use:
- Pre-shred your cheeses prior to cooking
- The macaroni can be cooked and rinsed ahead and stored in an air tight container in the fridge.
- Mix together the sour cream, mayo, cheddar cheese condensed soup, and seasonings together in a bowl until creamy. Cover tightly and store in the fridge.
FAQ’s
You are welcome to replace it with light mayonnaise instead. You can also use an avocado oil based mayo or vegan mayo instead.
Yes, absolutely. Assuming your slow cooker has the capacity (about 6 qt) you can double all the ingredients. Increase the initial cook time to 2.5 hours.
Any short pasta works with elbow macaroni and cavatappi being the most popular choices.
Once it fully cools, place it in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Be sure to check out my other Thanksgiving recipes here that list lots of popular side dishes and proteins to enjoy with your family and friends:
- Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin
- Crock Pot Creamed Corn
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Holiday Cranberry Sauce
- The Best Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Creamed Spinach Bake
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for my Cream Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese! I look forward to your questions and feedback below.
Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.
Creamy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- 1 – 10.5 oz can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Condensed Soup or cream of chicken
- 2 cups sharp cheddar
- 1 cup colby jack
- 1 cup gruyere
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder or two teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni for 5 minutes in large pot of boiling water. Strain and rinse with cold water.
- In a slow cooker add in the partially cooked macaroni, condensed soup, sour cream, mayo, seasonings, and half the cheeses. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high, stirring the mac and cheese once or twice during the cook time.
- Add remaining cheese on top, cover and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes on low until the cheese has fully melted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Here are some additional photos for your Pinterest:
have to admit, the soup and mayo frightened me a bit. I made this yesterday for an early Thanksgiving, and we all loved it!! Flavor is so good. the gruyere cheese really adds a nice bite. And the ease and use of my crockpot instead of the oven, helped tremendously!! thank you!
I totally understand but this does not disappoint! Especially with the ease of making it in the crock pot, still one of our favorites.