Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe Without Heavy Cream: So Rich and Easy
A roux, warm whole milk and a can of evaporated milk make a sauce as rich as any cream version; sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack melt in off the heat, and the top bakes golden and bubbling with no breadcrumbs required.
- 50 minutes
- Pantry ingredients
- Stovetop and crockpot versions
- Printable recipe
The scoop: a golden, blistered cheddar top and a sauce that still pulls.
A baked mac and cheese recipe without heavy cream is not the lighter option; it is the better one. Cream adds fat, but what makes mac and cheese creamy is a stable sauce loaded with cheese, and a roux with whole milk and a can of evaporated milk makes a better one than cream does, because it does not break in the oven. Add the cheese off the heat, undercook the pasta, keep the sauce soupy, and the pan comes out rich, saucy and golden on top.
In this post:
- Why it is as rich as the cream version
- Every substitute for heavy cream, with amounts
- Which cheeses to use (and the one to avoid)
- The recipe, scaling from 4 to 32 servings
- The four rules for a silky sauce
- Six versions: stovetop, Southern custard, crockpot, Gruyère, jalapeño popper, lighter
- Make-ahead, reheating, troubleshooting, nutrition and 14 FAQs
Why It Is as Rich as the Cream Version
As rich as the cream version
Heavy cream adds fat; what makes mac and cheese creamy is a stable, cheese-loaded sauce. A roux plus whole milk and evaporated milk gives the same body, and the evaporated milk keeps it from breaking in the oven.
Silky, never grainy
Cheese goes in off the heat, a handful at a time, with a little cream cheese to smooth it. Boiling cheese is what makes a sauce gritty; this one never gets the chance.
Creamy out of the oven, not dry
The pasta is undercooked by 2 minutes and folded into a sauce that looks too thin. It absorbs the extra as it bakes and comes out saucy instead of stiff.
The golden top in the picture
Extra cheddar on top, uncovered at 375°F, a minute under the broiler: a lacy, blistered, deep-gold crust with no breadcrumbs needed. Panko is there if you want the crunch.
What to Use Instead of Heavy Cream
Amounts for a pound of pasta:
| Instead of heavy cream | How much | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instead of heavy creamEvaporated milk + whole milk (this recipe) | How much1 can + 2 cups | ResultRich, smooth, bake-stable | NotesThe best |
| Instead of heavy creamWhole milk only, extra butter | How much3 cups milk + 1 tbsp more butter | ResultLighter, still creamy | NotesAdd the cream cheese |
| Instead of heavy creamHalf-and-half | How much3 cups | ResultRicher, close to cream | NotesCosts about the same as cream |
| Instead of heavy creamWhole milk + cream cheese | How much3 cups + 6 oz cream cheese | ResultVery silky, slightly tangy | NotesGreat if you are out of evaporated |
| Instead of heavy creamWhole milk + sour cream or Greek yogurt | How much3 cups + ½ cup, stirred in off heat | ResultTangy, Southern-style | NotesNever boil after adding |
| Instead of heavy creamUnsweetened oat or soy milk | How much3 cups, plus 2 tbsp more flour | ResultDairy-free base | NotesUse a dairy-free cheese that melts |
Ingredients for Baked Mac and Cheese Without Heavy Cream
Elbow macaroni
The classic; the tubes hold sauce inside. Cavatappi, shells and rigatoni all work. Undercook by 2 minutes, whatever the shape.
Butter and flour
Equal parts by volume for the roux: 4 tablespoons each per pound of pasta. Cooked a minute so there is no raw flour taste, not browned.
Whole milk, warmed
Two cups, warm so the sauce never seizes. Two percent works; the sauce is a little thinner. Skim does not; there is not enough fat to carry the cheese.
Evaporated milk
The can that replaces the cream. Concentrated, slightly caramelized milk with extra protein that holds the cheese in emulsion through baking. Not sweetened condensed milk.
Cream cheese
Four ounces, optional. Melts into the sauce for a silkier texture and a little tang. Sour cream does the same with more tang; see the substitute table.
Sharp cheddar
The flavor, 14 ounces of it, from a block. Mild cheddar tastes of nothing in a baked dish; extra-sharp is better still.
Monterey Jack or Gruyère
The melt and the pull. Jack is mild and stretchy; Gruyère is nutty and makes it taste expensive. Mozzarella pulls but adds no flavor.
Parmesan, Dijon, paprika
Two ounces of parmesan for depth, a teaspoon of Dijon to sharpen the whole sauce (you will not taste mustard) and smoked paprika for color and warmth.
Which Cheeses
| Cheese | What it adds | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CheeseSharp cheddar | What it addsFlavor | NotesThe backbone; 60 percent of the blend |
| CheeseMonterey Jack | What it addsMelt and stretch | NotesMild, reliable |
| CheeseGruyère | What it addsNutty depth, melt | NotesThe upgrade; swap for the Jack |
| CheeseCream cheese | What it addsSilkiness | Notes4 oz, melted into the sauce |
| CheeseParmesan | What it addsSalt and umami | Notes2 oz, grated fine |
| CheeseMozzarella | What it addsPull | NotesNo flavor; use a little, never alone |
| CheesePepper jack | What it addsHeat | NotesHalf of the Jack for a spicy version |
| CheesePre-shredded bags | What it addsGrainy sauce | NotesAvoid; the starch coating ruins the melt |
Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe Without Heavy Cream
The card makes a 9×13 pan that serves 6 to 8. Tap a size and the pasta, milk, cheese and dish update together.
Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Without Heavy Cream
A butter-and-flour roux, warm whole milk and a can of evaporated milk make a sauce as rich as any cream version; sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack melt in off the heat, and the top bakes golden and bubbling. Tap a serving size and every amount, including the dish, updates with the printable card.
How many servings?
Ingredients
- 8 oz1 lb2 lb4 lb elbow macaroni (or cavatappi, shells)
- 2 tbsp4 tbsp½ cup1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp¼ cup½ cup1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup2 cups4 cups8 cups whole milk, warm
- ¾ cup (6 oz)1 can (12 oz)2 cans4 cans evaporated milk
- 2 oz4 oz8 oz1 lb cream cheese, cubed (optional, for silkiness)
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp each½ tsp each1 tsp each2 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder
- ¼ tsp½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp1 tsp2 tsp4 tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp¼ tsp½ tsp1 tsp black pepper
- 7 oz14 oz1¾ lb3½ lb sharp cheddar, shredded from a block, divided
- 3 oz6 oz12 oz1½ lb Monterey Jack (or Gruyère), shredded
- 1 oz2 oz4 oz8 oz parmesan, finely grated
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp¾ cup + 2 tbsp1½ cups + ¼ cup3 cups + ½ cup Optional crumb top: panko + melted butter
The no-cream secret: evaporated milk. Its concentrated milk proteins make a sauce that stays smooth in the oven, which is why the old-fashioned recipes used it. Shred your own cheese: bagged cheese is dusted with starch and melts grainy.
Instructions
Heat the oven, undercook the pasta
Heat the oven to 375°F and butter the baking dish. Cook the macaroni in well-salted water 2 minutes short of the package time; it should still have a firm bite. Drain, toss with a teaspoon of butter so it does not clump, and set aside. Shred the cheeses while it boils.
Make the roux
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, whisking, until it smells toasty and looks pale gold. Do not let it brown; the sauce should stay cream-colored.
Whisk in the warm milk and the evaporated milk
Pour in the warm whole milk a cup at a time, whisking smooth after each, then the evaporated milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, whisking often, until it coats the back of a spoon. This is the body heavy cream would have given, with none of the heaviness.
Season, then melt the cheese off the heat
Turn the heat off. Whisk in the cream cheese until it disappears, then the Dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Add 10 ounces of the cheddar, all the Jack and the parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until each melts before the next. Off the heat, the sauce stays glossy; boiled, cheese goes grainy. Taste; it should be slightly too salty and too sharp, because the pasta will soften it.
Fold and fill
Fold the macaroni into the sauce. It should look soupy; the pasta drinks the extra as it bakes, which is the difference between creamy and dry. Pour into the dish and scatter the remaining 4 ounces of cheddar over the top (and the buttered panko, if using).
Bake until golden and bubbling
Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the top is golden with darker spots. For the deep-gold top in the photo, broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching every second.
Rest five minutes
Let it stand 5 minutes so the sauce thickens enough to hold a scoop while still pulling strings of cheese. Serve with a big spoon.
The Four Rules for a Silky Cheese Sauce
Cheese going into the sauce off the heat, a handful at a time: the step that keeps it smooth.
Warm milk, into a cooked roux
Cold milk into hot roux lumps; raw roux tastes of flour. A minute of cooking and warm milk give a smooth sauce every time.
Cheese off the heat, in handfuls
Heat off before the first handful goes in. Stir each one in before the next. A sauce that boils with cheese in it goes grainy and oily.
Soupy in the bowl, creamy in the oven
Undercooked pasta plus a sauce that looks too thin equals a creamy bake. If it looks right in the bowl, it will be dry on the table.
Season sharper than you think
A pound of pasta mutes everything. Taste the sauce before the pasta goes in: it should be a shade too salty, too sharp and too mustardy.
Six Ways to Make It
The cheese pull: cheddar and Jack in a sauce that stayed creamy through the bake.
Same sauce, different pan or finish. Tap a version:
Stovetop Mac and Cheese (No Oven)
Make the sauce as written, fold in pasta cooked to al dente (not under), and stir over low heat 2 minutes until glossy. Twenty minutes, one pot, and the creamiest version of all since nothing bakes off. Top each bowl with extra cheddar and a pinch of paprika.
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese (Custard-Style)
Skip the roux. Whisk 2 eggs with the can of evaporated milk, 1½ cups whole milk, the seasonings and 4 tablespoons of melted butter, toss with the undercooked pasta and all the cheese, pour into the dish and bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until set and golden. Sliceable, rich and the one for the holiday table.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Stir 1 pound of uncooked macaroni, 4 cups whole milk, the can of evaporated milk, 4 tablespoons butter, the seasonings and all but the topping cheese in a greased 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on LOW 2 to 2½ hours, stirring at 1 hour, until the pasta is tender. Top with the remaining cheddar and cook 15 minutes more. Do not use HIGH; the edges scorch.
Three-Cheese Gruyère Mac and Cheese
Use 6 ounces of Gruyère in place of the Jack, add ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg to the sauce, and top with the parmesan mixed into buttered panko. Nutty, deep and the version that gets asked about at dinner parties.
Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
Use pepper jack for the Jack, stir 2 seeded, diced jalapeños and 6 slices of crisp chopped beef bacon or turkey bacon into the sauce, keep the cream cheese, and top with the panko. Creamy, smoky and gently hot; add pickled jalapeños on top for tang.
Lighter Mac and Cheese
Use 2 percent milk, skip the cream cheese, cut the cheddar to 10 ounces and stir in ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt off the heat for creaminess. Fold in 2 cups of steamed cauliflower or broccoli florets for bulk. About a third fewer calories; still creamy, still golden on top.
Make-Ahead, Freezing and Reheating
| How | How long | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HowAssemble ahead, unbaked | How long24 hours in the fridge | NotesAdd ½ cup more milk to the sauce; bake covered 15 minutes, uncovered 20 |
| HowBaked, leftovers | How long4 days | NotesReheat with a splash of milk, covered, 350°F for 20 minutes or microwave at half power |
| HowFreeze unbaked | How long2 months | NotesFoil pan; thaw overnight, add milk, bake as above |
| HowFreeze baked | How long2 months | NotesPortions reheat covered with milk; texture is slightly softer |
| HowSauce ahead | How long3 days | NotesReheat gently with a splash of milk before folding in fresh pasta |
| HowFor a crowd | How longTwo pans beat one deep pan | NotesCenters heat through and tops brown; see the 12 and 24 sizes |
What to Serve with It
On the table: the pan with a scoop out, a sharp salad and the roast it was made to sit beside.
A main with a salad, or the side everyone fights over:
- Beside poor man’s prime rib or the crockpot turkey breast
- With the crowd-pleasing broccoli salad for crunch
- Out of milk instead? mac and cheese without milk
- No flour? mac and cheese without flour
- Slow cooker night: crockpot mac and cheese
- Showing off: lobster mac and cheese
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ProblemGrainy or gritty sauce | Likely causeCheese boiled, or pre-shredded cheese | FixHeat off before the cheese; shred a block |
| ProblemDry after baking | Likely causePasta fully cooked, sauce too thick, baked too long | FixUndercook 2 minutes; soupy sauce; pull at bubbling |
| ProblemOily, separated | Likely causeSauce overheated, or low-fat cheese | FixKeep it below a simmer once cheese is in; full-fat cheese |
| ProblemLumpy sauce | Likely causeCold milk into hot roux | FixWarm the milk; whisk constantly; strain if needed |
| ProblemBland | Likely causeUnder-seasoned sauce, mild cheddar | FixSalt, Dijon and sharp cheddar; taste before the pasta |
| ProblemRubbery top | Likely causeCovered while baking | FixBake uncovered; broil a minute at the end |
| ProblemFloury taste | Likely causeRoux not cooked | FixA full minute of whisking before the milk |
Nutrition (approximate, per serving)
Estimates for one of eight servings without the panko. The lighter tab runs about 380 calories. No pork, no alcohol.
Mac and Cheese Without Heavy Cream: FAQs
What can I use instead of heavy cream in mac and cheese?
A roux-thickened sauce of whole milk and evaporated milk, which is what this recipe uses; it is as rich as cream and more stable in the oven. Half-and-half, whole milk with cream cheese, or whole milk with sour cream stirred in off the heat all work too. The substitute table above has the amounts.
Why evaporated milk?
It is concentrated milk with extra protein and a little caramelized flavor, and those proteins hold melted cheese in a smooth emulsion through baking. It is why old-fashioned recipes used it and why this sauce does not break or go grainy. Use plain evaporated milk, never sweetened condensed.
Can I use just regular milk?
Yes: 3 cups of whole milk, an extra tablespoon of butter in the roux and the optional cream cheese. The sauce is a touch lighter and slightly more likely to tighten in the oven, so keep it soupy before baking. Two percent works; skim does not carry the cheese.
Why is my mac and cheese grainy?
The cheese got too hot, or it came pre-shredded. Take the pan off the heat before the first handful of cheese goes in, add it in batches, and never let the sauce boil afterward. Bagged shredded cheese is coated in starch that melts gritty; shred a block.
Why does baked mac and cheese come out dry?
The pasta was fully cooked, the sauce was too thick, or it baked too long. Undercook the macaroni by 2 minutes, fold it into a sauce that looks too thin, and pull it the moment the edges bubble and the top is golden. A splash of milk fixes leftovers.
What cheese is best for baked mac and cheese?
Sharp cheddar for flavor (about 60 percent of the blend) plus a good melter: Monterey Jack for a mild stretch or Gruyère for nutty depth, with a little parmesan and cream cheese. Mozzarella pulls but tastes of nothing. The cheese table above ranks them.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Assemble up to 24 hours ahead with an extra half cup of milk in the sauce, refrigerate, then bake covered 15 minutes and uncovered 20. The sauce alone keeps 3 days. It also freezes unbaked for 2 months; thaw overnight and add milk before baking.
How do I reheat mac and cheese so it stays creamy?
Add a splash of milk, cover, and warm at 350°F for 20 minutes, or microwave at half power with milk, stirring halfway. Heating it dry and fast is what turns leftovers stiff and oily.
Should I cover mac and cheese when baking?
No. Uncovered at 375°F is what makes the golden top. Cover it only when baking from the fridge, for the first 15 minutes, so the center heats before the top browns, then uncover.
Do I need breadcrumbs on top?
No. The golden top in the photo is just extra cheddar, uncovered, with a minute under the broiler. Buttered panko is on the card as an option if you like the crunch; a half cup of crushed crackers works the same way.
Can I make it on the stovetop without baking?
Yes; the stovetop tab makes it in 20 minutes with pasta cooked to al dente and the sauce as written. It is the creamiest version because nothing bakes off, just without the golden crust.
Can I use gluten-free pasta?
Yes. Use a gluten-free pasta and swap the flour in the roux for a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend or 2 tablespoons of cornstarch whisked into the cold milk. Gluten-free pasta softens faster, so undercook it 3 minutes instead of 2.
Is this recipe halal?
Yes, as written: pasta, butter, milk, evaporated milk and cheese, with no pork and no alcohol. Use cheeses made with microbial or vegetarian rennet if that matters to you, and beef or turkey bacon in the jalapeño popper version.
What do you serve with baked mac and cheese?
As a side, it goes with any roast or holiday main; as a main, something sharp and green beside it, like a broccoli salad or a vinegary slaw. The serving section above has the links, including the other mac and cheese recipes in the series.
Save the pin so the recipe, the substitute table and the crockpot version are one tap away.
More Mac and Cheese
The whole without series, the slow cooker and the splurge.
Mac and Cheese Without Milk
The 20-minute one-pot version. See the recipe → No Flour?Mac and Cheese Without Flour
The creamiest roux-free sauce. See the recipe → Real CheeseMac and Cheese Without Velveeta
Stovetop and silky. See the recipe → Slow CookerCrockpot Mac and Cheese
Set it and walk away. See the recipe → Special OccasionLobster Mac and Cheese
The one for a celebration. See the recipe → Pasta BakeBaked Ziti Without Ricotta
The other golden, cheesy pan. See the recipe →Roux, warm milk, the can of evaporated milk, cheese off the heat, undercooked pasta, a soupy sauce, 25 minutes uncovered and a minute under the broiler. That is the golden, creamy pan with no cream in it.
Pin this baked mac and cheese recipe without heavy cream for the next potluck, holiday and Tuesday.
