Pizza Mac and Cheese Muffins Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

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5

/5

40 minutes mins

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By: Rachel GurkPosted: 02/27/2014

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Kids and adults will both love pizza mac and cheese muffins — two of your favorite treats, macaroni and cheese and pizza, rolled into one cute package. What could be better? Serve with pizza sauce or marinara for dipping.

This isn’t my first go-around with turning macaroni and cheese into a muffin so that you can eat it with your hands. If you haven’t tried southwest macaroni and cheese muffins, be sure to add them to your list of things to try.

It’s obviously one of the best things ever. Macaroni and cheese….that you can eat with your hands. Are ya with me? Throw in the word “pizza” and I’m totally sold.

I’m on a pizza kick lately (pizza, mac and cheese, I’m the picture of healthy). Did you try my macaroni and cheese pizza? Over the top good!

A couple of weeks ago I made pizza lasagna rolls (Yum!) and my family loves these pizza quinoa stuffed peppers. Pizza stuffed spaghetti squash is really good, too. I often make one pot Pizza Pasta, only 6 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes. What can I say, I love pizza.

These mac and cheese muffins are really easy to eat….errr…I mean easy to make. (Eat too. Really easy to eat.)

I start with a package of Parmesan and butter spirals, prepared as directed on the package. If you want to use another boxed pasta dinner, no problem!

Stir in a couple of extras (pepperoni! mozzarella! herbs!), scoop into muffin tins, bake, let cool a bit, dip-dip-dip in pizza sauce and chow down.

Enjoy these! Pizza mac and cheese muffins are a super fun lunch or light dinner. Serve them with a bowl of soup or a green salad.

They also make a cool appetizer for a party. Arrange them on a platter with a bowl of pizza sauce for dipping. They are just fine at room temperature so don’t worry about keeping them warm. Perfect for game night!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Pizza Mac and Cheese Muffins Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (4)

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Pizza Mac and Cheese Muffins

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Additional Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

12 muffins

Print Rate Recipe

Kids and adults will both love these Pizza Mac and Cheese muffins — two of your favorite treats, macaroni and cheese and pizzas, rolled into one cute package.

Ingredients

  • one 5.25 ounce package of spirals with butter and parmesan macaroni and cheese (I use Annie’s)
  • milk and butter to prepare macaroni as directed on package (I used 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons skim milk)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup shredded low moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 2 oz sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters
  • 1 cup pizza sauce for dipping

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 12 muffin tins with nonstick spray.

  • Prepare macaroni and cheese as directed on the box, except stir in oregano and garlic powder in addition to the cheese powder.

  • Once prepared, remove from heat and stir in grated mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.

  • Spoon macaroni and cheese mixture evenly into prepared muffin tins.

  • Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tins. After I remove them, I usually place them on a sheet of paper towel just to remove some of the grease from the pepperoni.

  • Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Notes

  • Substitute other types of boxed mac and cheese dinners for the Annie’s Butter and Parmesan macaroni and cheese.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 163kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 310mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

  1. Gail Plaskiewicz says

    If you buy the mini pepperoni, then you don’t need to cut anything up. Just sayin’ cause these are so totally cute! They would be great for when my mom goes knitting. They meet at a ladies house or a knit shop and everyone brings something. We would have to double or triple it since I’d want some left home for me (I don’t knit so I don’t go). Can’t wait to make this one too!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      Yes! I love those mini pepperoni! Hope you love these!

      Reply

  2. Sarah Knight says

    Hi Rachel! Love this, but most importantly, I’m going to need to know where you got those little white sauce dishes. Cutest things I’ve ever seen in my life. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      OH man, I wish I could remember! I bought that dish probably over four years ago. My most common places to buy props/dishes are CB2, HomeGoods and Target. Sorry I can’t be of more help!

      Reply

  3. Kv says

    Made these for a party and they were a hit! I followed the exact instructions but just doubled it and there were no leftovers. i believe the butter parm flavor is impt to ensure it doesn’t taste bland. Has anyone tried this w regular cheddar Mac and cheese?

    Reply

  4. Fay says

    Where can you purchase the package of Annie’s? Have never seen this brand. Is there something that could be used as a substitute? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      I find Annie’s at my local Kroger and I’ve seen it at lots of grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with another boxed macaroni and cheese — look for parmesan if you can find it, or white cheddar.

      Reply

  5. Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says

    My 6 year old will love these. I’ll be making a bunch of these next weekend, perfect lunch for school. Pinned.

    Reply

  6. Jenny, says

    I made these last night and my husband and I both loved the recipe. Question, though…my muffins didn’t hold their shape and were a big gooey mess (even after I popped them back in the oven for more time). Do you think it would help to add an egg as a binder or would that change the flavor? Regardless of the gooey pile, we loved the flavor. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Rachel Gurk says

      Did you let them cool a bit before eating? You need to do that to let the cheese kind of set back up. They are on the fragile side – but we were able to pick them up and eat them with our hands. I think the addition of an egg is a great idea if they aren’t holding together, though.

      Reply

      • Jenny says

        We let them cool the suggested 5 minutes but couldn’t stand to wait any longer. Lack of self control was probably my problem.

        Reply

  7. Tara says

    These are adorable, any kid would love them!!!

    Reply

Older Comments

Pizza Mac and Cheese Muffins Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

Who made baked mac and cheese? ›

The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese was included in Elizabeth Raffald's 1769 book, The Experienced English Housekeeper. Raffald's recipe is for a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese—a Mornay sauce in French cooking—which is mixed with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until bubbly and golden.

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

What are the ingredients in Gordon Food Service mac and cheese? ›

COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, SEMOLINA [MILLED WHEAT, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), WATER, CHEDDAR CLUB CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, SALT, ANNATTO [COLOR]), CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES ...

What is a fancy name for mac and cheese? ›

Macaroni au gratin is, of course, a fancy name for mac and cheese. In this case though, it really is so much more than your run-of-the-mill mac.

Why did Kraft macaroni and cheese change their name? ›

Here are the two logos side by side: According to Kraft, the change from "macaroni and cheese" to "mac & cheese" is meant to reflect how fans talk about the familiar brand. The box only having one hue of blue is supposed to amplify the new noodle smile, which now drips with gooey cheese.

What country eats the most mac and cheese? ›

Sure, Americans love their mac and cheese. But not as much as Canadians. In fact, Canadians love macaroni and cheese, and they love it more than anyone else in the world and consume the most macaroni and cheese per capita!

How do you make mac and cheese creamy again? ›

The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese

"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.

How do you keep mac and cheese moist when reheating? ›

Zentner says the stovetop is best for reheating stirred mac and cheese recipes.
  1. Add one tablespoon of milk per cup of macaroni and cheese to a saucepan.
  2. Heat over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
  3. Heat to the desired temperature and add a touch of butter and extra cheese to finish the dish.
Oct 26, 2022

Can you eat mac and cheese left out overnight? ›

It must be placed in the fridge within two hours of cooking in a shallow airtight container. To extend the shelf life even further, mac and cheese can be stored in the freezer. When frozen, mac and cheese will last indefinitely. However, it will remain at its best quality for about one to two months.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style. Cheeses for flavor: cheddar, havarti, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, feta and any other of your favorites.

How do you make mac and cheese taste better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

What is the best cheese according to chefs? ›

  • Some chefs said scamorza is a smoky alternative to mozzarella. ...
  • One chefs said that, when prepared correctly, a raclette can make for a showstopping appetizer. ...
  • Some chefs said Parmigiano-Reggiano is as delicious on a cheese plate as it is in a cooked dish. ...
  • One chef said pecorino can be great for snacking.
Aug 6, 2020

What recipe is Gordon Ramsay famous for? ›

Top 10: Recipes that made Gordon Ramsay Famous
  • Beef Wellington. gordon ramsay's beef wellington recipe. ...
  • Coq au Vin. gordon ramsay's Coq au Vin recipe. ...
  • Beef Stroganoff. gordon ramsay's Beef Stroganoff recipe. ...
  • Chicken Piccata. ...
  • Rack of Lamb. ...
  • Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill. ...
  • Shrimp Scampi. ...
  • Beef and Guinness Stew.

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