mac n cheese cookie recipe

September 24, 2021 12:47 PM

Hello. I would like a recipe for a mac n cheese cookie, please. The flavor (and ideally texture) of mac n cheese, the handleability of a cookie.

Please explain how you expect your recipe to generate a successful mac n cheese cookie in my kitchen. It doesn't have to actually have mac (or even cheese). It just needs me to bite into it and think "wow yum mac n cheese"

posted by aniola to Food & Drink (31 answers total)

The closest I can think of with my mac and cheese recipe would be making it in a muffin tin for muffin-sized mac bites. Could do the tiny muffin tin for maximum maneuverability, but it would still be too greasy to be comfortable to handle with bare hands. Could you please clarify if you're looking for "okay to eat out of hand" as a factor here? Also, does the idea of "mac and cheese bite" satisfy your requirements - given baked, not fried?
posted by snerson at 12:52 PM on September 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: I am looking for "ok to eat out of hand" as a factor here. I have cookie sheets but no muffin tins. I am willing to acquire ingredients but not muffin tins. Baked is fine, cookies are baked!
posted by aniola at 12:58 PM on September 24, 2021

How about mac and cheese stuff biscuits? Basically, a mac and cheese hand pie!
posted by SageTrail at 1:07 PM on September 24, 2021 [6 favorites]

are you willing to deep fry? Or even (sigh) air fry? This says mac and cheese bite / ball / croquette to me (I don't use a recipe, but this one looks solid; use any base mac and cheese recipe you like).
posted by supercres at 1:07 PM on September 24, 2021 [7 favorites]

Sounds good!

Make regular macaroni and cheese however you like, but keep the noodles on the firmer side, and the sauce on the drier side.

Toss in a bit of breadcrumbs, and make little pucks out of it, packed firm.

Dab those pucks into a mix of ground flax and nutritional yeast, coating each side.

Bake on a pre-heated cookie sheet at 375-400F for 9-15 minutes.

If they aren't cohesive enough, add part of an egg or a little corn starch, maybe flip in the middle.

After you've got the basic format working you can add a bit of baking soda for loft too.

I expect this to work because of what's in, how it's prepared and baked.
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:11 PM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

I'd agree with the croquette. I've been trying to think of a baked approach that would get you both the texture and the ability to eat by hand and can't really think of a good way to get both.
posted by lhputtgrass at 1:12 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

Make a patty of m&c, then sandwich it (or roll it? when warm the crisp is pliable) in a lace parmesan crisp - parm melted together on a sheet pan. You get your handleability using a cheese wrapper.
posted by GamblingBlues at 1:20 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

One way I could think of to get that chewy, pasta-like texture in a (mostly hand-held) form would be less of a cookie and more like a diplomat pudding, flavoring the cream with that Kraft packet of seasoning perhaps? Or subbing in a cheese sauce for the pastry cream entirely?

Problem is I don't know what you'd soak the brioche in to start with, since you def wouldn't want to use rum or kirsch.

It would be hand-held the way a cupcake is--you could cut it and serve it on pastry wrappers/cupcake wrappers.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 1:27 PM on September 24, 2021

Response by poster: One of the things I like about making cookies is the ability to just throw everything in a bowl, mix, scoop, bake. I'm willing to bread or fry, but ideally I'm not making mac n cheese separately first.
posted by aniola at 1:30 PM on September 24, 2021

If you want anything approximating the texture of mac 'n' cheese you're going to have to start with mac 'n' cheese, I think. Maybe a cheesy biscuit or cracker recipe if the cheese flavor and handleabilty are more important than the texture?

Otherwise my suggestion would basically be a cheesy noodle kugel, baked until it's firm and a bit dry.
posted by mskyle at 1:36 PM on September 24, 2021 [12 favorites]

Calzone?
posted by sebastienbailard at 2:02 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

I would say that cheese straws, maybe with a cheese dip, are as close you can get to the experience of a one-bowl cookie. Maybe pipe them in a disc shape with a thumbprint and fill the thumb print with a round of cheese that melts into place.

Or make standard macaroni and cheese, but bake it in muffin cups.
posted by blnkfrnk at 2:04 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

I have cookie sheets but no muffin tins
Well-washed tuna cans can be used as mini-molds.

Alternative:
- make stovetop or baked mac 'n cheese,
- pour the cooked mix into a large lined baking sheet
- use a spatula to smooth out
- refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
- cut cooled mac 'n cheese with cookie cutter or well-washed tuna can

It doesn't have to actually have mac (or even cheese). It just needs me to bite into it and think "wow yum mac n cheese"
One could pour the box-mix cheese powder on wet styrofoam and think that, aniola.
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:24 PM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

While I can't give you a complete recipe, perhaps this will help?

In a fit of pandemic purchasing, I bought some cheddar cheese powder and I think it might help you get closer to what you want. It's a lot like the powder from the boxed mac and cheese. (And PS it's delicious on popcorn.)
posted by mcduff at 2:34 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

throw everything in a bowl, mix, scoop, bake. I'm willing to bread or fry, but ideally I'm not making mac n cheese separately first.

You can't cook *any* pasta with just dry heat and the amount of liquid that goes into a typical cookie. And mac n cheese also needs you to cook the sauce separately, since there's several steps involved in making that particular sauce (first a roux, then adding milk which will thicken from the roux, then melting in your cheese and adding herbs/spices).

So mac n cheese is not the right type of dish for you to cookie-fy.

Perhaps something else? Meatloaf, maybe some varieties of casserole, open-face sandwiches and quesadillas, rice-and-meat dishes -- all of these may lend themselves to a cookie-fication approach in the sense that you mean it.
posted by MiraK at 2:53 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

So the Guardian has a cheese scone recipe that I am particularly fond of (although I usually swap out half the cheddar for gruyere). Piping hot out of the oven there there is a real solid mac &vcheese flavor. I'm hesitant linking to the Guardian around here these days, but it's an easy Google if you're inclined.
posted by thivaia at 3:00 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Like a calzone or empanada, take the UK option and put it in a pie. Mrs Beeton was the household management book of the C.19 and they went nuts for pasta, then new to the UK, and Mrs Beeton has a macaroni pie recipe.

The thing to websearch is 'Scottish macaroni pie' for a thinner, hand-held bite.

>ideally I'm not making mac n cheese separately first.
Try it with and without. The superior product has a careful bechamel base to its cheese sauce. You do you, tho'.
posted by k3ninho at 3:03 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

if there's a Trader Joe's near you, they sell handheld mac n cheese balls. And there are copycat recipes all over the internet.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:09 PM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

See: Kenny Shopsin's mac-and-cheese pancakes
posted by glibhamdreck at 3:13 PM on September 24, 2021 [4 favorites]

2013 blog attempt: Mac and Cheese Cookies Recipe

(The author didn't like their own recipe, but a commenter tried it and loved the result)
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:23 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

They sell frozen mac and cheese wedges that would fit all your criteria.
posted by limeonaire at 3:28 PM on September 24, 2021

Arancini
posted by bradbane at 3:28 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Shortbread without much sugar, with a big whack of dehydrated cheese powder might hit your aim for flavor and ease of prep.
posted by tchemgrrl at 3:31 PM on September 24, 2021

Response by poster: One could pour the box-mix cheese powder on wet styrofoam and think that, aniola.

I have the powder from here. What recipe do I use for the styrofoam? It doesn't have to be pasta.

I am willing to use tuna cans or similar.
posted by aniola at 3:42 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

What recipe do I use for the styrofoam?

Rice cakes, I would think
posted by trig at 3:48 PM on September 24, 2021 [5 favorites]

Best answer: My friend's mom used to make cheese cookies with Rice Krispies in them--I think they might be close to what you're looking for. I don't have her recipe, but I found this one that looks close and seems to have lots of good reviews from people who have actually tried it. (Ignore the name; these are definitely cheese cookies, not crackers.)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:57 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

an example of reduced sugar shortbread, per tchemgrrl's suggestion; use your powder in a glaze, as in that blog's experimental recipe I linked?
Faster, if you're not looking for that noodle-like texture:

Cheesy Drop Biscuits: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper [OR FOIL]. Cut 1 stick of butter into small cubes. Toss butter in a large bowl with 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 cheese packet. (Add more if you want more cheesy flavor.) Use your fingers to mix butter into the flour mixture, until it forms a coarse meal. Pour in 1 cup milk, and stir gently until just combined. Arrange 1/4-cup scoops of the dough on the baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake until lightly browned on top, around 15 minutes.

It's a knockoff Red Lobster biscuit recipe for using up extra Kraft Mac & Cheese packets. I think a packet is about an ounce and a half, which is three tablespoons of your powder.

(Gosh, here's a mac & cheese flavored ice cream recipe -- and it's also a copycat.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:15 PM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

You know how there are internet food people who advocate using mayonnaise instead of butter or oil? Well, there are also internet food people who advocate cooking any sort of starchy food in a waffle iron. Supposedly mac and cheese waffles really well. The key thing about this is that you don’t actually have to make the mac and cheese - find a microwaveable product you like, nuke it, then waffle it.

The other option would be thickening your sauce to the point of solidity, which wouldn’t actually be that hard, because the base of the cheese sauce is a roux, which is a thickener. You just adjust the proportions so that there’s proportionally more roux than milk and cheese. This might take some trial and error, but it should eventually work, especially if you add breadcrumbs.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:31 PM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I'm thinking my next birthday might have to involve that DIY mac n cheese icecream.

There are so many best answers here, and all have given me some excellent starting points. I want to try everything! I marked as best answer the place I'm probably going to start. Except i think I might use beans instead of rice crispies because it's what I have on hand.

If only they made an eco-friendly happy cow version of those mac n cheese wedges! They and the arancini are probably closest to what I had in mind. Multiple of you made approximately that suggestion. Spot on.
posted by aniola at 6:50 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Savory scones are non-sweet quick bread/ biscuits. Man-n-cheese gets yummy flavor and mouthfeel from fat. Use butter, oil, and cheese generously. When you add fat to scones, they start bring muffins, but whatever. This recipe looks good, the dry mustard will bump up the flavor, and add more cheese and fat, and possibly cheese powder.

Sugar affects the texture and behavior of cookies, I think you could make cookies with cheese as a source of fat and flavor; there are cheesecake cookies, do those appeal to you?

I don’t eat dairy, so I can’t really test. I make polenta with pepperoni and green olives and plenty of olive oil when I crave cheesiness. You could make polenta, add cheese, butter/ oil, maybe cheese powder, pour into a pan and let it set, then slice. Not a cookie, but portable. Have fun and please update with results.
posted by theora55 at 6:59 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

What about using tart shells?

I understand that you want this darned simple, so the simplest way to do this would be to start with a package of frozen tart shells and a tray of frozen mac'n'cheese, preferably of some brand that is more than optimally sloppy. If you can't get a brand of pre-made mac'n'cheese that is more than optimally sloppy either you'll need to defrost a bit and add extra cheese sauce.

Cheese sauce is not as hard as it sounds. Depending on the consistency of the the frozen mac'n'cheese you could get away with just adding milk, or you could add sour cream, and possibly some gruyere, or grated cheddar. Or spreadable cheez product of the kind that comes in a jar. The goal is to make it sloppy enough that it doesn't turn dried and nasty while the shell is baking.

Step one: Bake or microwave the tray of mac'n'cheese until it can be stirred
Step two: Arrange the tart shells on a cookie sheet and fill them with spoonfuls of mac'n'cheese
Step three: Add additional sauce if necessary, and some nice grated cheese on top
Bake according to instructions on package of tart shells

Another option if using tart shells might be to make up a big pot of macaroni. Cooked macaroni can be stored in a container in the fridge for a week and used with tomato sauce, put cold into savoury salads, eaten with mayonnaise and apples and walnuts and celery, thrown into a frying pan with fried hamburger, etc. It can also be frozen. To reheat throw it into a pot of boiling water and then drain or just pour lots of boiling water over it in a colander. If you already have the cooked mac, cheese sauce is easy to make with sour cream and grated sharp cheese. If you do this you don't need to start with the tray of frozen mac'n'cheese.
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:04 AM on September 25, 2021