Get ready for the cheesiest, creamiest Gluten Free Baked Macaroni & Cheese of your life! No dry mac and cheese here--only creamy, dreamy comfort food at its finest.
16oz (454 g)gluten free elbow macaroni(I like Ronzoni)
8oz (227 g)extra sharp cheddar cheese
8oz (227 g)sharp cheddar cheese
8oz (227 g)Velveeta cheese
½cup (113 g)butter
½cup (60 g)cornstarch or arrowroot
4cups (960 ml)milk
1cup (240 ml)heavy cream
1½teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoondry mustard
¼teaspoonpaprika
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a large saucepan filled with salty water (salty like the sea), boil the macaroni 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and rinse and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Spray a large casserole dish (9 by 13 inches or similar) with nonstick spray.
Shred the cheddar cheeses and set aside. Cube the Velveeta cheese and set aside.
Melt the butter in the same large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cornstarch and whisk constantly for one minute. Slowly add the milk, a little bit at a time, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Add the rest of the milk and the cream, followed by all the spices.
Turn the heat up to medium high and allow the sauce to thicken slightly (until it coats the back of a spoon). Turn the heat off and add ⅓ of the shredded cheddar cheese and stir to melt the cheese.
Add the par-cooked macaroni to the sauce and stir to combine. If using, add cubed Velveeta cheese and stir to combine. It doesn't need to be completely melted.
Add about ⅓ to ½ of the noodle/sauce mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan (depending on the size of your pan, you will get either 2 or 3 layers). Top with ⅓ to ½ the remaining shredded cheese. Add the rest of the macaroni and sauce on top of the shredded cheese and top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. You can switch to broil at the end just to brown the cheese and get it nice and bubbly.