Just when you think macaroni and cheese can’t get any better, enter crispy, fried homemade mac and cheese bites! Filled with creamy, cheesy macaroni noodles, the balls are coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried to extra-crispy perfection. Pro tip: Double the recipe. I guarantee you won’t stop eating these!
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While this blog is mostly dedicated to desserts, I can't help but share some of my favorite savory recipes from time to time, which is why it was a no-brainer to share these crispy fried homemade mac and cheese bites. These fried mac and cheese bites are great if you're hosting a party or get-together or if you're just craving deep-fried comfort food.
This recipe has multiple stages, so you’ll want to plan ahead. But it’s SO good, you won’t regret the time spent on it. I took my creamy stovetop mac and cheese and upgraded it by adding bacon… that’s right, two kinds of cheese and glorious, crispy bacon! Then, I coated them in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried them to extra-crispy perfection!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bacon: These are deep-fried mac and cheese bites with bacon, after all... Feel free to leave it out entirely if you don't eat meat/pork.
- Elbow macaroni: By definition, classic macaroni and cheese should be made with, well, macaroni, a style broadly defined as any short, cylindrical extruded pasta. I prefer elbow macaroni, but you could also use tubes like ziti, penne, or rigatoni, as well as corkscrew shapes like fusilli.
- Bacon grease: For the roux. Using bacon grease imparts a nice smokiness to the mac and cheese; however, if you're making these bacon-free, just use an equal amount of butter instead!
- All-purpose flour: You'll need some for the roux and some to coat the mac and cheese balls in.
- Milk: For the richest flavor and texture, use whole milk.
- Spices: You'll need salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.
- Cheese: You'll need 16 ounces of cheese total. I like using 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese and 8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese; but feel free to swap the cheeses to your preference! Other melty cheeses that would work well include mozzarella, gruyere, provolone, raclette, and fontina.
- Eggs: Just 2 large eggs to coat our mac and cheese bites in.
- Seasoned panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs have a dryer and flakier consistency than regular breadcrumbs, which leads to them absorbing less oil and yielding a lighter and crunchier-tasting fried mac and cheese.
- Vegetable oil: For frying; any neutral oil would work, though. Corn oil, plant oils (canola, sunflower, safflower), and peanut oil are all excellent substitutions.
How to Make Deep-Fried Mac and Cheese Bites
Note: I post my recipes in grams as it’s the most accurate way to bake, and it’s how I develop them. Cups are not only inaccurate, but they vary in volume worldwide! If you look at the recipe card underneath the ingredients list, however, you can click “US Customary” and it’ll convert to volume measures!
Remember to tag me @mikebakesnyc on Instagram and leave a rating + review below if you make these Crispy Fried Homemade Mac and Cheese Bites!
Crispy Fried Homemade Mac and Cheese Bites
Just when you think macaroni and cheese can’t get any better, enter crispy, fried homemade mac and cheese bites! Filled with creamy, cheesy macaroni noodles, the balls are coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried to extra-crispy perfection. Pro tip: Double the recipe. I guarantee you won’t stop eating these!
Servings: 36 bites
Calories: 156kcal
Ingredients
For the Bacon Mac and Cheese:
- 284 g bacon (approx. 14 strips)
- 227 g elbow macaroni
- 30 g bacon grease or unsalted butter see notes
- 16 g all-purpose flour
- 270 ml milk
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 227 g sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 227 g Monterey Jack cheese shredded
For the Breading:
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 180 g seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
To Make the Bacon Mac and Cheese:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, then place the bacon side-by-side on the tray.
- Cook the bacon for 10-15 minutes or until it's reached your desired level of crispiness. Make sure to check on it after about 10 minutes, as some ovens cook faster. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the bacon with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Chop up the bacon and then set aside 2 tablespoons (30g) of the bacon grease, if using.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 7 minutes or per package directions. Drain the noodles, rinse them with cold water, and set aside.
- Add the bacon grease (or butter) to a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux, cooking until bubbly. Add the milk in a thin stream while whisking. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg, then bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and mix in the cheese. Once the cheese is melted, fold in the macaroni and chopped bacon until evenly combined. It should look creamy and thick; if it looks a little soupy, continue cooking over medium heat until it thickens up more. (If your noodles are stuck together, just give them another quick rinse under cold water to loosen them up).
- Spread the bacon mac and cheese evenly into a 9x9-inch baking pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
To Make the Mac and Cheese Bites:
- Once the mac and cheese is firm and congealed, transfer it from the pan to a cutting board. With a long sharp knife, cut the block into 6 even strips vertically, then cut 6 even strips horizontally so you're left with 36 squares of mac. Alternatively, use a cookie scoop to portion out about 2-3 tablespoons at a time and use your hands to shape into balls, compressing slightly. (Your hands will get messy with this method).
- Set up an assembly line. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and onion powder. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs. And in a third small bowl, place your seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Dip a macaroni bite into the flour mixture, shake off any excess, then dip it into the egg, let the excess drip off, and then coat it with the panko breadcrumbs. Place the coated macaroni bite on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and then repeat with the rest of the bites. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer until they're ready to fry.
- Heat at least 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until a thermometer registers 360°F to 370°F (180°C to 190°C).
- Working in batches, gently place 3 to 4 mac and cheese bites into the oil at a time and fry for 4-5 minutes per batch, until golden. Remove the bites with tongs, and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt, serve hot, & enjoy!
Notes
Bacon Grease: You'll use 2 tablespoons (30g) of the bacon grease to make your roux for the mac and cheese. Using bacon grease imparts a nice smokiness, however, if you're making these bacon-free, just use an equal amount of butter instead!
Make-Ahead Instructions: The macaroni and cheese can be made ahead through step 7 and kept in the fridge, covered tightly, for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can make the mac and cheese bites all the way up until they're ready to be fried and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Fry the frozen bites for an extra minute or two; there's no need to thaw!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 bite | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Tag @mikebakesnyc and use the hashtag #mikebakesnyc!
*Originally posted November 18, 2018*
*Recipe, blog post, & photos updated January 10, 2024*
Jennifer
you had me at bacon grease. <3
i will try this recipe, I was about to toss out my bacon grease the other day and decided I could still use it, it deosn't smell spoiled. I will give you a rating once I have made the recipe.
Mike Johnson
Isn't it great when saving that bacon grease pays off? 😄 Can't wait to hear how they turn out for you!
Jessica
Hi there!
Can I make recipe including frying ahead of time and just broil to warm up?
Thanks!
Mike Johnson
Hi! I worry that frying these ahead of time and reheating will cause them to lose their crispy coating and the cheese might get a bit rubbery. However, if you do give it a try, let me know how it turns out! 😊
Rachel
Made these for a party and they were an absolute hit! My husband is lactose-intolerant, so we substituted Lactaid whole milk and Cabot aged (i.e. lactose-free) cheeses. Followed your directions exactly and they came out perfect. We will be making these again!
Mike Johnson
Thanks for sharing your success with these! I'm so glad they worked out well, and I really appreciate you sharing the lactose-free modifications - that's such valuable information for other readers who might need to make similar adjustments. Enjoy making them again!
Andrea S Presser
This might be a good recipe however I'm not seeing how to convert to US metrics. It will not show it for US. I have to move on to another because I am new at this and don't know what to do.
Andrea
Mike Johnson
Hi Andrea! If you look at the recipe card directly underneath the ingredients list, you can click “US Customary” and it’ll convert to volume measures.
Andrea S Presser
No it will not change over. Website issue????
Mike Johnson
I've confirmed with my webhost and the team that handles technical mishaps on the backend of my website that it's not an issue on my end. I would try using a different internet browser (or just purchasing a scale; they're inexpensive and I develop all of my recipes by weight anyways)!
Sue
I’m anxious to try this recipe! Just to clarify, that’s 2 cups of cheddar (about 8 oz.) plus 2 cups Jack (about 8 oz.) yes? I’m only asking because one of your comments was to just use 2 cups cheddar for someone that didn’t want to use 4 cheeses. (?). Not sure where the four cheeses came from.
So, total 1 lb. Cheese for 8 oz. pasta, and 8 oz milk?
Just double checking.
I do measure by metric weights for accuracy,
Thanks! I’m excited to try this!
Mike Johnson
That's correct! This recipe was updated in January 2024 and that comment was referencing the older (less cheesy) version of the recipe 😛
Cat
Made these…awww lawd!!! although I cheated & used last nights left over mac n cheese I had baked they were yummy! Love this!!! I do like mine fried really crispy for that delish crunch so I cooked til dark! I made mine a bit big in size but a lil smaller would have been perfect. Also room temperature premade Mac is best. I added a bit of bacon grease to the stock oil. Moi🥰
Mike Johnson
We love shortcuts with more involved recipes like this! I'd be lying if I said I didn't sometimes make these with store-bought mac 😋
Solana
I just made these with my family and they turned out so great! Thanks for the recipe!
Lori
I am wondering, can you use premade mac and cheese?
Michael Johnson
I haven't tried myself so can't say for sure. I imagine some brands would work perfectly, others not so much!
Amber Bailess
Making them right now! Love your blog and directions are great. Following you now and looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Ani
The recipe sounds great, we're gonna try it on the weekend! 🙂
How many balls do you get with the mentioned amount of ingredients? 🙂
Michael Johnson
It depends on how large you make them! I usually get around 12-14!
Geoff
if you didn't want to go with four cheeses, which would you recommend??
Michael Johnson
It's just personal preference! I would use two cups of cheddar cheese instead, personally.
Mort from Oregon
Could i 'fry' these in my Air Fryer? any suggestions on time and temp? Thanks much. I have some smoked mac & cheese in the freezer.. i will try using this soon..
Michael Johnson
Unfortunately, I've never owned an air fryer to experiment with myself so I'm not much help there I'm afraid! 🙁
Maggie
I love your blog! And these look amazing!
Michael Johnson
Thanks so much!