Beer Cheese Mac & Cheese with Pretzel Breadcrumbs

Yep - I went there! This Mac of the Month for November is a delightful combination of beer cheese dip with macaroni and to top it all off... a pretzel breadcrumb topping! And if you don't happen to be a fan of pretzels, go ahead and use traditional breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs.

Or forgo the breadcrumbs altogether and just enjoy a really creamy and delicious mac and cheese recipe!

I LOVE those warm, salt pretzel bites you often see on restaurant menus. They're usually served with a beer cheese dip of some sort and it's the perfect combination.

My research tells me beer cheese dip gets its roots in Kentucky.  Oh, and if there are any other Vanderpump Rules fans out there, you'll likely remember "Mamaw's Beer Cheese Dip." I've gotta try that sometime!

The 11th Mac of the Month

My year of Mac's of the Month is almost coming to an end. But don't worry. These recipes will live on forever! And maybe I should do a different recipe of the month for next year...Maybe grilled cheese? What do you think?

I wanted to do something especially cozy and comforting for this time of year. As if mac and cheese could get EVEN cozier and more comforting! But I think this recipe really does it.

Need more recipes with breadcrumbs in your life? Try this next: CREAMY LEMON PASTA WITH GARLICKY BREADCRUMBS

My inspiration for this beer cheese recipe

A lot of different things inspired this recipe.

Pretzels and mustard are one of my favorite snacks. So of course I had to include some mustard in the cheese sauce for mac and cheese. But I went ahead and use not only some grainy mustard, but a bit of plain yellow mustard too! You can also go ahead and use more mustard than what I wrote if you want a more powerful mustard flavor.

This recipe also only uses one type of cheese, but this helps the beer flavor really speak for itself. The taste of beer isn't overpowering, but you DO know it's there, after all, it is called beer cheese!

After all, cheddar and beer are a great combo! I've noticed a lot of beer cheese recipes use a bit of mustard, so I definitely wasn't the first to think of this. But what I haven't seen is a lot of beer cheese mac and cheese recipes! To me, adding noodles to this beer cheese dip just makes sense!

How to make beer cheese mac and cheese with a pretzel breadcrumb topping

1. You'll start by cooking your noodles to package directions, minus one minute, in salted water. You cook them for one minute less because they'll continue to cook a bit in the oven.
2. Preheat your oven to 350F and shred your cheddar cheese.
3. Begin to melt 3 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan on medium heat, careful not to let it burn.
4. Add flour and whisk until combined. Cook 1 minute, whisking occasionally.
5. Add beer, whisking continuously as you pour, eliminating any lumps from the flour mixture.  Slowly add in milk, whisking as you pour.
6. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, for several minutes, until mixture has thickened and is gently bubbling. Stir in mustards, garlic powder, salt, (and cayenne and parsley if using).
7. Turn the heat off and stir well, letting the remaining heat in the pan melt the cheese. This will take a few minutes — be patient!
8. Once the cheese is completely melted into the sauce, pour the sauce into the pot with the noodles, stir well and pour the sauce/macaroni mixture into a serving dish.
9. Place the pretzels in a large Ziploc bag, and crush into breadcrumb-sized pieces using a hard, blunt object. Or pulverize them in a food processor. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and combine with pretzel breadcrumbs. Pour it on top of the macaroni mixture and try to spread evenly. Use more or less pretzels depending on how dense you like the topping. I like to use about 2 handfuls of pretzels.
10. Once the pretzel mixture is placed on top of the macaroni, bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the edges are bubbling, careful not to let the top burn. Cover with tin foil if it's burning or cooking too fast. Serve hot and enjoy!

📖 Recipe

Beer Cheese Mac & Cheese with Pretzel Breadcrumb Topping

This mac and cheese recipe uses a beer cheese dip for the base, and to top it all off you'll add a toasty pretzel breadcrumb topping!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 2.5 cup milk/cream** use cream for a richer sauce, or a combination of milk and cream
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese old/sharp, or your favorite cheese
• ½ cup beer preferably lager
• 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups macaroni noodles measured uncooked

For the Topping

• 2 handfuls*** salted pretzels crushed
• 1 tablespoon butter melted

Optional

• a pinch cayenne
• a pinch parsley

Instructions

 

• Cook noodles in salted water one minute less than package directions and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Grate the cheddar cheese and set aside. Begin to melt 3 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan on medium heat, careful not to let it burn.
• Add flour and whisk until combined. Cook 1 minute, whisking occasionally.  
• Add beer, whisking continuously as you pour, eliminating any lumps from the flour mixture. Slowly pour in milk/cream, whisking as you pour.
• Cook over medium heat, whisking often, for several minutes, until mixture has thickened and is gently bubbling. Stir in mustards, garlic powder, salt, (and cayenne and parsley if using).  

  Turn the heat off and stir well, letting the remaining heat in the pan melt the cheese. This will take a few minutes — be patient!
• Once the cheese is completely melted into the sauce, pour the sauce into the pot with the noodles, stir well.

  Pour the sauce/macaroni mixture into a 2.5 quart baking dish.

For the topping

• Place the pretzels in a large Ziploc bag, and crush into breadcrumb-sized pieces using a hard, blunt object.*
• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and combine with pretzel breadcrumbs. Pour it on top of the macaroni mixture and try to spread evenly.
• Once the pretzel mixture is placed on top of the macaroni, bake in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, careful not to let the top burn. Cover with tin foil if it's cooking too quickly.

  Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

*Don't use anything sharp or it will pierce the bag. 

**I like to use half milk and half cream for a great result. It's okay to just use milk, but be prepared for a slightly less creamy (but still delicious) macaroni and cheese recipe. 

***Use more or less pretzels depending on how dense you want the topping to be

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I'm excited to hear what you think of this one! I don't think you'll find anything else out there quite like it.

XO - Chelsea

Be sure to check out the other Mac's of the Month here.