• Home
  • Mac and Cheese
  • Grilled Cheese
  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Desserts & Baking
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food

  • Home
  • Mac and Cheese
  • Grilled Cheese
  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Desserts & Baking
  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Cornflake Topping

January 31, 2021 by Chelsea Kram – XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food Leave a Comment

creamy chipotle mac and cheese with a cornflake topping and green onionsI had a can of chipotle sauce and some Cornflakes to use up, and the only logical solution was to create this creamy chipotle mac and cheese with a cornflake topping. And let me tell you…I’m glad I did!

It’s no secret that creamy mac and cheese is my favorite kind. Of course, I would never turn down the “drier” varieties. But something about an aaaalmost (but not quite) soupy mac and cheese just does it for me. After all, the best part of any mac and cheese recipe is the sauce, so the more sauce the better if you ask me! 

Jump to Recipe

Creamy chipotle mac and cheese: important notes

baked mac and cheese with chipotle sauce and cornflakes close up

The smokiness of the chipotle and the crunch of the Cornflakes elevates this mac and cheese to whole new levels, It’s easy to make it all on the stove top, and you just finish it off by popping it in the oven for 20 minutes. There’s really nothing quite like it. 

Before we get into the details, we need to talk about the chipotle that makes this “chipotle mac and cheese.” 

A note on chipotle paste/sauce

I use this exact can of chipotle sauce for this recipe:

It’s incredibly important to note it is NOT the same as chipotle peppers in adobo sauce!  You can find chipotle sauce in the aisle with the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but they are not the same thing.

I use two tablespoons of chipotle sauce for this recipe. HOWEVER, if you can only find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and NOT canned chipotle sauce, you can use about 1/2 to one tbsp. of chipotles in adobo sauce instead. Start small, and add more once you taste test the sauce. You can also do this with chipotle paste. 

If you use a whole chipotle pepper, make sure it’s diced very small or even pureed so you get the same consistency. 

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here’s what else you need!

Chipotle mac and cheese ingredients

  • Sharp/old cheddar (shredded from the block)
  • Monterey jack cheese (shredded from the block)
  • Whole milk and cream
  • Butter (for the roux and for the Cornflake topping)
  • Flour
  • Canned chipotle sauce
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Macaroni noodles
  • Green onions (this is optional, but they taste great on top!)

How to

You’ll begin by boiling the macaroni noodles according to package directions, MINUS one minute (they’ll cook a bit more in the oven). Drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F. 

Grate the cheddar cheese and monterey jack cheese (don’t use pre-shredded cheese — here’s why)

In a large sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour and let it cook for another minute and it will form a paste. Now, slooowly pour in the milk and cream, about a quarter of it at a time. Make sure you whisk well each time and let it thicken. Add the chipotle sauce, garlic powder, and salt. 

Once the mixture has thickened and comes to a gentle boil, turn off the heat. Add the cheeses, and let the remaining heat in the sauce melt the cheese while you gently stir (this stops it from getting stringy). 

When the cheese is melted and the sauce looks creamy and smooth, add the cooked noodles and mix.

Grease an 8×8 baking dish with butter, and pour the macaroni in. At this point, it will look very liquidy. When it bakes, it thickens up. BUT this is a very creamy mac and cheese. If you prefer your chipotle mac and cheese on the drier side, I would recommend adding another half a cup of noodles. 

Melt another tablespoon of butter in the microwave, then mix it with the Cornflakes. Sprinkle this mixture over the mac and cheese, then pop the dish in the oven. Baked at 350F for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly around the edges. 

creamy chipotle mac and cheese with a cornflake topping and green onions

Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Cornflake Topping

Chelsea Kram – XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food
This ultra-creamy chipotle mac and cheese is so smoky and delicious, and it's topped with crunchy Cornflakes for an extra something special.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Servings 4
Calories 839 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5* cups macaroni measured dry, see notes
  • 2 tbsp butter for the roux
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp canned chipotle sauce (see notes!)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup sharp cheddar shredded
  • 1.5 cup monterey jack shredded

Cornflake Topping

  • 1 tbsp butter melted in the microwave
  • 1 cup Cornflakes

Instructions
 

  • Boil the macaroni noodles according to package directions, MINUS one minute (they'll cook a bit more in the oven). Drain and set aside.
    Preheat the oven to 350F. 
    Grate the cheddar cheese and monterey jack cheese.
  • In a large sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter.
    Whisk in the flour and let it cook for another minute and it will form a paste. Slowly pour in the milk and cream, about a quarter of it at a time. Make sure you whisk well each time and let it thicken. 
    Add the chipotle sauce, garlic powder, and salt. 
  • Once the mixture has thickened and comes to a gentle boil, turn off the heat.
    Add the cheeses, and let the remaining heat in the sauce melt the cheese while you gently stir (this stops it from getting stringy). Taste test the sauce at this point and add more chipotle sauce if you want it spicier.
    When the cheese is melted and the sauce looks creamy and smooth, add the cooked noodles and mix.
  • Grease an 8x8 baking dish with butter, and pour the macaroni in.
    Melt another tablespoon of butter in the microwave, then mix it with the Cornflakes. Sprinkle this mixture over the mac and cheese, then pop the dish in the oven.
    Bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes on the middle rack, or until the cheese is bubbly around the edges. 

Notes

It's incredibly important to note it is NOT the same as chipotle peppers in adobo sauce! You can find chipotle sauce in the aisle with the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but they are not the same thing. If you can only find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and NOT canned chipotle sauce, you can use about 1/2 to one tbsp. of chipotles in adobo sauce instead. Start small, and add more once you taste test the sauce. You can also do this with chipotle paste. 
If you use a whole chipotle pepper, make sure it's diced very small or even pureed so you get the same consistency. 
  • This is a very creamy mac and cheese. If you prefer mac and cheese that's "drier" you can use two cups of noodles instead of 1.5.

Nutrition

Calories: 839kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 30gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 37gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 979mgPotassium: 316mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2481IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 742mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Wow, it feels good to share another mac and cheese recipe with you guys! It’s been a year since 2019’s Mac of the Month run ended, and this chipotle mac and cheese was the perfect next choice. Hope you love it as much as I do!

XO,

Chelsea

PS. If you have leftover Cornflakes, you can use them up with this vegetarian wife saver casserole! 

PPS. Can we connect on Instagram? Find me here and tell me it was this post that sent you! 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

You Might Also Enjoy

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Mac and Cheese Tagged With: chipotle, mac and cheese, Mac and Cheese Recipes

Previous Post: « My-Go to Vegan Carrot and Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Next Post: No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Protein Balls with Almond Butter »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

  • Home
  • Mac and Cheese
  • Grilled Cheese
  • Appetizers
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Desserts & Baking
  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Search XO&So…

Chelsea | XO&So

Chelsea | XO&So

Hi! I'm Chelsea. I created XO&So to share my vegetarian comfort food recipes in hopes they'll bring you comfort, too! My full-time gig is writing, but my heart belongs in the kitchen (or with my two pups!).

View Full Profile →

Don’t Miss This!

Subscribe to get a free eCookbook with 7 Meatless Monday Dinner Recipes

* indicates required

Fan Favorite Recipes

Spicy Honey Garlic Tofu Bites
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing WITHOUT Raw Anchovies
Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese with Honey & Spice
The Best Crispy Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites EVER
Baked Goat Cheese Dip Appetizer: Your New Favorite Recipe!
My Favorite Dutch Baby Puff Pancake Recipe

Recent Posts

  • Vanilla and Lemon Dutch Baby Puff Pancake
  • No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Protein Balls with Almond Butter
  • Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Cornflake Topping
  • My-Go to Vegan Carrot and Cauliflower Soup Recipe
  • Cardamom, Pear, and Oatmeal Muffins

Copyright © 2021 XO&So on the Foodie Pro Theme

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.