

- CRACKER BARREL FROZEN MACARONI AND CHEESE SHARP CHEDDAR CRACKER
- CRACKER BARREL FROZEN MACARONI AND CHEESE SHARP CHEDDAR MAC
Cook the pasta just a little bit less than you would otherwise, and let the cheese sauce and the macaroni both cool completely before combining.
CRACKER BARREL FROZEN MACARONI AND CHEESE SHARP CHEDDAR MAC
If you want to make it in advance, the mac and cheese can be assembled and will keep in the fridge for two days. This is also a good idea if you’re making the dish to bring to a potluck or you’re making it in advance to reheat later. Then bake (don’t broil) in the oven until the cheese sprinkled on top is browning. If you don’t have a large enough cast-iron skillet, you can make the cheese sauce in a regular pan and then combine the sauce and noodles in a casserole dish.

It’s also sometimes coated with preservatives to keep it from sticking, which means it won’t melt as easily. By weight, the pre-shredded cheese is more expensive and not quite as flavorful. If you can, buy the Colby cheese as a block and grate it instead of buying pre-shredded cheese.

CRACKER BARREL FROZEN MACARONI AND CHEESE SHARP CHEDDAR CRACKER
It is a little unusual that the copycat Cracker Barrel mac and cheese uses only Colby cheese when most mac and cheese recipes call for cheddar or a blend of cheeses. The ingredients are simple, and the recipe doesn’t take long at all, but it does require your focus and attention for a couple of minutes while the sauce comes together timing and constant whisking are essential to avoid lumps. And it creates some kind of alchemy when used as the base for creamy sauces. A roux is nothing more than fat (usually butter) and flour whisked together until it has a pale, almost whipped texture. The French part is true, but when I finally learned exactly what it was, it was ridiculously simple. That’s because I didn’t actually know what you did to make it, just that it was called for in cream sauces and sounded very French and quite complicated. I used to find the whole idea of making a “roux” intimidating. This recipe replicates their mac and cheese in its simple, gooey excellence. It’s also surprisingly simple to make at home. (Why it’s a “side” and not an entrée is a little baffling-who doesn’t want more mac and cheese?) Other secret ingredient: the million little tweaks a home cook has made over the years to perfect it), if we’re talking eating out, there is no restaurant whose macaroni and cheese I love more than Cracker Barrel’s. It’s true that a really good family recipe for homemade mac and cheese can be amazing (secret ingredient: love. Like the restaurant, it isn’t flashy, it isn’t trendy, or complicated-but it’s timeless. At a chain well known for its quirky, old-fashioned atmosphere and gold-standard American comfort food, this dish is one of the classics. Cracker Barrel mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, simple and delicious.
