Southwestern Mac & Cheese Muffins
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Southwestern mac & cheese muffins will be loved by both your buddies & your toddler. These “muffins” are made from macaroni and cheese and spiced up with taco seasoning.
You all know I love macaroni and cheese.
I don’t care, I’ll say it loud and proud. I LOVE MAC & CHEESE. Any mac & cheese. Cold mac & cheese. Fancied up mac and cheese. Mac & cheese out of a box. I’ll take it all.
I may have a few (!) mac and cheese recipes on my website. Keep reading for more…
Fun little mac & cheese “muffins” can be eaten with your hands. They taste like a combination of mac & cheese and tacos. It’s really quite amazing. Dangerously so.
Because these little bites of heaven can be eaten with your hands, they are perfect for feeding your picky toddler. You can almost hear the gears turning in their heads, “Mom’s letting me eat macaroni and cheese with my fingers?” Oh, yes, she is! Go for it, kiddo.
I use Annie’s Mac & Cheese because I know I can be confident in the all-natural ingredients in the box. Served with a side of fruits and veggies, of course!
Don’t be worried that these are difficult to make. If you can make boxed mac and cheese, you can handle this. Simply prepare a box of mac and cheese, boosted by taco seasoning and extra cheddar cheese. Spoon the mac and cheese into greased muffin tins, sprinkle each with mixture of cheddar crackers, mixed with a little butter, and pop them in the oven. So easy!
If you are worried about the spice being too much for your child, leave it out or reduce it, but really, they aren’t super spicy. They’ll be much less Southwestern if you leave the taco seasoning out completely, so I recommend putting at least a little bit in.
PS: Make sure to season these cuties with homemade taco seasoning! Or try these pizza mac and cheese muffins!
Love mac and cheese as much as I do?
I warned you, I love mac and cheese! Try a few more of my favorites:
- Instant Pot mac and cheese
- Slow cooker mac and cheese (perfect for a crowd)
- Copycat Panera mac and cheese (a one pan recipe)
- Microwave mac and cheese
- Green chile baked mac and cheese
- Macaroni and cheese pizza with bacon and green onions
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ingredients
- 1 six-ounce box of Macaroni and Cheese (I use [Annie’s reduced-sodium variety]
- 1 1/2 teaspoons [taco seasoning]
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup [Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies] or other cheddar cracker, crushed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 12 muffin tins with non-stick spray.
- Prepare macaroni and cheese as directed on box, except stir in taco seasoning in addition to the cheese powder. Once prepared, remove from burner and stir in grated cheddar cheese.
- Meanwhile, combine crushed Cheddar Bunnies and melted butter in a small bowl.
- Spoon macaroni and cheese mixture evenly into prepared muffin tins. Top with Cheddar Bunny/butter mixture.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 17-20 minutes or until brown around the edges. Let cool at least 5 minutes before removing from muffin tins.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Verdict: Amazing. If I said things like “amazeballs,” that would be completely appropriate here.
Husband’s take: He is obsessed with these Southwestern mac and cheese muffins.
Changes I would make: None!
Difficulty: Easy!
This post is NOT sponsored by Annie’s Homegrown. All opinions, as always, are my own.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Love the idea of using taco mix along with mac n cheese. Must try soon!
Laurie {SimplyScratch} says
Rachel these look so easy and fun! And I’m all over that crusty top!
Erika @ The Hopeless Housewife says
This looks so fantastic, wonderful comfort food!
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health says
i love mac and cheese for that extra crust on the top – love it!!!
Bree {Skinny Mommy} says
How creative are you?! I think my kids would go crazy for these things!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Bree! To be honest, my kid loves mac & cheese but she didn’t like these (although if I had given them to her two days in a row, she probably would have eaten them the second day). She’s a total weirdo. Today she chowed down jicama with hummus. I’m not complaining!
Ashley says
I’m a total mac and cheese addict. Ever since having my kids, I swear I cannot go a week without it. Going to have to give these a try because you know I have like 10 boxes of Annie’s in the pantry. :)
Rachel Gurk says
If there is less than 10 boxes in the pantry, it is considered an emergency. ;)
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
These mac and cheese muffins are soooo fun! Way to jazz up the classic!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
I love mac and cheese muffins and the more spice, the better! Love these, Rachel!
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
This is awesome, Rach! I love baked mac and cheese because of the crusty top and edges. The topping is genius too!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks! I’m a crusty edges/top girl myself! It’s the best.
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
I love Annie’s mac and cheese (it helped me get through college, ha)! What a fun way to mix it up!
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats says
My son would love these!! so cute rachel!!
Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste says
Oh my heavens! These cheesy cups of goodness look so incredible, Rachel!
Ali | Gimme Some Oven says
These are absolutely adorable! And I love Annie’s!
Sues says
I love Annie’s (so much better than any other brand)! These look awesome and I would totally take a few to work for lunch :)
Rachel Gurk says
I love Annie’s too! These would make a great work lunch :)
Cookin Canuck says
My kids would totally dig these mini mac ‘n cheese muffins. Fun idea!