{"id":2130,"date":"2026-02-07T08:47:04","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T08:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=2130"},"modified":"2026-02-07T08:47:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T08:47:04","slug":"the-only-way-we-will-make-kraft-mac-cheese-from-now-on-isnt-on-the-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=2130","title":{"rendered":"The Only Way We Will Make Kraft Mac & Cheese From Now on Isn’t on the Box"},"content":{"rendered":"


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When you need an easy meal that satisfies kids and adults alike, a lot of people reach for that blue box of mac and cheese (it even won Best Boxed Mac & Cheese in our past Community Choice Awards!). Making a box of mac and cheese is simple: boil water, cook and drain the noodles, stir in the sauce, and combine everything.\n<\/p>\n

But, a few hacks have popped up that not only make prepping mac and cheese look easier but also make the final dish even more delicious. To see if they work, and if the hacked mac and cheese is as good as they make it out to be, I followed the instructions for three different mac and cheese hacks. Here’s how they rank.\n<\/p>\n

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How We Tested the Boxed Mac and Cheese Upgrades <\/span> <\/h2>\n

To taste if the hacks were indeed better than the original, I first tested a control batch. I prepared the mac and cheese according to the instructions on the box. This involved cooking the pasta for 7 1\/2 minutes, draining it, and then stirring in 4 tablespoons of butter, 1\/4 cup of milk, and the powdered cheese.\n<\/p>\n

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The Best Mac and Cheese Cooking Hacks, Ranked <\/span> <\/h2>\n
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Dotdash Meredith Food Studios<\/p>\n

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3rd Place: One Pot With Non-Dairy Milk and Extra Cheese <\/span> <\/h3>\n

Rachel Mansfield<\/a> gives us The Ultimate Boxed Mac and Cheese Hack<\/a>, which starts with a medium pot. Rachel adds 1 cup of water, 1\/2 cup of non-dairy milk, and 1\/2 tablespoon of butter to the noodles and brings them to a boil. Then she adds the powdered cheese and simmers for 8 minutes. After the noodles are cooked, she adds 1 slice of Cheddar cheese, along with salt and pepper.\n<\/p>\n

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese Hack from Rachel scored behind the plain box of mac and cheese. Adding non-dairy milk alongside powdered cheese, butter, and Cheddar cheese is not only confusing but also entirely unnecessary, since all the other additions contain dairy. Along with not having enough liquid to make the mac and cheese creamy, the non-dairy milk gave the pasta an odd, off-putting flavor in the final dish. Definitely skip this hack.\n<\/p>\n

2nd Place: One Skillet, No Straining, and Added Cream <\/span> <\/h3>\n

TikTok user @_nikkigillespie_ gives us\u00a0her version, which<\/a>\u00a0is the most flexible, as there aren’t any exact instructions. The general “recipe” is to place the dry pasta in a large skillet and add water just until the pasta is covered. You then stir in the powdered cheese and approximately 2 tablespoons of butter. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until creamy. Then, to make it even more delicious, Nikki stirs in heavy cream and more cheese. The amounts aren’t specified, but my guess is I added about 1\/3 cup of cream and 1\/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese.\n<\/p>\n

Nikki’s one-skillet hack deserved its virility on TikTok. It wins for ease since you never have to drain the pasta. Plus, the final mac and cheese is creamy and flavorful from the added cream and extra cheese. If I were to hack this hack, I’d add Gouda or Gruy\u00e8re along with the Cheddar for more depth of flavor.<\/p>\n

1st Place Winner: So Much Cheese (AKA Cream Cheese, Cheddar, and Gouda) <\/span> <\/h3>\n

This hack comes from actress Blake Lively and involves cooking the pasta according to package instructions, then, when making the sauce, adding a splash of whole milk, 1\/3 of a block of cream cheese, and two handfuls of Cheddar and\/or Gouda cheese. I used both.\n<\/p>\n

Hands down, Blake Lively’s mac and cheese<\/a> is the creamiest and most flavorful. The generous addition of cream cheese, Cheddar, and Gouda makes the final product downright decadent. This mac and cheese feels gourmet because of the extra flavor from the Gouda and the creaminess from the cream cheese. If you served it with toasted breadcrumbs on top, you could almost get away with claiming you made it from scratch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n