Craig Melvin’s Mom’s Over-the-Top Mac & Cheese Recipe

“This is the official side dish of our family,” says Craig Melvin. “It’s the stuff of legend.” Let us be crystal clear: This recipe is not healthy. It’s probably about 5,000 calories a serving (don’t quote us on that). It uses two forms of milk, three different types of cheese (if you consider Velveeta a cheese), and a whole lotta butter. Needless to say, it’s the first dish to go at Thanksgiving — or any gathering. Craig’s mom, Betty Jo, says eggs are the “secret ingredient” that holds everything together and makes this super-comforting dish somehow even more comforting.

Craig’s Mom’s Over-the-Top Mac & Cheese

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes

Inactive time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Softened butter, for the baking pan

Salt

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 stick (4 ounces) salted butter, cubed, at room temperature

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs, beaten

1 8-ounce block processed cheese product, such as Velveeta, broken up into small chunks

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook to al dente according to the package directions. 

Drain the elbows and transfer to a large bowl. Add the butter and stir until the butter is completely melted and the elbows are evenly coated. 

Add the evaporated milk, whole milk, and eggs and stir until well combined. Add the Velveeta, 1½ cups of the sharp cheddar, and 1½ cups of the mild cheddar and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup (55 g) of sharp cheddar and ½ cup (55 g) of mild cheddar evenly over the top.

Bake until the cheese is crispy and deep golden brown and bubbling around the edges, about 45 minutes.

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Excerpted from the book Today Loves Food: Recipes From America’s Favorite Kitchen by Emi Boscamp, Katie Stilo, Debbie Cohen Kosofsky, and the Today Show Family and Friends. Photographs © 2025 by Johnny Miller. Published by Abrams.