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Baked Mac and Cheese with Applewood Smoked Bacon

A generous roux-based cheese sauce, applewood-smoked bacon, and a buttered panko crust make this baked macaroni rich and creamy with a crisp finish.
A scoop of creamy elbow macaroni and applewood bacon sits beneath a browned panko crust.

Baked macaroni can lose moisture while the top browns, so this version starts with a loose sauce made from a butter-and-flour roux, whole milk, and evaporated milk. Applewood-smoked bacon adds savory depth, while buttered panko browns under a brief broil at the end.

Start with a loose sauce

Baking gives the macaroni more time to absorb its sauce than a stovetop finish, so the roux-based mixture should look more fluid than the texture you want on the plate. Whole milk and evaporated milk keep the cheddar-fontina sauce rich while giving it enough moisture to bake without turning chalky.

Build the base gently

A short cook for the flour removes its raw taste while preserving a pale roux that lets the cheese define the flavor. Whisking the warmed milks in gradually helps the sauce stay smooth, and taking the pan off the heat before adding cheese keeps it from becoming grainy.

Macaroni and crisp bacon are folded through a loose cheddar-fontina sauce before baking.
Creamy cheese sauce coats the macaroni and crisp bacon before the casserole is topped.

Let the bacon season the sauce

Rendering the bacon first leaves a little smoky fat in the skillet for the roux, tying the sauce to the meat without making it greasy. Folding most of the crisp pieces into the macaroni gives the bacon flavor throughout, while the reserved pieces keep their texture for the finish.

Brown the crumbs at the end

The panko goes on raw after it is tossed with melted butter, so it can toast while the cheese sauce heats through. A short broil supplies the final color quickly; stay nearby because the fine crumbs can go from golden to scorched in moments.

Golden panko crumbs cover creamy macaroni with applewood bacon visible at the bubbling edge.
A browned panko top gives way to creamy cheddar-fontina macaroni and bacon.

Serve while creamy

A brief rest lets the bubbling sauce settle enough for a clean scoop without leaving time for the pasta to dry out. Add the reserved bacon after broiling so its smoky, crisp edges contrast with the creamy center.

Baked Mac and Cheese with Applewood Smoked Bacon

6 servings
60 minutes total

Ingredients

  • •  12 oz elbow macaroni
  • •  6 oz applewood-smoked bacon
  • •  7 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • •  3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • •  2 cups whole milk, warmed
  • •  1 cup evaporated milk, warmed
  • •  8 oz sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
  • •  4 oz fontina, freshly shredded
  • •  1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • •  1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • •  1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • •  1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • •  1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Method

  1. Heat the oven and butter the dish

    Set a rack in the center and heat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tbsp of the measured butter.

    Look for: The oven is fully preheated and the dish has a thin, even butter coating.

  2. Cook the macaroni

    Boil the macaroni in well-salted water, using 1 tsp of the measured kosher salt, until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain it well.

    Look for: The elbows are flexible but still have a firm, pale center when bitten.

  3. Render the bacon

    Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook it in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and its fat has rendered; transfer it to paper towels and leave 1 tbsp fat in the skillet.

    Look for: The bacon is deeply browned at the edges and the skillet holds about 1 tbsp rendered fat.

  4. Cook the roux

    Return the skillet to medium-low heat and melt 4 tbsp butter with the rendered bacon fat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until the roux is smooth and lightly nutty.

    Look for: The flour is fully moistened and the roux smells lightly toasted without browning deeply.

  5. Make the loose cheese sauce base

    Gradually whisk in the warmed whole milk and evaporated milk, then add Dijon, smoked paprika, black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer gently until the sauce lightly coats a spoon but still flows freely.

    Look for: The sauce is smooth and pourable, with no floury taste or dry roux lumps.

  6. Melt in the cheeses

    Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the cheddar and fontina by handfuls until smooth. Fold in the drained macaroni and most of the bacon, keeping the sauce visibly loose around the pasta.

    Look for: The cheese is fully melted and the pasta is generously coated rather than dry or clumped.

  7. Add the unbaked crumb topping

    Spoon the macaroni into the buttered dish. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter, toss it with the panko breadcrumbs, and scatter the crumbs evenly over the top without pre-toasting them.

    Look for: The panko is lightly coated with butter and forms an even layer across the macaroni.

  8. Bake, broil, and rest

    Bake at 350 F until bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes, then broil for about 2 minutes until the panko is deeply golden. Rest for 5 minutes and scatter the reserved bacon over the top.

    Look for: The edges bubble, the panko is browned but not scorched, and the sauce settles while resting.