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Smoky BBQ Bacon Mac and Cheese

Smoky BBQ Bacon Mac and Cheese

Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
50 mins
Servings:
12

Flavors Used:

Smoky Barrel BBQ

This might be some of the best mac and cheese you’ve ever had! We’re starting with cavatappi pasta and loading it up with a rich, extra-creamy cheese sauce, sweet red jalapeños, crispy bacon, and Pappy Dan Sprinkles Smoky Barrel BBQ. Made with real smoke from 15-year Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels, Pappy Dan Sprinkles brings deep smoky BBQ flavor, subtle sweetness, and charred-oak character that takes this mac and cheese to a whole new level. Then we finish it with a crunchy bacon and Cheez-It topping and bake it until hot, bubbly, and crispy around the edges.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Pappy Dan Sprinkles Smoky Barrel BBQ
  • 2 lbs cavatappi pasta
  • Salt, for pasta water
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 red jalapeños, diced
  • 8 oz medium cheddar cheese, cut into pieces
  • 8 oz mild cheddar cheese, cut into pieces
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cut into pieces
  • 4 oz goat cheese
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 cups Cheez-It crackers, crushed

Preparation Instructions

  1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatappi and cook until al dente, leaving it slightly undercooked since the pasta will continue cooking in the cheese sauce and oven. Drain and set aside.
  2. Cook the Bacon and Make the Topping: Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside, reserving the rendered bacon grease. Once cooled slightly, finely chop the bacon into small crumbles. Crush the Cheez-It crackers and combine them with the bacon. Set the topping aside.
  3. Sauté the Jalapeños: Return the hot pasta pot to the stove and add the butter. Add the diced red jalapeños and cook for about 1 minute, just until they begin to soften.
  4. Make the Cheese Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream, then add the medium cheddar, mild cheddar, cream cheese, Velveeta, and goat cheese. Reduce the heat to low and stir frequently until the cheeses slowly melt into a smooth, creamy sauce. Keep the heat low to prevent the cheese from burning.
  5. Add the Bacon Grease and Seasoning: Stir the reserved bacon grease into the cheese sauce, followed by the Pappy Dan Sprinkles Smoky Barrel BBQ. Mix until evenly incorporated.
  6. Thin the Sauce: Pour in the whole milk and stir until the sauce is smooth and slightly thinner. The extra liquid will help the al dente pasta finish cooking while soaking up all that cheesy flavor.
  7. Combine the Pasta and Cheese: Add the drained cavatappi to the cheese sauce. Gently fold the pasta into the sauce until evenly coated, being careful not to break up the noodles.
  8. Assemble the Mac and Cheese: Transfer the mac and cheese to a disposable half-size foil pan or similar baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the bacon and Cheez-It mixture evenly over the top.
  9. Bake Covered: Cover tightly with foil and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
  10. Finish Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the mac and cheese is hot and bubbly and the topping is golden and crispy.
  11. Serve: Serve hot while it’s creamy, cheesy, smoky, and crispy on top. Yum Yum Get Ya Sum!
Smoky Barrel BBQ Mac and Cheese Side Dish

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