Baked Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups elbow macaroni
• 0.25 cups butter
• 0.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups milk
• 1 pound shredded Cheddar cheese
• 0.25 cups butter , melted
• 1 sleeve buttery round crackers , crushed

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain well.

3. 3

   Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Turn off the heat and stir in Cheddar cheese, in batches, until cheese is melted. Add macaroni and stir to coat.

5. 5

   Pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter and crushed crackers together in a bowl; scatter evenly over macaroni mixture.

6. 6

   Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.