Mac and Cheese Muffins make a perfect lunch box treat that kids love! Made with macaroni and cheese, some added veggies, and a buttery crumble, these Mac and Cheese muffins make a great healthy lunch or even are perfect for parties!
Looking for More Healthy Lunch Ideas? Check out Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins, Homemade Granola Bars, and Veggie Wrap for Kids.
My little girl loves her Mac and Cheese. Okay, obsessed is more like it. She would eat Homemade Mac and Cheese every single day if I let her and would probably NEVER get sick of it.
Can you blame her? How can pasta and cheese be a bad thing?
In fact, she often begs me to pack a thermos of mac and cheese for her for school. Whenever I do so, I am like a superhero in her eyes.
But after I played around with her favorite school lunch recipe, I suddenly went from superhero to superstar (and in her book that is WAY cooler!!), when I created her Mac and Cheese Muffins!
Mac and Cheese Muffins
Mac and Cheese Muffins is essentially mac and cheese in a hand held portable muffin.
These simple Mac and Cheese Muffins are easy to make, kid approved, perfect for nut free school lunches, freeze great, AND happen to have some hidden veggies in packed in them!
Macaroni and cheese muffins are not only easy, but with the addition of pumpkin puree, they are also a great way to get in veggies in your kids. Just like my Bean Burritos and Veggie Tostadas, pumpkin puree blends perfectly into this recipe. I believe in telling my kids that veggies are in their food, but your secret is safe with me!!
Ingredients for Mac and Cheese Muffins
- Prepared Macaroni and Cheese–use your favorite store bought mix, Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, or One Pot Mac and Cheese. Because these muffins add in pumpkin puree which is orange, I suggest using traditional style boxed mac and cheese, so that the pumpkin will blend in better to the orange pasta. Meaning, white mac and cheese may not hide the pumpkin well!
- Pumpkin Puree–100% pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling! You can also use equal parts carrot or sweet potato puree in place of the pumpkin puree.
- Egg–to bind the muffins together.
- Topping–It is optional, but adding a topping made from panko bread crumbs, butter, and shredded cheese, takes these Mac and Cheese Muffins over the top.
How to Make Macaroni and Cheese Muffins
- Prepare your favorite mac and cheese recipe. This recipe calls for 4 cups of prepared macaroni and cheese, which is one box of mac and cheese or about half most homemade mac and cheese recipes.
- Mix together an egg and pumpkin puree and then add to the mac and cheese and mix to combine.
- Scoop 1/4 cup of the mac and cheese mixture into muffin tin that has been greased or lined with silicone muffin liners.
- If using a topping, combine the panko with shredded cheese and melted butter until just combined.
- Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of the topping.
- Bake the muffins until set and the topping is browned.
- Let the muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin.
How to Freeze Mac and Cheese Muffins
These easy macaroni and cheese muffins freezer perfectly. Making them the perfect thing to meal prep for school lunches or for toddler snack time.
To Freeze these muffins:
- Allow muffins to cool completely.
- Place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1 hour)
- Place individually frozen muffins into a freezer bag.
- Store in freezer for up to 3 months.
- Grab a couple muffins from the freezer in the morning and pack in lunch–the muffins will defrost by lunch time. OR heat individually in microwave for 1-2 minutes.
How to Pack Mac and Cheese Muffins for School Lunches
- Remove Macaroni and Cheese Muffin from freezer and place into a lunch container in the refrigerator the night before taking to school.
- Pack with an ice pack OR heat muffins until warm and place in a thermos.
More Healthy Lunch Box Recipes
Mac and Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 cups prepared macaroni and cheese
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg beaten
Topping (Optional)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin pan or line with silicone muffin liners.
- Prepare homemade OR boxed macaroni and cheese per directions. Allow pasta to cool slightly.
- Mix together the egg and pumpkin puree together and then stir into prepared mac and cheese.
- Scoop into prepared muffin tin by 1/4 cup measurements.
- To prepare the topping, mix together the cheese, breadcrumbs, and butter until just combined. Sprinkle evenly over the top of each muffin.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until muffins set.
- Cool for 15 minute before removing from the muffin tin.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Allow muffins to cool completely.
- Place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1 hour)
- Place individually frozen muffins into a freezer bag.
- Store in freezer for up to 3 months.
- Grab a couple muffins from the freezer in the morning and pack in lunch--the muffins will defrost by lunch time. OR heat individually in microwave for 1-2 minutes and store in thermos for school lunches.
These are fabulous! The pumpkin adds such a great flavor without being overpowering, this is a keeper!
I am so glad you enjoyed! My daughter just took some of these in her school lunch today!
Such a fun kid friendly recipe mine love!!
YAY Justine! So glad you kids enjoy!
This is a fun twits on mac & cheese. Our family always loves to add peas to our dish.
My kids love peas–but on the side if I added them to the the mac and cheese muffins, they may protest. You have great eaters 😉
When the recipe calls for a “scrambled egg”, do you mean raw and beaten, or actually scrambled as in cooked?
Hi Mel, I need to edit that so it makes clear sense–I mean a raw egg, beaten. Enjoy!
Kristen-
We had an “accident” in our Garden and one of our pumpkins got cracked open. The kids decided they needed to cut it open and check it out. In their dissection they tried a little and decided they liked it!
These will be a perfect addition to our lunch menu!
Thanks for the recipe!
Michelle
Michelle, I love that you created a science experiment out of a cracked pumpkin. Having fun with cooking, is the way most kids will try just about anything.
Love the idea of adding pumpkin to mac & cheese. My son is a huge fan as well. I’ve got to try the muffin format as well. Thanks! Found your post on #SaucySaturdays
Yea. So happy you found me. I will have to check out your blog as well. And I hope you give these muffins a try
Kristen,
What a great idea–fun and healthy at the same time.
And being a superstar in your kid’s eyes–priceless.
Thanks!
So true Kirsten, nothing beats being their super-hero!
Kristen – what a BRILLIANT idea these little pumpkin enriched, mac and cheese cupcakes are! My not-so-little girl is obsessed with mac and cheese too and she would be in mac and cheese heaven if I made these for her! So fun too!
They are great for big and little kids for sure (and picky husbands too!)