Kevin’s Christmas Mac & Cheese 🧀

Home Alone 🛩️​

Picture the dark living room lit only by the Christmas tree, the whole house suspiciously quiet… except for you, your tray, and a steaming plate of mac and cheese sitting right in front of the TV just before 9 p.m. It’s the exact iconic Home Alone moment: Kevin finally has the house to himself, sets up the perfect dinner with a bubbling mac and cheese and a big glass of milk, ready to eat in peace, before running off to defend the house. Your mission: finally do justice to the dish he never gets to taste. 🎄

Serves – 2 Big TV‑tray portions
Total time: ~30–35 minutes
Skill level: Beginne

Ingredients

For the pasta

• 200 g / about 7 oz macaroni
• A big pinch of salt for the cooking water

For the cheese sauce

• 30 g / 2 tbsp butter
• 30 g / 1/4 cup flour
• 400 ml / 1 2/3 cups milk
• 120–150 g / 1 1/4–1 1/2 cups grated cheddar (orange if you want the super American look)
• 30 g / 1/4 cup grated parmesan (optional but delicious)
• 1/2 tsp mustard (Dijon or American)
• Salt, black pepper
• A pinch of paprika or nutmeg (optional)

For the topping

• 20–30 g / about 1/4 cup extra grated cheddar
• 1–2 tbsp breadcrumbs (optional, for crunch)
• A little butter for greasing the dish

On the side, to copy the scene:

• 1 big glass of cold milk

Step 1 – Cook the pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente (about 1 minute less than the package time).
3. Drain and set aside in the pot, off the heat.

Step 2 – Make the cheese sauce

1. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the flour and whisk for 1–2 minutes to form a smooth blond roux.
3. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
4. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Take off the heat and stir in the cheddar and parmesan, a handful at a time, until melted and smooth.
6. Season with salt, pepper, mustard, and optionally paprika or nutmeg.

Step 3 – Combine and bake “Kevin style”

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (or use the broiler).
2. Pour the cheese sauce over the drained pasta and stir until every macaroni is coated.
3. Butter a small baking dish (or individual dish that fits nicely on a tray).
4. Transfer the mac and cheese to the dish and smooth the top.
5. Sprinkle with the extra cheddar and breadcrumbs if using.
6. Bake for about 10–12 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling around the edges.

Step 4 – Serve it like in the movie

Let the mac and cheese rest for 2–3 minutes so it’s not lava hot. Place it on a tray with your big glass of milk, napkin, and cutlery. Turn off the lights, keep only the tree or fairy lights on, and hit play on Home Alone. For full immersion, take your first bite right when Kevin checks the clock at 9 p.m. Unlike him, you’ll actually get to enjoy every cheesy forkful before the chaos starts. ✨