Fried Mac and Cheese Bites
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These Fried Mac and Cheese Bites are coated in Doritos so they’re crispy on the outside and creamy inside. They’re a fabulous party appetizer appetizer, plus a great way to use up leftover mac and cheese!
If you’ve ever wanted to transform mac and cheese into a new dish, then look no further! These Mac and Cheese Bites always get rave reviews with their creamy center and crunchy Doritos crust.
They’re absolutely irresistible as a party appetizer with a dipping sauce such as salsa or guacamole. So much better than the usual shake and bake or tater tots!
How to Make Fried Mac and Cheese Bites
To make it, start by preparing the mac and cheese itself on the stovetop. If you have leftover mac and cheese, you can skip this step.
Spread it out on a baking sheet line with parchment. Then freeze for 2 hours to harden, which will ensure smooth frying later on.
Cut the frozen mac and cheese into bite size pieces and bread them using a combination of flour, egg and Doritos. Lastly, deep fry at 325°F for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy.
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Fried Mac and Cheese Bites
Ingredients
Mac and Cheese
- 8 ounces elbow pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk, hot milk recommended
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Crust
- 2 cups Doritos, any flavor, crushed
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups flour
Instructions
Mac and Cheese
- Bring water to a boil and cook elbow pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted completely, add the flour and whisk until combined and starting to bubble.
- Add 1/4 cup of milk to the pan, whisking continuously. The mixture will start to bubble and thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon, at which point add another 1/4 cup milk. Continue adding milk and whisking until you have used all the milk and the sauce is thickened.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheese and stir with a spoon to combine. It should have a custard-like consistency. (If too thin, add more cheese.)
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir until fully coated.
- Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the mac and cheese onto the parchment and spread to 1/2-inch thickness using a spatula. Place in the freezer for 2 hours to harden.
Frying
- Pulverize the Doritos, either using a food processor or by placing in a ziptop bag and pounding with a mallet or rolling pin. They should resemble a coarse powder when done.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and cut the mac and cheese into 2-inch squares or triangles.
- Add 2 inches of oil to a deep fryer or medium saucepan and preheat to 325°F.
- Place 3 shallow bowls on a work surface. Place the flour into the first bowl, the beaten egg into the second and the crusted Doritos into the third.
- Dredge 4-5 pieces in flour, then egg and finally the Doritos before placing in the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Then remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Repeat for the remaining pieces and serve warm.
Notes
- Make Ahead: These are best served right away, but you can make them up to 2 hours ahead of time and store on a wire rack to stay crispy until serving.
Please read our nutrition disclaimer.
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Can you freeze them after you dip them into the egg flour and chip but not deep fried?.
Hi Terrie, Yes you can freeze them before deep frying, but note that frying time will be a bit longer. Thanks and good luck!
Will need to try and make this
Hi Terrie, Thanks for your review. They’re pretty irresistible. Let me know how they turn out!
Can we bake the dorito Mac and cheese bites instead of deep fry??
Hi Mx, Yes you can bake them at 375 degrees. Let me know how it goes!
Tastes amazing