Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Set your oven to 375 degrees.

Butter a 3-quart casserole dish and set it aside for later.

Tear the bread into pieces and place them in a medium bowl.

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.

Pour the melted butter from the previous step over the bread pieces and toss to coat; set these breadcrumbs aside for later. In a separate medium saucepan, gently heat the milk over medium heat until it's warm but not boiling.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is bubbling, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, creating a roux.

Slowly pour the warm milk into the roux, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Keep whisking and cooking until the mixture bubbles and becomes noticeably thick, enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Then, add 3 cups of cheddar and 1 1/2 cups of Gruyere, stirring until the cheeses are fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Set this creamy cheese sauce aside.

In a large saucepan, fill it with water and bring it to a rolling boil for the macaroni.

Transfer the cooked macaroni to a colander, rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking, and drain it very well.

Stir the drained macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce, making sure every piece is coated.