Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups Football Party Recipe (2024)

By: Author Diana Hansen

Posted on Last updated: January 18, 2021

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Food » main dish » Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups

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It’s tailgate season and I have a fantastic new recipe for Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni & Cheese Cups that is perfect for any game day party.

This post was compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups Football Party Recipe (1)

We’ve been watching a lot of football games this season. Our team isn’t having that great of a season, but we’ve been enjoying ourselves anyway. We tailgate at home games and homegatewhile watching the team when they are away. We take turns hosting a football partywith our friends.

Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups Football Party Recipe (2)

Last week was our turn and I created a fun football party tablescape. We had chips and salsa, cupcakes, and peanuts. I purchased the table cover and napkins at the store but created my own food picks. You can decorate for your party with Free Football Party Decorations or Football Team Cupcake Toppers.

Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups Football Party Recipe (3)

I had a request to make macaroni and cheese, but I was quick to dismiss it because finger foods are the easiest. Then I thought that I should bake macaroni and cheese in muffin tins to create a handheld food. Plain old macaroni and cheese seemed boring, so I elevated it with bacon and jalapenos. Party-goers will also enjoy this Football Snack Mix or Pizza Stackers.

I love this simple macaroni and cheese recipe. It is made by boiling evaporated milk with water and elbow macaroni. The cheese is added directly to the pot without draining the liquid off the cooked pasta. This means you do not have to create a roux. I always seem to mess up when making a roux, so I prefer this much easier version.

Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups

Everyone raved about these macaroni cupcakes. They disappeared quickly. My family has been begging me to make it again, which I will at our Opening Day Baseball Party. We love the contrasting flavors of the jalapeno with the bacon and cheese.

Bacon Jalapeno Macaroni and Cheese Cups Football Party Recipe (6)

How do you tailgate or homegate?

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Handheld Mac & Cheese cups are the perfect game day food!

Prep Time45 minutes

Cook Time25 minutes

Additional Time5 minutes

Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound bacon
2+ jalapenos
3 cups water
10 oz evaporated milk
2 cups elbow macaroni
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

Cook the bacon and let it cool.
Chop up the bacon and set it aside.
Using gloves, chop the jalapeno. Make sure to remove the seeds. Set aside.
In a large pot, heat the water until it's hot.
Add the evaporated milk, macaroni, and salt to the water and stir.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
Turn the burner down to medium and cook for 8-9 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is almost gone. Continue to stir frequently.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese until well combined.
Stir in the chopped bacon and jalapeno.
Grease your muffin tin (total of 12 cups) with cooking spray.
Fill each cup with approximately 1/4 cup of the macaroni mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven and let the muffin tins sit for 5 minutes before removing the macaroni cups.
Serve and enjoy.
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

This recipe is easy to double or triple to feed a big crowd.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 403Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1025mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 26g

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