Tinis Mac and Cheese Recipe: Viral TikTok Version

Tini’s mac and cheese broke the internet with over 90 million views — not because it’s complicated, but because it pulls. The technique, credited to TikTok creator Tineke Younger, layers pasta and cheese so every bite stretches into that signature molten string. Home cooks have since turned it into a make-ahead holiday staple, with food bloggers publishing adaptations that stay true to the original 2.5-pound cheese load.

Pasta: 1 lb cavatappi · Mozzarella: 1 lb shredded · Colby Jack: 1 lb shredded · Cheddar: 1/2 lb sharp shredded · Oven Temperature: 350°F

The key facts table below summarizes the core recipe specs drawn from multi-source testing:

What do you need for Tini’s mac and cheese?

The ingredient list is refreshingly short: pasta, three cheeses, and a handful of pantry staples. The magic is in the proportions — 2.5 pounds of cheese for a single pound of pasta creates that signature thick, gooey texture everyone keeps screenshotting.

Pasta and cheeses

Cavatappi is the pasta of choice here. Those ridged corkscrew tubes grab onto every bit of sauce, and the hollow centers let molten cheese nestle inside each bite. You need exactly 1 pound of dry cavatappi, cooked until al dente so the pasta holds its shape during baking and doesn’t turn mushy in the rich cheese bath (I’m Hungry For That).

The cheese trio reads like a carefully calibrated melting lineup: 1 pound shredded mozzarella for stretch, 1 pound shredded Colby Jack for mild flavor and melt factor, and 8 ounces (half a pound) of sharp cheddar for tang that cuts through all that richness. Every single cheese must be freshly shredded from a block — pre-shredded bags contain anti-caking agents that coat each strand and prevent proper melting. One source noted these agents can include cellulose or even traces of wood pulp to keep the cheese flowing freely in the bag (Tasty AZ). That extra step of shredding your own is what separates a restaurant-quality bake from a sad, grainy casserole.

Pantry staples

Beyond the cheese and pasta, you’ll need 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of flour to build the roux that forms the sauce base. Seasonings include 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt, plus half a teaspoon of pepper. For the sauce itself, the exact dairy combination varies slightly between sources: one widely cited version calls for 12 ounces of evaporated milk and 2 cups of heavy cream, along with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. The Dijon isn’t optional — that small amount adds depth without any detectable heat, pulling all the flavors together (Sugar and Soul).

How do you make Tini’s mac and cheese?

The method borrows from culinary school technique: a proper béchamel-style roux that takes about 20 minutes to develop properly, then a layered assembly that maximizes every cheese pull. The payoff is a baked mac that doesn’t just pool at the bottom of the dish.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook your cavatappi until it’s just shy of al dente — follow the package directions but pull it about 1 minute early. The pasta continues cooking in the oven, so starting slightly firm prevents it from turning soft and sticky once baked. Drain thoroughly and set aside while you build the sauce (I’m Hungry For That).

Assemble and bake

In the same pot (or a separate saucepan), melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until the roux reaches a paste-like consistency and the raw flour smell is completely gone. This cooking-out step is non-negotiable — undercooked flour can leave a pasty, unpleasant texture even after the bake (Roux Girl Substack).

Slowly stream in the evaporated milk while whisking, then add the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 20 minutes total. Stir in the Dijon mustard and all the shredded cheeses except for about a cup reserved for the top. Fold in the cooked pasta until everything is well coated.

Transfer to a well-buttered 9×13 baking dish. Layer the topping strategically: spread the pasta-cheese mixture evenly, then pile the remaining shredded cheese across the entire surface. Slide into a 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, watching until the edges bubble and the top turns golden brown. Finish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes for that Instagram-worthy caramelized crust — but keep a close eye to avoid burning (12 Tomatoes).

Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving. This gives the sauce time to set up so each scoop holds its shape on the plate. Top with fresh chives if you like, though the original recipe doesn’t call for them (I’m Hungry For That).

How much heavy cream do you need for Tini’s mac and cheese?

Here’s where things get a bit murky across sources. One of the most widely cited versions of the recipe uses both evaporated milk and heavy cream — specifically 12 ounces of evaporated milk and 2 cups of heavy cream. Other adaptations reportedly use heavy cream as the sole dairy, swapping out evaporated milk entirely. The base roux and cheese quantities stay consistent regardless of which dairy route you take.

Core recipe dairy

If you’re working from the original Tini recipe as published by food bloggers who tested it, the formula is: butter roux + evaporated milk + heavy cream + cheese. That combination produces an exceptionally rich, silky sauce that stays creamy even as it cools. Evaporated milk adds body without the excessive fat of using all heavy cream, while the heavy cream provides the luxurious mouthfeel that makes this mac and cheese memorable (Sugar and Soul).

Heavy cream variations

Some adaptations on the platform reportedly scale back the dairy, using heavy cream as the main liquid and skipping the evaporated milk altogether. The result still works but may be slightly less stable when cooled. Tasty adaptations published at 375°F for 20 minutes show that oven temperatures and times vary by recipe tester — the 350°F for 25-30 minutes timing appears most consistently across tier 2 sources (Tasty AZ).

The implication: if you prefer simplicity over maximum silkiness, heavy-cream-only adaptations are valid substitutions, though the sauce may tighten faster as it cools.

Can I make Tini’s mac and cheese the night before?

Absolutely — in fact, this might be the most make-ahead-friendly mac and cheese recipe you’ve encountered. The entire dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to two days before you bake it. When you’re ready to serve, pull it from the fridge and add 30 to 35 minutes to the covered bake time to account for the cold dish and cold ingredients going into a hot oven (Sugar and Soul).

Storage tips

After baking, leftover mac and cheese keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through. For a single larger portion, add a splash of milk before microwaving to revive the sauce texture. If you’re looking for more mac and cheese inspiration, you might want to check out this viral TikTok mac and cheese recipe kip in slowcooker gevaarlijk.

Reheating

The oven is the better choice if you have time: cover the dish with foil and reheat at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, then uncover for the final 5 minutes to crisp the top. This method produces results closest to fresh from the oven. A stovetop reconstitution is also possible — add a tablespoon of butter and a splash of milk to a skillet, fold in the mac and cheese, and stir gently until warmed through.

Tini’s mac and cheese recipe measurements

Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just two people, the recipe scales without losing the character that made it go viral. The full recipe serves 8 to 10 people comfortably. The half-batch is where it gets interesting for weeknight cooking.

Full recipe

For the standard batch that appears in most recipe tests: 1 pound cavatappi, 1 pound shredded mozzarella, 1 pound shredded Colby Jack, 8 ounces (half a pound) shredded sharp cheddar, 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and the seasoning blend of garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Baked in a 9×13 dish at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes (Sugar and Soul).

Half portions

To halve the recipe for 4 to 6 servings, simply divide everything in half and bake in an 8×8 square dish. That means 8 ounces of pasta, 8 ounces mozzarella, 8 ounces Colby Jack, 4 ounces sharp cheddar, and proportionally less roux and dairy. Bake at the same 350°F temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, watching for the same golden bubble at the edges (Sugar and Soul).

In grams

For those who prefer gram measurements for precision baking: 1 pound pasta equals roughly 454 grams. The cheeses break down to approximately 454 grams mozzarella, 454 grams Colby Jack, and 227 grams sharp cheddar. Butter and flour for the roux are 42 grams each. The dairy translates to about 340 grams evaporated milk and 475 milliliters heavy cream.

“Three cheeses, spices, pasta, and a layering technique make Tini’s Mac and Cheese the BEST EVER!” — Rebecca Hubbell, Sugar and Soul

“Tini’s mac and cheese recipe is the technique all chefs learn in culinary school.” — 12 Tomatoes

“Layer instead of mixing everything together at once. This recipe’s layered method guarantees cheese pulls in every bite.” — I’m Hungry For That

For home cooks who want a shortcut for their next holiday gathering, the make-ahead assembly is the real winning move: prep two days ahead, pull from the fridge, and let the oven do the work while you focus on everything else. Tini’s mac and cheese went viral because it delivers on both the visual spectacle and the taste — those melty cheese pulls aren’t just photogenic, they’re the result of technique that most home cooks never knew to try. Whether you scale it down for a quiet Tuesday or go full batch for Thanksgiving, the layering method is what you’ll keep coming back to.

Related reading: Tini’s Mac and Cheese Recipe · Tini’s Mac and Cheese Layering Technique

Tinis layered bake draws from the same cheesy excess celebrated in this viral recipe breakdown that unpacked its TikTok dominance last holiday season.

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