It’s November, which means it’s officially mac-and-cheese season—and if you’ve been eyeing Tini Younger’s viral TikTok recipe, now’s the time to grab a box of cavatappi before stores run out.
The social media chef, whose recipe has racked up over 103 million views on TikTok since she posted it in 2023, recently shared a key tip for fans hoping to nail the dish at home this year. “My advice for people making it the first time is go slow with it,” Tini told E! News in November 2025. “I use a lot of liquid in it—I use one can of evaporated milk and two cups of heavy cream. You have to just pour it in slowly and then let it cook.”
She explained that rushing the process is the biggest mistake people make. “I’ll see some people say, ‘Oh, the mac and cheese is soupy,’” she said. “It’s probably because they weren’t patient enough, so you just gotta go slow, be patient, and then taste as you go, as well.”
Tini, 24, who is pregnant with twin girls with husband Antoine Wright Jr., also reassured home cooks that the recipe doesn’t need to be followed to the letter. “My measurements for my seasonings—it’s gonna be different than other people, cause everyone has different taste buds,” she said. “I taste as I go to see if I want more garlic powder or more smoked paprika, if it needs more salt.”
The Next Level Chef alum emphasized trusting the process: “Just take your time. Don’t stress out, it’s just mac and cheese.”
Here’s what you’ll need before you start:
- 16 oz box cavatappi pasta (elbow macaroni works too)
- 16 oz colby jack cheese (two 8-oz blocks)
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella (hard block preferred)
- 8 oz sharp cheddar
- Seasoning mix: 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp salted butter (plus more for greasing)
- 3 tbsp flour
- 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
OK, now that we have our ingredients, let’s start! Scroll through our gallery below for step-by-step instructions on how to make the viral recipe:
