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You are here: Home / Recipes / Easy Homemade Cheese Sauce

Easy Homemade Cheese Sauce

10/04/20 | Recipe for Two, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

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This fabulous creamy homemade cheese sauce is one of the quickest, easiest sauces to make. It’s perfect for dipping broccoli and other veggies or drizzling over baked potatoes, nachos, or french fries.

You’ll be so glad to have this little recipe in your back pocket because it’s so useful and versatile.

Need a quick lunch? Steam some broccoli in the microwave and top with cheese sauce. Nachos for dinner? Cheese sauce. Baked potato feeling a little sad? CHEESE SAUCE IT.

Tall photo of cheese sauce poured over broccoli.

If you have a couple of minutes and some cheddar cheese, you could probably make this sauce right this second.

Ingredients

  • Butter: The base of this cheese sauce is a roux made with butter and flour. You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe.
  • All-purpose flour: Using equal parts (by volume) of flour to butter helps thicken the cheese sauce.
  • Milk: You can use any percentage milk you’d like in this recipe, but the higher fat the milk, the smoother and creamier your sauce will be.
  • Cheddar cheese: Be sure to use full-fat cheese and start with a block of cheese that you shred yourself. The anti-caking additives in bagged, pre-shredded cheese can make your sauce lumpy. I prefer to use sharp cheddar, but mild to extra sharp will all work.

How to Make Cheese Sauce

  1. You start with a roux made by melting the butter in a small pot and whisking in the flour until you get a lightly golden paste. Cooking the flour with butter first cooks the raw flour taste out of the mixture.
  2. Then slowly pour in the milk, being careful to whisk out any lumps as they form, and stir until you have a nice bubbly, creamy sauce.
  3. Once the sauce is thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese a handful at a time. Add salt, pepper, and optional cayenne to taste, and voilà. Perfect cheese sauce ready to tasty up whatever you’re going to pour it over.

Photo of broccoli being dipped in creamy cheese sauce.

Sauce Variations

While I love a good cheddar cheese sauce, this recipe is endlessly customizable. Here are some recommendations:

  • Switch up the cheese: Any good melting cheese will work in this recipe. Give monterey jack, gouda, gruyere, or asiago cheese a try.
  • Make it spicy: Use pepper jack cheese and/or stir in extra cayenne pepper to taste for an extra spicy kick.

FAQ

What to serve with cheese sauce?

The answer to this is: whatever you want!! If you can dream of drizzling cheese sauce over it, you can do it. But here are my recommendations to get you started:

  • Vegetables, especially broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
  • Baked potatoes with homemade chili
  • Homemade pretzels
  • FRENCH FRIES!

(If you’d like to make this cheese sauce for fries, go check out my Cheese Fries post, which has instructions for making homemade fries to go along with the cheese sauce.)

Wide photo of cheese sauce poured over broccoli.

How do you make a smooth cheese sauce?

To get the smoothest cheese sauce possible, follow these golden rules:

  • Use full-fat cheese that you grate yourself as bagged cheese has additives that can prevent it from melting smoothly.
  • Let the shredded cheese sit at room temperature for a short time so you’re not putting cold cheese into hot liquid.
  • Remove the sauce from heat before you stir in the cheese. Overheated cheese can clump.

Why does my sauce taste floury?

If your sauce tastes like flour, it’s probably because the roux was not cooked long enough before adding the milk. Next time, cook the butter and flour mixture until it begins to turn golden. This cooks out that raw flour taste.

Can I store this?

Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated gently on the stove or in the microwave, but it is best eaten right after cooking. It won’t be quite as smooth and creamy after refrigeration and reheating.

More Cheesy Recipes

  • Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce
  • Cheesy Sausage Potato Soup
  • Mac and Cheese for One
  • The Best Baked Ziti 

A Note on Serving Size

As written, this recipe makes about 1 cup of cheese sauce, which generously serves 2. To change the recipe yield, in the recipe card below, hover over the number of servings (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider. Add a couple of minutes to the cooking time when doubling or tripling.

Piece of broccoli being dipped in cheese sauce.

Easy Homemade Cheese Sauce

This fabulous creamy homemade cheese sauce is one of the quickest, easiest sauces to make and perfect for dipping broccoli and other veggies or drizzling over baked potatoes, nachos, or french fries.
4.89 from 61 votes
Print Pin
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 2
Calories: 282kcal
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk any percentage
  • 3/4 cup (3oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Pinch of cayenne to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a small pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until flour is lightly golden, about 1 minute.
  • Slowly pour in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Continue to whisk the mixture until it is thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat, stir in the cheese a handful at a time until all the cheese has been used and sauce is smooth and creamy. Add cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Approximate nutritional information was calculated using 2% milk.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.

This post was originally published on 1/24/18. It was updated on 10/4/20 with additional information and tips. 

This fabulous creamy homemade cheese sauce is super easy and perfect for dipping and drizzling. | #CheeseSauce | #broccoli | #SideDish | #snack |

Comments | 56 comments

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Comments

  1. Centuryfoods says

    January 12, 2022 at 9:52 pm

    I’m pretty terrible at cooking, but I made something decent (though quite thick), thanks for the recipe I’m gonna keep attempting to perfect my methods because it seems solid enough for me to learn off.

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      January 13, 2022 at 9:42 am

      Glad it worked out for you!

      Reply
    • Myracles says

      December 25, 2022 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      I’m pretty good at cooking and mine came out thick as well. I just added milk and mixed it in and it thinned out like magic (no need to heat it up). Loved this recipe!

      Reply
  2. Heather says

    November 7, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    4 stars
    I followed the recipe as stated using 3/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, and 1/4 cup colby jack and it turned out super thick (to thick to use as a sauce) but I simply heated up 1/2 cup milk and slowly added it in which fixed that issue. I added some of my homemade taco seasoning and this made an amazing sauce for nachos! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  3. Sandy says

    October 27, 2021 at 10:43 pm

    I used habanero cheddar and Jack cheese. Delicious!

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      October 28, 2021 at 2:50 pm

      That sounds amazing, Sandy!!

      Reply
  4. Amanda says

    October 20, 2021 at 5:59 pm

    5 stars
    I made this with evaporated milk for a richer flavor. So good!

    Reply
  5. Angel says

    April 27, 2021 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    I used bagged pre shredded cheddar mix and turned out great! Good recipe! It’s going on it’s own or even with any add ins like chiles or chorizo. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      April 30, 2021 at 11:03 am

      So glad you enjoyed it, Angel!!

      Reply
  6. Megan says

    February 15, 2021 at 4:01 pm

    Very easy, and very good! Used extra sharp white cheddar and skipped the pepper & cayenne (there’s a wimp in my house). Will def make again, thank you for the recipe!!

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      February 15, 2021 at 6:21 pm

      Lol! So glad you enjoyed it!!

      Reply
  7. Kay says

    January 21, 2021 at 3:14 pm

    Can you store this sauce

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      February 12, 2021 at 12:51 pm

      You can, but it’s really best when made fresh. It doesn’t reheat quite as smooth.

      Reply
  8. Jennifer McGowan says

    December 9, 2020 at 5:56 pm

    I used 1/2 and 1/2, I put in some grated parmesan for extra flavor, as well as a few dashes of garlic powder. It was so good! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      December 10, 2020 at 8:14 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer!!

      Reply
  9. Lisa K says

    August 6, 2020 at 6:25 pm

    5 stars
    Great cheesy sauce! I made this with the Fiesta cheese blend from Walmart. Had heavy cream I needed to use up before it expired so did 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup 2% milk. This is very filling too. Put it on my steamed broccoli, which I ate first. Filled me up and I wasn’t able to finish the chicken breast I made to go with the meal.

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      August 10, 2020 at 12:34 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! Making this with heavy cream sounds *amazing*!!

      Reply
  10. Amber Smith says

    June 19, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe would definitely recommend!!

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      July 14, 2020 at 5:16 pm

      Thanks! So happy to hear it!

      Reply
  11. Pattie says

    April 22, 2020 at 2:10 pm

    Can I use buttermilk instead of milk

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      April 22, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      I’ve never done this, but I think it should work as long as you don’t mind the buttermilk flavor in your cheese sauce. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
      • Frank W CATANZARITE says

        July 10, 2022 at 4:06 pm

        I’ve never made a cheese sauce. My lady and I have bought Brussel sprouts with a cheese sauce. I love cooking shows, but never cook the recipes. I’m gonna make this sauce for my self tonight. If it comes out good, I’ll make it for my lady in two nights. She’ll love it. Good steak, potatoes, Brussel sprouts and my own cheese sauce. Wish me luck and I’ll tell you how it comes out!!

      • Tracy says

        July 11, 2022 at 9:25 am

        Good luck! Hope you both enjoy it!!

  12. Robert says

    May 25, 2019 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    This made a great cheese sauce, thanks.

    Reply
  13. Becky Thompson says

    January 24, 2019 at 10:49 am

    Can this sauce be used for mac and cheese?

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      January 24, 2019 at 8:27 pm

      It can, but if you’re looking to make the sauce just for mac and cheese, not also for dipping, I’d use this recipe: https://bakingmischief.com/2016/08/31/quick-mac-and-cheese-for-one/ It’s almost exactly the same but the sauce is a bit thicker and better for coating noodles.

      Reply
      • Preston says

        January 11, 2022 at 6:04 pm

        I made it for Mac & Cheese and it came out perfect.

  14. James says

    January 2, 2019 at 8:57 am

    Can the cheddar cheese be substituted with Velveeta? Or if increasing the servings size can you use a mixture of cheese?

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      January 2, 2019 at 6:56 pm

      Hi, James, I’ve never tried Velveeta in this, but it would probably work. You can definitely experiment with mixing in other melty cheeses, but it may change the texture of the finished product. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  15. Paul says

    August 3, 2018 at 7:57 pm

    I tried coconut flour but it sucked up the butter, so I’m thinking more butter next time

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      August 5, 2018 at 9:01 pm

      Hi Paul, alternate flours can be a little difficult to substitute, and I don’t usually cook with coconut flour, so I can’t offer any advice there. You might want to search for a cheese sauce recipe that specifically calls for coconut flour if more butter doesn’t solve your problem.

      Reply
      • Melissa L Williams says

        November 27, 2018 at 2:33 pm

        5 stars
        If you want keto cheese sauce, heavy cream and cheese 🙂

      • Tracy says

        November 27, 2018 at 9:12 pm

        Thanks for the tip, I’m going to give that a try!

      • Janet says

        August 2, 2021 at 5:45 pm

        5 stars
        Try almond flour.

      • Kima says

        August 19, 2021 at 5:59 am

        You might want to try heavy cream instead of flour

  16. SandyToes says

    July 29, 2018 at 9:58 am

    Which cheddar do you recommend; mild, medium, sharp or extra sharp?

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      July 31, 2018 at 10:12 am

      I like sharp as you can go, but any will work. 🙂

      Reply
    • DC Evans says

      July 21, 2022 at 4:29 am

      I like the sharp best; I also love the Monterey and Colby Jack…the Colby can be a bit tougher to melt smoothly however tastes amazing!

      Reply
      • Peter Ens says

        May 1, 2023 at 3:14 pm

        I feel guilty but I added a little Boursin with the cheddar. Oh my was it tasty.

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Hi, I'm Tracy! Welcome to Baking Mischief, where we realize that not everyone is cooking every night for a family of four. We have delicious sweet and savory recipes, mostly scaled for one or two, and we love our pop culture around here, so keep an eye out for film, book, and TV-inspired treats as well! Read more»
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