If you would have told me a few years ago that cheese and apple pie could go together like Kraft's new limited edition apple pie… macaroni and cheeseI would laugh.
I've never been the most adventurous eater, but over the years I've become increasingly interested in strange flavor combinations—the ones that sound funny until you try them. So when I heard that Kraft was releasing apple pie flavored mac and cheese for… Thanksgiving SeasonI knew I had to track it down.
I'm glad I did it because, strangely enough, I liked it.
I bought it online from Walmart
Unlike the time I drove to multiple Taco Bells trying to find… Low explosive leg no luck, it was much easier to get mac and cheese.
Luckily, we were able to find it without spending too much time searching in stores. Kraft Apple Pie Flavored Macaroni and Cheese is currently available for purchase online Walmart online. My friend found it and we had six boxes delivered to his apartment the next day. We were both excited to try it.
The author purchased Kraft mac and cheese from Walmart online. With permission of the author
I also scoured the internet for ways to make packaged mac and cheese better than just the standard pre-made stuff. I bought a couple of apples Greek yogurtand a few cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks. My plan was to try the mac and cheese as it said on the box and then try a second version with some extra ingredients.
Looked like regular mac and cheese.
When I opened the box it looked the same. It was a box of dried noodles with a spice packet that looked almost identical to the original packets. But the apple smelled great. I was hoping it would taste as apple cinnamon as it smelled from the bag.
I started with the basic version, following the package directions exactly: Boil the noodles, add a packet of sauce and wait. When I tore open the seasoning packet, I was immediately struck by the smell: it had tones of warm cinnamon and sweet apple.
The author said she followed the instructions and at first it looked like regular mac and cheese. With permission of the author
However, after mixing, the taste became much more subtle than the aroma promised. There was cinnamon and apple, but barely. If anything, it made the mac and cheese taste brighter and more layered, almost like what the regular version should have been like to begin with.
My friend and I kept taking bites, trying to decide if we actually liked it or if the novelty was just talking. We both agreed that we liked it and that if it were available year-round, we would buy it instead of the regular Kraft mac and cheese. By the time we finished the plate we were already talking about ordering more.
Then we experimented with new recipes.
We then decided to try a different version with additional blocks available online.
The author decided to experiment by adding pretzels to the mixture. With permission of the author
We started with plain Greek yogurt, which completely enhanced the flavor of the mac and cheese for us. The yogurt made the dish creamy and slightly savory. The cinnamon pretzels lightly crushed on top gave the mac and cheese an extra crunchy and sweet texture to balance it out. There was hot, sweet and savory in one dish, and it seemed more satisfying than the plate without it.
In the end, this whole experience reminded me why I love stepping outside of my comfort zone, especially when it comes to food. What started out as a silly experiment turned into something truly fun and surprisingly delicious.
