This is my favorite recipe for cheese dipping sauce. This spicy nacho cheese sauce is absolutely awesome with veggies, soft pretzels, and nachos! None of that processed stuff, either.
Seriously! What is better than a bowl of silky, creamy, spicy nacho cheese sauce? Nothing. (Well, maybe these sweet dessert nachos.) A far cry from processed, this spicy nacho cheese sauce is to die for. I love serving it with soft pretzel bites or pouring on top of a big bowl of broccoli. It’s how I get everyone to their vegetables. Just kidding… but not really.
Making nacho cheese sauce at home is not difficult. It’s actually one of the easiest and quickest little recipes around. There is no excuse to buy anything from a can or from a jar. Homemade cheese sauce, made from real sharp cheddar cheese, is the only way to go. Plus, it tastes worlds better.
I love serving this spicy nacho cheese sauce right from the stove when it’s warm. But this cheese sauce keeps well covered tightly in the refrigerator for about 1 week. Just heat it up before serving– it’s a great item to make ahead before the guests arrive.
How Spicy is this Nacho Cheese Sauce?
That completely depends how spicy you want it. I can tolerate a little spice and I LOVE this homemade cheese sauce. In fact, sometimes I add even more hot sauce and cayenne than the recipe lists below. If you don’t like spice, leave both out.
Feel free to adjust the amount of spice based on your heat tolerance.
What to Serve with Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Soft Pretzel Bites
- Homemade Soft Pretzels or Jalapeño Cheddar Soft Pretzels
- Jalapeño Cheddar No Knead Bread
- Pretzel Rolls
- Breadsticks
- Biscuits
- Pretzel Chicken Bites
- Baked Onion Rings
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Tortilla chips and pretzels
- Or drizzled over baked potatoes, steamed broccoli, baked chicken, and homemade nachos
Everyone is going to go bonkers over this stuff.
Print
Kicked-Up Cheddar Cheese Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 2 cups
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite recipe for cheese dipping sauce. This spicy nacho cheese sauce is absolutely awesome with veggies, soft pretzels, and nachos! None of that processed stuff, either.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- 2 cups (250g; 8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the top, stirring constantly until a thick paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slowly add the milk to the flour/butter paste in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. It should be thick but still pourable. Add the cheese, whisking constantly until it is melted. Add the hot sauce and cayenne. Taste, then add salt and pepper to taste. Add more cayenne and/or hot sauce if preferred.
- The sauce will thicken upon cooling. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Heat over stovetop or in the microwave before serving again.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cover cooled cheese sauce tightly and freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Reheat over medium heat on the stove, whisking constantly, until warmed through.
- Half Batch: You can easily halve this recipe!
- Spiciness: You can leave out the hot sauce and/or cayenne.
Keywords: nacho cheese sauce, homemade cheddar cheese sauce
Can I freeze this?
Yes, you can freeze it. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Reheat over medium heat on the stove, whisking constantly, until warmed through.
I made your soft pretzels and this sauce, and both were amazing! I used white cheddar instead of yellow, and it still turned out delicious. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
What do you mean by hot sauce? Like a wing sauce type hot sauce or a traditional hot peppers and vinegar sauce?
Hi Kayla! Like a Frank’s Hot Sauce, or whatever you enjoy!
Can I double the recipe?
Hi Peggy, absolutely, although you may find it a bit easier to mix by making two separate batches and then doubling.
Can the cheese sauce be made ahead and frozen?
Hi Peggy, Absolutely. Thaw in the fridge, then heat up to your liking.
Fantastic, worked great and it was so good with the pretzels. I used a different cheeses ( Havarti) because that is all we had and it was so delicious.
★★★★★
I made the soft pretzel bites and your cheese sauce and it was AWESOME!!! I’m making my own version of hamburger helper / taco pasta and I think I’ll try using up the left over cheese sauce to make it a cheesy taco pasta! Thanks for sharing this recipe it’s a keeper!
★★★★★
Can you possibly add some beer to this? I love a beer cheese (just a touch of flavor) for the pretzels.
★★★★★
Hi Victoria, we’d recommend following this beer cheese dip recipe instead!
Can you use white cheddar cheese or does it have to be the orange kind?
Hi Martha, white cheddar will work. Enjoy!
Made the pretzels. They are absolutely delicious. What a hit at a party.
For gluten-free folks, can you substitute the flour for any other flour, same question applies for the cheese sauce? Thank you. Peace, TES
Hi Terrie, We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
I used buttermilk because that’s all I had on hand (weird, right?) and it turned out delicious!!! Great dip!!!
Can I use gluten free flour in this?
Hi Ray, we haven’t tested GF flour in this recipe but let us know if you do!
How long can you leave the cheese sauce out before putting in fridge??
Hi Freda, the cheese can be left out for a short while at a party or while serving, but it will thicken as it cools so you may want to periodically reheat it. For any longer than a few hours, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator.
I followed the recipe exactly and this turned out perfect. You have to very consistently whisk. It actually tasted like an elevated version of the nacho cheese sauce you get at ballparks etc. I followed the high end of the spicy ingredient measurements included here – my spice tolerance is fairly low and I found it perfect. Just a nice kick of heat at the back end of the bite. I made the soft pretzel bites (amazing) as the accompaniment.
★★★★★
Hi, what pepper do you use pls? White pepper?
Tk u
Hi Anne, we use black pepper to taste.
Can you freeze this? Just made the sauce and pretzels and they were both incredible! Thank you for sharing these recipes.
★★★★★
Hi Clare, so glad you love them! You should be able to freeze leftovers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat over stovetop or in the microwave before serving again.
I cooked the flour longer than normal and it still tasted floury. Have you tried making this without flour? I’m tempted, because roux’s seem to make cheese sauces floury.
★★
I tend to swap out flour for cornstarch. It doesn’t seem to make it grainy like flour.
I’ve always used a roux for any type of cheese sauce. Maybe try cooking until your roux is a nice golden brown.
Will lactose-free whole milk work?
We haven’t tested that but let us know if you do!
could I use almond milk in this recipe?
Should be fine!
Can I use evaporated milk or heavy cream ?
Hi Tracy, those will both be too thick – best to use milk if possible!
I used Tabasco and cut the spices in half. Plenty spicy for us with the pretzels. Leftover sauce I’m having with some nacho chips!
If you think it tastes floury, you didn’t cook the flour with the butter long enough before adding milk.
★★★★★
I made it with pre-shredded cheese and it was still great!
★★★★★
Can you use the bagged cheese that’s already grated?
Hi Kathleen, for best taste and texture, we recommend freshly grated cheese.
So good!
★★★★★
What kind of hot sauce did you use?
Hi Anna! We like to use Frank’s, but you can use whichever hot sauce you enjoy.
We used siracha and it was perfect. Restaurant quality but yet better. My 13 year old son made it. Thank you!
★★★★★
About how much in grams is the cheese? Would it be 470 grams if grated?
Sally’s cheese swirl bread says it weighs 250g/8oz. (Odd it isn’t on the recipe)