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.

dipping a chip into bowl of nacho cheese sauce

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Seriously! What is better than a bowl of silky, creamy, spicy nacho cheese sauce? Nothing. 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.

One reader, Gemma, commented: “Love this sauce with homemade soft pretzels… each dip got bigger and bigger until the sauce got on my hands and the pretzels were so loaded with it 😉 Thanks for another great recipe, Sally! ★★★★★“

Shredded cheddar cheese on a wood cutting board

nacho cheese sauce in a saucepan with a wooden spoon

wooden spoon dipped into nacho cheese sauce

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.

Crusty jalapeño cheddar bread with homemade spicy nacho cheese sauce

What to Serve with Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce

Soft Pretzel Bites
Homemade Soft Pretzels or Jalapeño Cheddar Soft Pretzels
Jalapeño Cheddar No Knead Bread
Soft Pretzel Rolls
Ciabatta Bread
Breadsticks
Biscuits
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Artisan Bread
Pretzel Crusted Chicken Bites
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.

Kicked-Up Cheddar Cheese Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 38 reviews

Author: Sally McKenney
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: about 2 cups
Category: Appetizers
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

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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 (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
2 cups (480ml) whole milk
2 cups (250g; 8 ounces) freshly shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt + pepper to taste

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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.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Saucepan (like a Dutch oven) | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Box Grater
Half Batch: You can easily halve this recipe!
Cheese: For best taste and texture, shred cheese off the block yourself with a cheese grater. Pre-shredded cheese is drier than freshly shredded, and contains anti-caking agents.
Spiciness: You can leave out the hot sauce and/or cayenne.

Sally McKenney

Sally McKenney is a baker, food photographer, and New York Times best-selling author. Her kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials have given millions of readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally’s work has been featured on TODAY, Good Morning America, Taste of Home, People, and more.