Macaroni Pie
Macaroni cheese baked inside a crisp hot-water crust: the Scottish bakery classic that sounds odd and tastes brilliant.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 30 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Course
- Main
- Cuisine
- Scottish
Only in Scotland would you find macaroni cheese in a pie, and once you have tried one you understand why. It is sold in bakeries and chip shops across the country, often with a golden crust of extra cheese on top.
It uses the same hot-water crust as a Scotch pie.
Ingredients
Filling
- 150 g macaroni
- 25 g butter
- 25 g plain flour
- 300 ml milk
- 150 g mature Cheddar, grated, plus extra for the tops
- 1 tsp English mustard
- salt and ground black pepper
Hot-water crust
- 450 g plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 100 g lard or vegetable shortening
- 200 ml water
Equipment
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Method
Filling
- 1
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says, then drain.
- 2
Melt the butter, stir in the flour for a minute, then whisk in the milk and simmer until thick. Off the heat, stir in the cheese and mustard, season, and mix with the macaroni. Leave to cool.
Pies
- 1
Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas 5 and line a baking tray.
- 2
Mix the flour and salt. Heat the lard and water until the water boils, pour onto the flour and mix, then knead briefly while warm.
- 3
Divide into 6. Press each piece around a floured jam jar (about 7–8 cm across) to make a case about 4 cm high, ease it off and stand it on the tray.
- 4
Fill with the macaroni cheese, sprinkle with extra cheese and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the tops are bubbling.
Tips
Macaroni pies have no lid, so the cheese on top browns. Eat them hot with beans, or cold for a picnic. For the meat version, see our Scotch pie.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filling dry | Pasta cooked fully first | Undercook the macaroni; it softens in the oven |
| Pastry cracks | Pastry cooled before shaping | Work quickly while it is warm |
Frequently asked questions
Is macaroni pie really Scottish?
Yes. It is a staple of Scottish bakeries, chip shops and football grounds, alongside the Scotch pie.
Can I use shortcrust instead of hot-water crust?
You can, baked in a muffin tin, but hot-water crust gives the firm, freestanding case of the classic pie.
Can I freeze macaroni pies?
Yes, once baked and cooled. Reheat from frozen in the oven until piping hot.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
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Card photos: Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Copper pans and a kettle on an old kitchen range, Silar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A small stainless steel saucepan with a lid, Cooks & Kitchens from Darlington, UK via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A black bun cut open to show the dense, dark fruit filling inside its pastry case, IMBJR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A plate of clapshot, mashed potato and swede with chives, beside oatcakes, Mutt Lunker via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A round, dark clootie dumpling on a plate, Matt Riggott from Reykjavik, Iceland via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.