Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease a 9” x 13” casserole dish; set it aside.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter, making sure it doesn’t brown.

While the butter melts, prepare your macaroni according to package instructions in a separate pot.

Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to form a roux. Cook for about 1-2 minutes; it should be bubbly but not colored.

Stir in the salt, white pepper, paprika, and cayenne to flavor your roux.

Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream, increasing the heat to medium-high until the mixture thickens.

Add 3 cups of your shredded cheese to the mixture. Keep whisking until you have a gooey sauce.

Drain the pasta (don’t rinse!) and mix it with the cheese sauce until evenly coated.

Pour the macaroni mixture into your prepared dish and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden brown.