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Creamy, tangy and addictive, this the Best Mashed Potato recipe ever. Creamy Yukon Gold potatoes are blended with cream cheese, butter and cream for the most amazing side dish you’ll ever make.
These have to be the best tasting and easiest from-scratch mashed potatoes I’ve EVER made! Thank you!
– Dee Dee
Table of Contents
- The Key To Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Why Everyone’s Obsessed
- Ingredients For Kellie’s Mashed Potatoes
- How to Make Mashed Potatoes
- Kellie’s Tips for the best mashed potatoes
- How To Thicken Mashed Potatoes
- How to Make-Ahead, Reheat & Freeze
- Troubleshooting Mashed Potatoes
- Flavor Variations (Quick add-ins)
- What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes
- More Potato Recipes
- Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
The Key To Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Potatoes: Use Yukon Gold potatoes for creamy mashed potatoes; Russet potatoes make for extra-fluffy mashed potatoes.
- Start cold: Cover with cold, well-salted water; simmer until fork-tender.
- Drain & dry: Return to the hot pot 1 – 2 min to steam off excess moisture.
- Mash tool: A potato ricer makes smooth potatoes, just make sure to peel them first. A classic potato masher give your mashed potatoes a more rustic texture.
- Ingredient Order matters: Room temperature butter first, then warm dairy, then room temperature cream cheese.
- Finish: Season, taste, and stop mixing when you achieve the desired consistency.
- Make-ahead: Chill up to 2 days; gently reheat (details below).
Why Everyone’s Obsessed
Ahhhh, mashed potatoes. They can go from perfect to so not perfect in an instant if you don’t know what you’re doing. But they’re fairly simple to make and a staple side dish in our house, especially for Thanksgiving alongside my Roast Turkey Recipe.
I’ve been making my mashed potatoes for 20+ years, and the butter-first method with warm dairy is my never-fail trick for perfect, lump-free results, especially when cooking for a crowd. It’s a frequent request at every holiday dinner. We love to take them to family potlucks and they’re perfect for Sunday dinners (hello, melt-in-your-mouth Short Ribs). This easy mashed potato recipe is made with the skin on so there’s not even a need to peel one potato!
Country Mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes, mashed taters, whatever you call them, this creamy, buttery side dish is an American must have.
Ingredients For Kellie’s Mashed Potatoes
- The Best Potatoes for Mashed Potatoes – Yukon Gold Potatoes are a large potato that’s most notable for its golden color. It’s also characterized by its thin, smooth, eye-free skin. This potato was developed in the 1960s by Garnet Johnston in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and is my favorite for making most potato recipes. See below for substitutions, if needed.
- Cream Cheese – Regular or low fat cream cheese both work in this recipe and I use them interchangeable. It gives the potatoes a nice tangy flavor.
- Butter – Salted butter, room temperature. You could also use Brown Butter to give it a nutty flavor.
- Heavy Cream – Cream will add a rich, silky texture to the potatoes. You can also use Half and Half if you want to cut a few calories.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Mashed Potatoes
- Cook the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into uniformly sized pieces and put in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and then turn to low, simmer until fork tender. Drain.
- Make the Mashed Potatoes. Add the butter, warm cream, cream cheese and seasoning. Mash with a potato masher or hand mixer until creamy with a few chunks left.
- Serve. Top with butter, chives and seasoning. Serve hot.
Kellie’s Tips for the best mashed potatoes
- Texture control: A ricer makes ultra-smooth potatoes; a potato masher gives a more rustic mashed potato. Avoid over mixing, mixing for too long activates starch and turns potatoes gluey.
- Yukon vs. Russet: Yukon Gold makes naturally creamy and rich mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes are lighter and fluffier. Use Yukon for decadent potatoes, Russet for cloud-like potatoes.
- Salt early: Salting the cooking water seasons the potatoes from the inside out (bland mash is almost always under-salted water).
- Drain and dry: After draining, put the pot back on low heat for 1 – 2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture, this step prevents watery mashed potatoes.
- Butter First: Butter first coats the potato starches so the mash potatoes blend smoothly; then add warm half-and-half or heavy cream and room temperature cream cheese.
- Cut the potatoes into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
- Start the potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until fork tender, the potatoes will be cooked in about 20 minutes.
- Don’t add all the cream at once, start by adding 1/3 of the cream called for in the recipe and beat into the potatoes. Add more cream until the desired consistency is achieved.
How To Thicken Mashed Potatoes
If you add too much cream and your potatoes become too liquid-y, you can easily thicken them by adding a bit of cornstarch, powdered milk, tapioca flour or even grated parmesan cheese.
Any of these ingredients will help add more texture to your potatoes. Start by adding 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring to combine, until the desired texture is achieved.
How to Make-Ahead, Reheat & Freeze
Make-Ahead (24–48 hours)
- Make as directed, then cool quickly: spread in a casserole and press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate up to 48 hours.
Oven Reheat (best for a crowd)
- Transfer to a buttered baking dish, dot with 2 – 4 Tbsp butter.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 – 35 minutes (2–3 lbs) or 40 – 55 minutes (4 – 5 lbs), until hot in the center (165°F).
- Stir, splash in 1 tablespoon warm milk per cup of potatoes if needed, season to taste, serve.
Stovetop Reheat
- Put potatoes in a pot over low heat with a splash of milk or cream. Stir often 8 – 12 minutes until hot.
Microwave Reheat (small batches):
- 50% power in 1 – 2 minute bursts, stirring each time. Add milk as needed.
Freezing:
Freeze in airtight containers up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above, loosening with warm dairy.
Troubleshooting Mashed Potatoes
- Too loose or thin? Thicken Mashed potatoes by simmering on low, uncovered, stirring frequently, 3 – 5 mins to evaporate moisture; or fold in a little instant mashed potato flakes, powdered milk, bit of cornstarch, tapioca flour or even grated parmesan cheese. Start with 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency.
- Gummy or gluey? Switch to a spatula and gently fold in warm cream and melted butter to relax the starch. Do not continue mixing.
- Lumpy? Push through a potato ricer or mash a bit more while warm. Add a splash of warm milk to help.
- Bland? Salt the water next time. For now, add salted butter, a pinch more salt, and a dash of white pepper. You can punch it up even more with a bit of garlic powder.
- Dry after reheating? Stir in 1 – 2 tablespoons warm milk per cup of potatoes and a small pat of butter.
Flavor Variations (Quick add-ins)
Buttermilk: Swap part of the half-and-half for warm buttermilk (be careful not to boil).
Roasted Garlic: 1 – 2 heads roasted garlic, squeeze out the cloves and fold into the potatoes.
Sour Cream and Chive: ½ cup to 1 cup sour cream and ¼ cup chopped chives.
Brown Butter: Replace some butter with nutty brown butter.
Cheddar and Scallion: 1 – 1½ cups sharp cheddar and sliced scallions.
Horseradish and Crème Fraîche: 1 – 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish and ½ cup crème fraîche.
What to Serve with Mashed Potatoes
These potatoes are wonderful with this Double Glazed Turkey Meatloaf or this simple roasted chicken or under these fall-apart tender slow cooker short ribs.
We also love serving our creamed chipped beef over a pile of potatoes!
Thanksgiving Note: Start boiling the potatoes before the roast turkey is finished cooking. While it rests, throw your sides in the oven and finish up the potatoes. This will help you time everything so it’s finished around the same time.
More Potato Recipes
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Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- 1 hand mixer
- stockpot
- chef's knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 5 pounds yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks of uniform size
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature (I use Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
- 1 1/2 cups half and half, at room temperature
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature (I use Plugra European Style Butter)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large stockpot filled 3/4 of the way with water, add the potatoes and 3 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Continue to cook over medium heat until they are fork tender. Approximately 20-30 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a strainer and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cream cheese, half and half, butter, salt and pepper to the potatoes.
- Using a hand mixer, mix all the ingredients on medium speed until thoroughly combined and the potatoes are broken up. The mixture should be fluffy with a few potato chunks throughout. (Be careful not to over mix the potatoes because they can become gummy.)
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold = naturally creamy and rich; Russet = extra-fluffy. A 50/50 blend gives silky and light.
- Salt the water: Start in cold, well-salted water so the potatoes season from the inside out (bland mash is usually under-salted water).
- Drain & dry: After draining, return potatoes to the hot pot 1–2 minutes to steam off excess moisture—prevents watery mash.
- Order matters: Mix in butter first (coats starch), then warm dairy + cream cheese. Stop as soon as it’s silky to avoid gumminess.
- Texture control: A ricer yields ultra-smooth; a masher keeps it rustic. Avoid extended mixing with a hand mixer.
- Make-ahead: Prepare up to 48 hours ahead. Spread in a casserole, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate.
- Reheat: Cover and bake at 350°F until hot (timing depends on pan depth). Stir, then loosen with ~1 Tbsp warm milk per cup of potatoes if needed.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge; reheat gently and refresh with warm dairy.
- Scaling & servings: Plan ¾ cup per person (1 cup for hearty holiday servings). Use the scale feature; add salt to taste after scaling.
- Dairy swaps: Sour cream or buttermilk for tang (warm before adding). For lighter mash, swap part of the half-and-half with warm broth.
- Flavor add-ins: Roasted garlic, chives, brown butter, sharp cheddar, horseradish, or crème fraîche, fold in at the end.
- Troubleshooting: Too thin: simmer a few minutes to reduce or fold in a little instant potato flakes. Gummy: gently fold in warm dairy or butter; don’t keep beating. Lumpy: push through a ricer while warm.
- Allergen notes: For gluten-free, ensure dairy and add-ins are certified GF. For lactose-friendly, use lactose-free half-and-half or a mix of broth and ghee.
- Serving tip: Warm the serving bowl with hot water; garnish with a pat of butter, flaky salt, and chives just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow, these look great. Love Yukon potatoes they are the best. Going to try this asap!
Delicious! For special occasions I dice bacon, fry it, drain it on paper towels and add it with grated cheddar cheese to them. Yum! I use peeled Russets. I don’t usually have to add cream to them. The cream cheese and the butter makes the potatoes so creamy.
That’s a great tip! We have a loaded mashed potato recipe that’s similar. I’m happy you like it!
Can’t wait to try this
They are beyond amazing! I hope you agree!
I add a whole peeled onion and several garlic cloves to the potatoes while cooking. Discard the onion and leave the garlic. Doesn’t require as much butter as the onion and garlic adds lots of flavour. Also use a flavoured cream cheese. (Herb and Garlic) and warm my cream/milk before adding. Yum!
You just created a new recipe! :-). Thank you for your tips, I’m sure others will love them too.
Buttermilk is a great addition for mashed potatoes. Adds tang.
Sure does!