These are the creamiest, most decadent mashed potatoes. You'll think you are eating at a five star restaurant when you take a bite because they are amazing! Baking the mashed potatoes makes them so rich and flavorful.
These mashed potatoes pair perfectly with a basket of cloverleaf buttery herb rolls.
This recipe was first published on November 19, 2020.
My family loves these creamy baked mashed potatoes!! My son actually rates all the meals I make and this get's a solid 11/10.
These mashed potatoes are thick and creamy. They actually get baked in the oven after you prepare them, which makes all the flavors come together. They have a bit of a crisp top, which is pure perfection.
Baked mashed potatoes are just about the most comforting side dish I can think of and so versatile in what you can serve them with.
Since Thanksgiving is coming up, obviously these are the ideal side dish for the Thanksgiving table. So serving them with a Thanksgiving turkey, honey baked carrots and homemade stuffing are encouraged! But if you are a traditionalist then regular mashed potatoes may be for you.
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Ingredients
The thing that makes these mashed potatoes so special is all the ingredients that make them just so creamy! These are indulgent mashed potatoes. Hey, it's the holiday's and we can get crazy if we want!
I know it's a lot of dairy but you can't have total mashed potato decadence and not indulge.
It's worth it. I could sit down to a plate of these for my dinner. These are the best, ever.
- russet potatoes - I highly suggest you use russet potatoes for the fluffiest texture, I love waxy potatoes (yukon golds) but when you beat them they get gummy so opt for russets
- butter - a whole stick of salted butter
- cream cheese - full fat cream cheese, at room temperature or you can heat in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up
- half and half - this helps to keep the potatoes soft and not so thick
- salt and pepper - for flavor
- chives - the chives are 100% optional, if you want something to make them look pretty chives or parsley are great for that
How To Make Baked Mashed Potatoes
If you've never baked mashed potatoes, today is your day! Baking these mashed potatoes makes them super fluffy, creamy, delicious, just all the things.
Boiling the potatoes. Start by peeling the russet potatoes and cutting them into medium sized cubes. Rinse with water and add to a large pot. Cover the pot with water and a few big pinches of salt.
Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. This means when a fork can pierce through the potatoes without resistance.
Steaming the potatoes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Set them on the stove, over low heat. Steam out the excess moisture in the potatoes, using a spoon to stir every minute.
Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl and beat on low speed until they are broken up. Switch over to high speed to mash them until they are fairly smooth, some lumps are fine. You do not want to over mix it will cause them to be gummy and gluey.
Adding the ingredients. In this order, add your warmed ingredients. The melted butter goes first, then the warmed cream cheese and last the half and half. Also add the salt and pepper.
You will need to taste them. They may need more salt. This can vary a lot depending on how much was added during the boiling step.
Baking. Scoop everything out of the mixing bowl and spread it into a baking dish. If you can create some swirl on the top with your spoon then they will get golden and crispy while baking. It's a nice presentation for Thanksgiving.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
Size counts. The size you cut your potatoes for mashed potatoes makes a difference! I once read that since potatoes absorb the water you boil them in, the smaller you cut the potatoes the more moisture your mashed potatoes will have.
And in turn, they could turn out gummy. But if you cut them a bit larger, they won't have absorbed as much water and they will be fluffier.
Steaming. One of my mashed potatoes tricks for really fluffy potatoes is to steam your potatoes after boiling.
After you've boiled the potatoes, drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Cook them for 3 minutes on low heat. It releases any excess moisture and makes them really fluffy, you will see steam coming out of the pot.
Excess water is what can make your mashed potatoes have that gummy texture. And old potatoes, using fresh potatoes is best.
Over mixing. It can be tempting to keep beating the mashed potatoes to get every little tiny lump out. But over mixing will increase your chances of having gummy or gluey textured mashed potatoes.
When to add the butter. Another of my mashed potato tricks is to add warm melted butter to the potatoes while they are still piping hot. The butter clings to the hot steamy potatoes.
You should also warm your cream cheese and your half and half.
FAQ
Check out some frequently asked questions when it comes to baked mashed potatoes. You may find some helpful answers to your questions.
Totally, they will still taste amazing but will be just a bit less and rich and decadent. You may also need to use less milk than you would half and half since it is thinner. Start with ¾ of a cup.
I haven't tried this recipe in the crockpot but I would love to and if you do, please leave a comment letting me know!
This means that you can press the fork prongs into the potatoes and it will break through it. If you have a lot of resistance and it doesn't split the potato, then they need to cook longer.
Yes! Just quarter the recipe, you'll have some leftover but in my experience these mashed potatoes leftover get eaten....fast.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Thanksgiving Herb Stuffing - a homemade recipe using fresh sage, thyme and rosemary
- Buttery Olive Oil Baked Honey Carrots - a crowed favorite easy recipe
- Cranberry Cheesecake Bars - an easy holiday cheesecake recipe
- Pumpkin Roll With Cream Cheese Frosting - soft pumpkin cake with silky sweet cream cheese frosting inside
- Apple Crisp With Oats Topping - a classic apple crisp recipe
- Spatchcock Turkey (A Holiday Recipe) - a quick and easy turkey recipe, saving oven space as well
- Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls - frozen dinner rolls get a fancy update with this easy recipe
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake - a family favorite!
The Best Creamiest Baked Mashed Potatoes
These are the creamiest, most decadent mashed potatoes. You'll think you are eating at a five star restaurant when you take a bite because they are amazing! Baking the mashed potatoes makes them so rich and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp salted butter, cold
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 c half and half
- ½ tsp salt
- Pepper
- Optional: chives on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into medium sized cubes (see photos). Rinse the potatoes thoroughly with water and drain. Add the potatoes to a large pot, cover with water and a few big pinches of salt. Bring the water to a boil and boil until they are fork tender (about 10-15 minutes). Drain the potatoes then return them to the pot.
- Turn the heat under the pot to low and steam out excess moisture for 3 minutes.
- Add the potatoes to a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat on low until they are broken up. Add the warm melted butter, salt and pepper. Mix in the cream cheese and slowly add in the warm half and half until it reaches your preferred consistency (you may not need a full cup). Add more salt if needed, the amount of salt will vary depending on how much was used during the boiling process.
- Spread into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cut up the cold 2 tbsp of butter into little cubes and sprinkle over the mashed potatoes.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
Potato Size: Try to cut your potatoes all the same size. Avoid cutting really small cubes, the smaller the potato cube the more moisture it holds.
Half and Half: Don't add all of the half and half all at once, you may not need all of it (or you may need more).
Substitutions: You can use milk instead of half and half, but you'll need less of it. The potatoes just won't be as rich.
Fork Tender: The potatoes should be boiled until you can pierce them with a fork and it breaks apart. Avoid boiling too long that the potatoes start to turn mushy. If they aren't cooked enough, then you'll have lumpy mashed potatoes.
Steaming: For the fluffiest potatoes this is my best trick. After you've boiled the potatoes, drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Cook them for 3 minutes on low heat. It releases any excess moisture and makes them really fluffy, you will see steam coming out of the pot and the potatoes will start to look dried out.
Make Ahead: Prepare the potatoes but instead of baking, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Bake as usual when you are ready but increase the bake time slightly.
Cheesy Variation: Try adding 4 ounces extra sharp white cheddar and 4 ounces gouda cheese the same time you add the cream cheese. A really yummy decadent cheese flavor comes through. Use blocks of cheese and shred them for the best taste.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 219mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
This information comes from online calculators. Although moderncrumb.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Dar
Served these with our Christmas turkey and ham. They are the best mashed potatoes I have ever had. Only used 1/2 cup of the Half and Half but they were creamy and delicious and will be the only mashed potato recipe I use from here on. I received many compliments.
Alicia
This dish was delicious!!! Depending on size of potatoes I suggest using less milk. I also added a little cheddar cheese.
Nigel
It's for 5lbs of potatoes, size doesn't even matter Alicia.
MARY. NIXON
How many does this serve?
Tara Moore
This recipe fills a 9x13 baking dish - so I would base it off that. 12 servings for my family. But some peoples servings are much bigger than others.
Aunie
It says calories per serving size 235. What is the measurement used for serving size? How many oz, grams, cups yields 1 serving size. Please and thank you! Made these last year for thanksgiving and they were amazing…watching calories this year so just wondering about serving size.
Tara Moore
Hi Aunie! I set the recipe at "10 servings" total. So for each serving the calculator when inputed is estimating 235 calories. So for the entire dish it thinks 2,350 calories. Now this is just an estimation but hopefully helps you.
Mandy
I plan to make these for my daughter’s birthday dinner! Do you think I could sub heavy cream for the half and half?
Tara Moore
Hi Mandy! Yes you can - they will be super rich and delicious. You may need to thin them out just a bit with some milk since heavy cream is so thick, so if the potatoes are really thick after adding your heavy cream I would try that. Just a little bit, until the consistency is what you are looking for. Happy birthday to your daughter and I hope you enjoy!
Shelley
can you make these a day or two ahead and reheat?
Tara Moore
Hi Shelley, yes you can! I've prepared them all the way until the point of right before they would bake, and stuck them in my fridge with plastic wrap on top. Then baked them the next day. They were still really good!
Dede
question -once you steam them do you drain out and excess water or should it all be evaporated?
Tara Moore
Use a colander to drain all the water out of the potatoes. Then, return the potatoes to the pot and steam out any excess moisture. There shouldn't be any excess water in the pot - the steaming will evaporate anything left in the potato 🙂
Robin
I just made these for thanksgiving tomorrow. They are in the fridge so tomorrow they can be brought to room temp and baked. They look terrific and can’t wait to try.’’’’’’’
Mary
Can I freeze the casserole
Tara Moore
Yes, you can freeze the mashed potatoes. Do this before baking, then when you take it out of the freezer, transfer to the fridge and once it's no longer frozen pop into the oven. The only reason for not going straight from the freezer to the oven is the dish (that would crack it), if you were to use a tin foil baking pan then you could.
FGW
Hi, I didn't notice the size of the baking tray.
Thanks
Tara Moore
I like to use an 8"x11", a tad smaller than the standard 9x13.
Cheryl
At what temp are you baking at and if preparing ahead of time was it still 45 minutes to bake?
Tara Moore
Hi Cheryl, 350 degrees. If you make them ahead of time (I’m assuming you mean they’ll be in the fridge) they will probably need a bit longer. I would cover them with foil the first half they bake to help retain heat.
Jenn
Have you tried making them ahead of time and baking the next day? Hoping to try for Thanksgiving
Tara Moore
They sure can! I've made them this way and really liked how they turned out. Happy Thanksgiving!
Mona
Could these be prepared the night before and baked the next day??
Tara Moore
Hi Mona, yes they can! I've prepared them this way before. They are actually really good made this way.
Jackie K
Making these now! I thought about boiling them in half water half chicken broth. Ill let you know how that turns out.
Tara Moore
That will make them even more delicious, Jackie! Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Jackie
Wow! Boiling the potatoes in the chicken broth made them out of this world! My husband loved them so much that he requested them for Christmas dinner. Thanks for the recipe
Tara Moore
I am so glad you loved them Jackie! It definitely gives them a bit more flavor. Thanks for leaving a review and trying the recipe 🙂
Carla
Hi Tara,
How far ahead do you think I can make these. I'm hosting Christmas and starting to stress.
Tara Moore
I usually make them the day before then bake the day of 🙂 You could get away with two days before no problem.