Julie Clark
Updated:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Three key ingredients make up these rich and creamy mashed potatoes. You’ll never make mashed potatoes another way again. The whipped potatoes are the perfect side dish to just about any holiday main dish.
It’s perfect creamy mashed potato weather. Warm sunshine on my shoulders. Brilliant shades of red and orange falling from the trees. Ohio weather gets a lot of flack and I’ll be dishing it out as well when it is bitter cold in March. But right now? I’m singing the praises of my little Buckeye state.
With this warmish fall weather, it’s hard to keep in mind that Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. The cool weather can stay away, but bring on the soft rolls, Grandma’s stuffing and pumpkin pie.
And another must-have Thanksgiving side dish to go with your turkey? Mashed Potatoes and gravy. Creamy mashed potatoes whipped to the perfect texture, thanks to heavy cream!
Why this is the Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe:
- It’s my grandma’s creamy mashed potatoes recipe. And grandma’s know best, right?
- Uses Russet potatoes for the ultimate in fluffy texture.
- Options to rice the potatoes for perfectly smooth potatoes or use a traditional potato masher.
- Heavy cream and cream cheese give the best creamy texture.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
I never used to follow a recipe when I made mashed potatoes. I knew I liked folding melted butter and milk in with the potatoes to make them super soft.
But I’ll never forget one time when we visited my Grandma’s house. Her mashed potatoes tasted amazing and it was because she added cream cheese to the mashed potatoes. Being an avid cream cheese lover, I knew she had hit on something brilliant.
What makes our mashed potatoes creamy?
- Butter. Real, sweet cream butter. I use salted butter nearly 100% of the time.
- Cream Cheese. Full-fat, please. Yes, you could use ⅓ fat or fat-free, but know that it is not going to be as rich and creamy if you do.
- Heavy Cream. Can you use heavy whipping cream for mashed potatoes? Yes, and heavy cream makes the creamiest mashed potatoes. We’re talking Thanksgiving comfort food, the ultimate in rich flavor. This whipped potatoes recipe is super creamy and rich. You should definitely use heavy whipping cream.
What are the best potatoes for mashed potatoes?
Choosing the right kind of potato is important, too. There’s waxy potatoes, starchy potatoes and some in between. For perfectly textured mashed potatoes, you’re going to want to choose a starchy potato such as Russets. They may also be called Idaho or bakers. These potatoes will fall apart when you bake them, but whip up fluffy, drinking in all of that wonderful butter and milk.
Don’t have Russets? Try Yukon Gold potatoes. They have a natural buttery flavor so they are excellent in mashed potatoes.
How to make fluffy mashed potatoes?
To make whipped potatoes, pull out an electric hand mixer and mix until blended.
However, a chef in Columbus, Ohio, told me that over-mixing the potatoes brings out the starch which can make them gummy. So don’t mix too mush.
For the fluffiest mashed potatoes, you’ll want to use a potato ricer or food mill. If you don’t have a potato ricer, use a handheld potato masher. It’s still possible to get them perfectly creamy with this, thanks to our cream cheese and heavy cream.
Optional Mashed Potato Add-ins
- Fresh herbs are a great way to add flavor to mashed potatoes, or just to sprinkle on top for serving. Try fresh parsley, chives, rosemary, pepper, green onions, thyme, or minced garlic cloves.
- Don’t like cream cheese? Try adding in sour cream instead. It will change the flavor slightly and make the potatoes have a little more “tang”, but they’ll still be creamy.
Storage Instructions
Store any leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Because of all the butter and cream cheese, they will firm up in the fridge, but reheat in the microwave to soften them again.
I do not recommend freezing potatoes as they can become watery once thawed.
Use leftover mashed potatoes in potato bread, potato spice cake or mashed potato cakes!
Other Potato Recipes
- mashed sweet potatoes
- mashed potatoes with gruyere cheese
- use leftover potatoes in potato rolls
- learn how to make instant potatoes better
- sweet potato casserole with pecan topping
- for less carbs, make mashed cauliflower
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Three key ingredients make up these rich and creamy mashed potatoes. You'll never make mashed potatoes another way again. Great for the slow cooker, too.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Russet potatoes about 7 large potatoes
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted, 4 ounces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 ounces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 8 grams
Instructions
- Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into large cubes. 5 pounds Russet potatoes
- Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and fill the pot with cold water, leaving about 2 inches at the top of the pan. Place the pan on the stovetop on medium-high heat.
- Allow the water to come to a boil, then turn the water down to medium heat. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the water from the potatoes.
- Mash the potatoes by mixing just until blended with an electric mixer, or use a potato masher. You can also rice the potatoes through a food mill.
- Stir in the cream cheese, butter, heavy cream and salt. 4 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup salted butter, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- Gently fold the potatoes using a rubber spatula until they are smooth and creamy. Be careful not to mix too hard because want to keep the potato fluffiness.
- You can top with butter, salt, chives or parsley.
Notes
If you don’t have time to rice the potatoes, simply use a handheld potato masher or a hand mixer on low speed to blend the ingredients.
Slow Cooker Potatoes
If desired, you can place the finished mashed potatoes in a crock-pot and turn it on low for 2-3 hours. I love the potatoes slow cooked this way. The edges get slightly browned and taste delicious! If you don’t want the mashed potatoes to brown at all, be sure to stir the potatoes often, scraping the sides as you stir.
Nutrition
Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 10.8mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1.7mg
If we stay “open and receptive,” we can always try something new and different! For eighty-plus years of cooking, I’ve used Yukon Golds for mashing. I did the cooking from those early years of being a war kid! Mum worked long hours building aircraft; and, it was my contribution to the family. I’m wondering if the “Gold’s may have been a ‘Brit’ sort of beginning with our family; Mum’s side ~ ! So, next gathering ~ it will be your choice of potato!! Still, your recipe is great! Another tradition from the Italian side of family ~ cloves of roasted… Read more »
Made this recipe for a thanksgiving party last year for my son’s class…. Making it again this year! The kids loved it!
Yum, yummy, I want some now. ????