Best Ever Creamy Mashed Potatoes

These Best Ever Creamy Mashed Potatoes are perfect for the holidays! Simple mashed potatoes baked to creamy perfection with butter and cream cheese!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Christmas, Holidays, North American, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

Keyword Best Ever Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 225kcal

Author Chrissie

Ingredients

For boiling:

5 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes about 20 potatoes, peeled
3-4 cloves fresh garlic peeled
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt

After draining:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
8 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash and peel the potatoes, cutting them into about 1-2 inch chunks (be sure all the chunks of potato are the same size so they cook evenly).
Add the potatoes to a large pot and fill the pot with hot water just so the potatoes are covered. Add the garlic, thyme and salt, and stir well.
Set the pot over high heat on the stove and cover. When it reaches a boil, continue cooking, covered over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a large lasagna pan or casserole dish (slightly bigger than 9-inches by 13-inches), and set aside.
When the potatoes are done, drain the potatoes and remove the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs.
Add the potatoes back into the pot and mash well with a potato masher (by hand).
Add the butter, cream cheese, garlic powder and onion powder, and some salt and pepper (you can always add more salt and pepper later, so start with a few pinches of each) on top and replace the lid. Wait for a few minutes so the heat of the potatoes can warm up the other ingredients.
Use a hand mixer to mix everything together until the mixture is creamy and smooth, and everything is incorporated. Don't over-whip...this will create glue-y sticky mashed potatoes.
Spoon the mashed potatoes into the baking dish and smooth out the top.
Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes, or just until the top gets crispy and golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

To make ahead:

To make this dish ahead of time, simply boil the potatoes, mash with the other ingredients as directed in the recipe, and spoon them into the greased baking dish. Cover and refrigerate the dish for up to 24 hours. When it's time to serve add the dish to a COLD oven, and let it heat up with the oven as it preheats (this will ensure your dish doesn't break). Bake as directed and serve.

To make these potatoes extra creamy, add 1/2 cup sour cream in addition to the cream cheese and butter.

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