Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
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Perfect for the busy holidays, these ultra-creamy make-ahead mashed potatoes can be prepared two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.
As much as my family loves buttery, gravy-drenched mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving, I’ve always been hesitant about making them because they need to be prepared at the last minute. Traditional mashed potatoes don’t hold up well when made ahead of time, often becoming dry, grainy, or even gluey—a real letdown for such a special occasion. The thought of mashing potatoes in the eleventh hour, while juggling a dozen other dishes in a kitchen buzzing with guests of all ages, is nerve-wracking, to say the least! That’s why I was thrilled to discover a method for make-ahead mashed potatoes from Cooks Illustrated that works really well. Not only do these mashed potatoes stay ultra-creamy, but they can also be made up to two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave—a huge bonus when oven and burner space is at a premium during the holidays.
“I’ve always dreaded making mashed potatoes on the day of Thanksgiving. Too much work and mess, and they never seem to come out the way I want them to. These make-ahead mashed potatoes were the perfect solution! And they were so creamy and delicious!! They got rave reviews from my family and definitely earned a permanent spot on my Thanksgiving menu!”
What You’ll Need For Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Interestingly, the recipe calls for baking the potatoes instead of boiling them. In all my years of cooking, I have never seen a mashed potato recipe that starts with baked potatoes. But it makes sense: water is the enemy of perfectly mashed potatoes. If the potatoes are too wet, they become dense and heavy. (That’s why most recipes instruct you to “dry” the boiled potatoes on the stovetop before adding the butter and liquid.) In many ways, the recipe is similar to twice-baked potatoes, which can also be made mostly ahead.
Baking the potatoes does take longer but it’s a tradeoff: you don’t have to peel or dry the potatoes and it’s completely hands-off. And since the potatoes cook directly on the oven rack, you won’t even dirty a pan!
How To Make Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
To begin, place the potatoes directly on an oven rack and bake until very soft, 50 to 60 minutes. While the potatoes are still hot, cut each in potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or the bowl of an electric mixer). Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a fork, potato masher, or rubber spatula.
Beat on low speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. It’s important to do this while the potatoes are still hot, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the cream and butter to a simmer.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the hot cream and butter mixture. Folding (rather than stirring in the stand mixer) prevents the potatoes from becoming gluey.
It will take a few minutes to mix the liquid in; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Mix in the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap with the tip of a knife and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power for about 14 minutes. Stir the potatoes halfway through reheating to be sure they warm evenly. Season to taste, then transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the chives and serve warm.
Video Tutorial
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Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Perfect for the busy holidays, these ultra-creamy make-ahead mashed potatoes can be prepared two days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.
Ingredients
- 3½ pounds Russet potatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- Chives, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- Prick each potato a few times all over with a fork, if you like (see note). Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack (alternatively, you can place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet). Bake until very soft, 50 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. (Err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking them.)
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. While they are still hot, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using an oven mitt or a folded kitchen towel to hold the hot potatoes, scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (*see note below on using a potato ricer, food mill or hand-held electric mixer). The flesh near the skin gets a little tough, so be sure to leave it behind. Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a potato masher, fork, or rubber spatula. Beat on low speed until completely smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. (Note: it’s important to mash the potatoes while they are still hot, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps.)
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and 6 tablespoons of the butter to a simmer.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and, using a large rubber spatula, gradually fold in the hot cream and butter mixture. It will take a few minutes to mix it all in; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (the bowl should be large enough that the potatoes don’t touch the plastic wrap). Refrigerate for up to 2 days. (DO NOT FREEZE)
- To reheat, use the tip of a knife to poke about 10 holes in the plastic wrap, and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power until the potatoes are hot, about 14 minutes, stirring halfway through the reheating time. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving dish, top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve hot.
- Note: Conventional wisdom says that prior to baking, you have to prick potatoes with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape during baking. The theory is that if you don’t prick the potato, the steam can build up under the skin and cause the potato to explode in the oven. I don't prick my potatoes and have never had a potato explosion, but pricking won't harm the potatoes, so go ahead and prick them as insurance, if you like.
- Notes: For perfectly smooth potatoes, pass the potato flesh through a potato ricer or food mill before adding them to the mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand-held electric mixer. If you don't have an electric mixer, pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer and then whip by hand with a wooden spoon.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 464
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated fat: 21 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 470 mg
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can Idaho potatoes be used?
Yep!
Yippee! And thank you!!
I’m going to start making these shortly…the recipe sounds great. Having read some of the comments, I have a question about the thickness of the finished potatoes. I like my potatoes a bit on the thicker side; what should I vary in the recipe itself or in the reheating? Thank you!
Hi Michele, you could add an additional potato or reduce the cream/butter mixture a bit. I’m not sure if the fact that they’re thicker will impact the texture when you reheat them. If you try them, please LMK how they come out!
Hi, Michele! I made the potatoes by the recipe two days before TG and they reheated great. The texture was creamy and thick, but not firm or dry. I pushed a big spoon on the top to make a place for butter, and the indention held. The potatoes didn’t fall off the serving spoon, but you didn’t have to knock them off the spoon either. They held their shape on the plate under gravy, too. Oh! I used russets.
Hi Jen,
I have yellow potatoes. Are those ok to use ? and I would just peel and boil them first? I wish I saw this recipe before I went to store!
Hi Mary Beth – you really need Russets for this – sorry!
Hello. I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always delicious! But today when I made it the potatoes are a little grainy. I’m wondering if its because I used more potatoes than the recipe called for but same amount of cream and butter. Do you know if this can be fixed?
Hi Amy, Yes that’s probably the reason – you could try adding a bit more warm butter and cream.
Thank you! I’ve already refrigerated them. Can I do that when I heat them back up ?
Yep that’s fine 🙂 You can also try passing them through a sieve (by pressing them through with a rubber spatula) if you have time. That will take care of any lumps.
Hi! Love love love the many recipes I’ve made, so thank you! My question is: what is the importance of not allow the plastic wrap to touch the potatoes?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Lynne, the potatoes expand just a bit when you reheat them and it makes a bit of a mess if the plastic wrap is touching them. And so glad you like the recipes! 🙂
Hi Jen, can i use sour cream instead of heavy cream, and if so, is it ok to heat it up with the butter before hand as you do with the heavy cream?
Hi Alison, I recommend sticking with heavy cream here — sorry!
How many tablespoons are in 2 cubes of butter for the do ahead mashed potato recipe?
Hi Mary, I’m not sure I understand your question but you will use 6 tablespoons of butter in the mashed potato mixture and top the finished dish with 2 tablespoons of butter. Please LMK if I can help in any other way.
Thank you. When the recipe said cubes, I thought you meant half sticks. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Jenn. I plan on making this for Thanksgiving with lots of gravy; as my wife likes. These look very thin on their own. My concern is that after adding gravy, it would thin out too much. More like a thick soup. Should I increase the amount of potatoes or reduce the cream/butter or both? …or just not worry about it and just enjoy the yummy stuff?
Hi Doug, these are slightly thinner than your typical mashed potatoes. You could either use another potato or reduce the cream/butter a bit. Just keep in mind that they may not reheat quite as well if they’re thicker. Please LMK how they turn out!
Your recipe sounds great. Will make it but with one caveat, I’m a vegan, so I’ll need to use either vegan half & half or vegan heavy cream. Will let you know how it turns out. Only question I have is, in lieu of baking the potatoes, can you not microwave them to save time? Microwaving sure saves time without sacrificing taste.
Yes, you can microwave the potatoes. I’d love to hear how it comes out with your vegan tweaks!
I was wondering if you can make these earlier on the day and put them in a slow cooker to keep them warm during transport. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it, but a number of people have commented that they’ve successfully kept them warm in a slow cooker. Hope you enjoy!
Good thing we tested before the big day….too many lumps. I’m going to whip them and warm them up in a crock pot. Although this recipe didn’t work out, so many that did, including your book Jenn, so I am way ahead in great meals—thank you!