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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I’ve seen comments where others have said that you don’t really need to double the butter and cream if doubling the recipe. Does the author or others have any thoughts or experience on this? Thanks!
Hi Melanie, If you plan to double the potatoes, I would double all the ingredients.
What should be the consistency when finished (before refrigerating)? Will it firm up in the fridge?
Just made in preparation for Christmas. I adjusted the amounts for 5 lbs of potatoes and the consistency is soupy. Should I run and get more potatoes? Help!
Hi Jill, They will firm up a bit, but they should not be soupy at this stage. If they seem too thin, I think it’s a good idea to thicken it up with more potatoes to be on the safe side. I’d pass them through a ricer or sieve to avoid lumps. So sorry you had trouble!
Update: I realized what I did! I used 1/2 and 1/2 instead of full crème. Went out and got 2 more large potatoes baked them (in microwave, for time) then folded them into the mash. Texture looks right now and I am crossing my fingers!
That makes sense! Hope they turn out well!
Can you use a lesser fat cream?
Thank you!
For the best results, I don’t recommend it — sorry!
The best mashed potatoes I’ve ever made — and I’ve tried many different recipes! Jenn is a genius. Only comment is in my experience, when doubling or tripling this recipe, you won’t need 3x the butter or cream.
These work really well for make-ahead mashed potatoes. I used a ricer/moulinex and the potatoes were super creamy without being gummy. The only thing I’d mention – and it isn’t really a complaint, just an observation – at some point with all that cream & butter they don’t taste like potatoes anymore. I love potatoes & vegetables in general so that aspect was a bit disappointing for me. I would absolutely make these again for a large group but probably not for just a regular dinner at home.
I made these potatoes for Thanksgiving. Everyone raved about them, and then six days later, they still raved and were amazed at how fresh they seemed, still thick and creamy and not gluey or watery at all! I will forever make mashed potatoes this way now. I make so many dishes from this site and like them all. Everyone knows if they like something I make, it comes from this site!
This is an excellent recipe, at least as good as the the usual Cook’s Illustrated recipe. I made all of the sides in advance; it was a game changer. No day-of stress! I used a ricer, just as I do for all mashed potatoes, so used the table top mixer only minimally. It really isn’t necessary if you’re ricing the potatoes since you can just mix the butter/cream/salt in by hand. The regular Cook’s recipe has you add the butter, then the dairy (both warm because that recipe is meant to be served immediately). This was just about as easy, mixing the dairy and butter and warming them together.
WOW! Your recipe is AMAZING! I followed it exactly as written and my family loved it! Of course I always give you credit with my family – so from here on out, our go-to recipe is “Jenn’s Mashed Potatoes”! Thank you so much for all your delicious recipes!
❣️
Seriously… The. Best. Recipe. Thanks for sharing Jenn! I made this the day before thanksgiving and microwaved prior to dinner. I received so many compliments. Follow it to a T. You will use all the cream/butter mixture. 😁
These potatoes were GREAT! Every Thanksgiving I look for a make ahead recipe that doesn’t add sour cream and cream cheese. (I love that with ham, but not with turkey and gravy.) This is the first one that had the taste and texture of freshly made mashed potatoes! Thank you so, so much. It was a bit more work but since I could do it the day before that didn’t matter. I was feeding 15 people (13 adults & 2 elementary aged kids), some big eaters, and I wanted left overs. I used the proportions that were in the comment left by CRAIGRANCH ON NOVEMBER 14, 2023. Thanks, Craig! Only change is that I used 10 or 11 lbs of potatoes, can’t remember which. I didn’t change anything else and they were great. Not runny at all and was the right amount for what I wanted. Would have fed 20 or more.
These potatoes were by far the creamiest most delicious potatoes I’ve ever tasted. I’ll never again make mashed potatoes any other way. Everyone at thanksgiving dinner had seconds! Thanks for yet another fabulous and easy recipe Jen!!