silky cream cheese mashed potatoes
A big pot of comforting carbs to slide onto your Thanksgiving table. Nothing better.
I’m a total sucker for mashed potatoes during these seasons. Excepting rice, a big blob of taters is my favorite vessel for all sorts of bowl-type meals. With some roasted veggies and a big side salad…mmhmm.
And, what would Thanksgiving be without taters, precious?
My Stovetop Herb Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes started it all a couple years ago, and these Silky Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are even simpler and more indulgent. A bath in cream and milk instead of water (yes, it works fine without scalding, trust me!) puts a bit more ease into an already no-fuss process, and mashing them with both butter and cream cheese results in the smoothest, whippiest pile of excellence.
I dunno, man, but I probably won’t be making mashed potatoes any other way from now forth.
Cream Cheesin’
Common knowledge says to not boil milk. I agree with this in most scenarios, but simmering potatoes in dairy does not seem to create a pungent, burnt mess; perhaps the starches in the potato mitigate the effect, or something else thermodynamic that I’m not qualified to identify occurs.
Whatever the case, I assure you that torched milk will not be an issue in this recipe.
I like using Yukon gold potatoes for my mash, I find them much smoother, but russets are more than fine too. Be sure to wash and peel each potato, and cut into approximately 1-inch pieces. Big chunks will take longer to soften.
Throw your taters in a sauce pot and fill and cover with milk and heavy cream. Toss in a parmesan rind, too, for a bit of extra flavor.
Bring the liquid to a simmer and, stirring frequently (so the potatoes don’t stick to the bottom. THAT shit will burn), cook until the potatoes practically fall apart when poked with a fork. This will take 10-15 minutes.
Set a colander over a bowl and strain the milk into said bowl. DO NOT DISCARD THIS LIQUID OR ELSE YOU’LL RUIN ALL THE HARD WORK YOU JUST DID. Do, however, throw out the parmesan rind.
Add the potatoes back to the pot and mash with 1/2 cup of the milk to start, softened butter, and cream cheese. Keep pouring in a bit more milk at a time until the consistency is just right for you. Likely, you won’t need all liquid, so throw out what you don’t use.
Finish with a pop of garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add more of each until the flavor is to your liking.
Dump this beautiful, floofy mass into a nice serving bowl and arrange onto your table. I like to brown a couple spoonfuls of butter and swirl it into some spoon crevices on the surface. A little more butter never hurt no one, right? Unless you have high cholesterol. This recipe may not be for you, then.
Leftovers? No problemo for up to 3 days post-feast, though you probably won’t have any left at that point. You can certainly freeze mashed potatoes in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3 months. Be sure to cool them completely before storing.
Making ahead? No biggie, man. Cover and store cooled mashed potatoes up to 2 days ahead of time. I prefer to pop them back on the stovetop, with about 1/4-1/2 cup more milk, and heat gently while stirring every few minutes until the potatoes are back to a nice toasty temp.
One more Thanksgiving recipe on the docket and the 2025 menu is officially complete! We’ve got this, friends!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Sides that aren’t a thorn in your side:
Buttery Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
One Pot Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Rice Casserole
Easy Cheddar Chive Mashed Potatoes
Pumpkin Risotto with Herb Butter Mushrooms
silky cream cheese mashed potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 lb Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 parmesan rind
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the potatoes, milk, cream, and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Strain the milk mixture from the potatoes into a bowl. Do not dump this shit out for fuck's sake it is important.
- Toss the butter and cream cheese in with the hot potatoes and about 1/2 cup of cream. Mash with a potato masher, adding more of the cream as needed to achieve your desired smoothness. Stir in the garlic powder and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Continue seasoning with s&p to taste. Serve warm.
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