This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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’m always hesitant to make them because they’re typically a last-minute dish. Traditional mashed potatoes don’t hold up well when made ahead. They often turn dry, grainy, or even gluey, which is a real letdown for such a special meal. And the idea of mashing potatoes at the eleventh hour, while juggling a dozen other dishes in a kitchen buzzing with guests of all ages, is downright nerve-wracking!
That’s why I was thrilled to discover a method for make-ahead mashed potatoes from Cooks Illustrated that works really well. These mashed potatoes stay ultra-creamy and can be made up to two days ahead of time. Best of all, they reheat perfectly in the microwave—a lifesaver when oven and burner space is at a premium during the holidays.
“This recipe yielded the smoothest mashed potatoes ever. This is my go-to mash now until I depart this earth.”
How This Make-Ahead Method Works
The secret to these ultra-creamy mashed potatoes starts with baking the potatoes instead of boiling them. Baking keeps the flesh dry and fluffy, so it can absorb plenty of cream and butter without becoming heavy or gluey. It also means there’s no peeling or draining involved. While the potatoes are still hot, the flesh is scooped out and beaten until completely smooth. Then, hot cream and melted butter are gently folded in by hand to keep the potatoes from becoming gluey.
The generous amount of cream and butter helps the potatoes stay creamy through refrigeration and reheating, so you can make them ahead without sacrificing that freshly made texture.
What You’ll Need For Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Russet Potatoes: Stick with russets for this recipe; their starchy flesh bakes up dry and fluffy, ready to absorb the cream and butter.
- Heavy Cream: Gives the potatoes their creamy texture. This recipe was developed with heavy cream, so I wouldn’t swap in milk or half-and-half.
- Unsalted Butter: Most goes into the potatoes, with a little reserved for melting over the top after reheating.
- Salt and chives: Salt brings out the flavor of the potatoes, while chives add a little color and mild onion flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Equipment Options
A stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment makes quick work of the potatoes, but a hand-held electric mixer works, too. For an especially smooth texture, pass the hot potato flesh through a potato ricer or food mill first.
No electric mixer? Use a ricer or food mill, then beat the potatoes by hand (which will take some elbow grease) with a wooden spoon. Whichever method you use, fold in the hot cream and butter by hand.
How To Make Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Bake and scoop the potatoes: Prick the potatoes with a fork, then bake directly on the oven rack until very soft, about 50 to 60 minutes. While they’re still hot, halve them lengthwise and scoop the flesh into your mixer bowl, leaving behind any tough bits near the skin. Use an oven mitt or kitchen towel to protect your hands, then roughly mash the flesh before mixing.
Beat until smooth: Beat on low speed just until no lumps remain, scraping the bowl as needed. Work while the potatoes are hot—they’re much easier to get smooth before they cool.
Heat the cream and butter: Meanwhile, bring the cream and 6 tablespoons of the butter to a simmer in a small saucepan.
Fold in the cream mixture: Remove the bowl from the mixer and gradually fold in the hot cream and butter with a rubber spatula. Mixing by hand at this stage helps keep the potatoes from becoming gluey.
Finish mixing and refrigerate: It will take a few minutes to incorporate the liquid; keep folding until the potatoes are smooth and creamy, then stir in the salt. Transfer to a large microwave-safe bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Finish and serve: Reheat using either method below, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the remaining butter, and sprinkle with chives.
Make-Ahead & Reheating
Prepare the mashed potatoes up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate, tightly covered. Save the final 2 tablespoons of butter and the chives for serving. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Microwave: Use a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving space between the potatoes and the wrap. Poke about 10 holes in the wrap to vent, then microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power until hot throughout, about 14 minutes, stirring halfway through. Timing will vary with your microwave and the quantity you’re reheating.
Oven: Transfer to an oven-safe dish, cover tightly with foil, and reheat at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.
Video Tutorial
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3½ lb Russet potatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- Chives, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (235°C) and adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- Prick each potato a few times all over with a fork. 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 microwave-safe 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
See more recipes:
What To Serve With Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
For Thanksgiving, serve these with roast turkey and plenty of turkey gravy. They’re also a good match for roast chicken, meatloaf, or braised short ribs—anything with pan juices or sauce worth catching.
MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU MAY Like
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Can I make these a week in advance and freeze. Then thaw overnight the night before in the refrigerator, then reheat per instructions? Thank you!
Hi, Jennifer, unfortunately these won’t freeze well – sorry!
I’ve made these before and love the fact that you don’t have to peel and boil the potatoes. For this holiday I would like to make them with Boursin cheese. Would this work and would I decrease the butter or the heavy cream? Thanks Jenn!
Hi Camille, yes, you can add Boursin cheese, and I’d reduce the cream a bit. Enjoy!
HI Jen! I am excited to try this recipe. If i double the recipe should I lengthen the amount of time reheating in the microwave? Thanks!
Hi Courtney, I think it would probably take a little longer for a double batch to be heated through. I’d microwave them for 14 minutes as the recipe specifies, and then give them a stir. If it needs more time, I’d do it in 1-minute increments. Hope you enjoy!
I know his recipe works well as written. Delicious. Is there a way to make it dairy-free for a guest who cannot digest lactose? I suspect fat is key to the mixture and not just for taste. Perhaps full fat coconut milk?
I don’t recommend coconut milk here as it will give the potatoes a subtle coconut flavor. For a non-dairy option, some readers have commented that they’ve used Rich’s non-dairy coffee creamer (frozen) and Trader Joe’s unflavored non-dairy creamer. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried either of these.) I’d love to hear how the potatoes come out if you make them with one of these alternatives!
Mashed Potatoes – If reheating in the microwave, don’t use plastic wrap ! It will melt and is not meant for the microwave.
Can I reheat the mashed potatoes in a slow cooker / crock pot and keep them in there to stay warm?
Hi Marie, I haven’t tried it, but a number of readers have commented that they’ve reheated (or kept the mashed potatoes warm) using a crockpot, so I think it’s worth a try. Enjoy!
If you don’t have a paddle mixer, can you used the standard beaters?
Yes, just beat it on low speed.
Delicious, but soupy. For Thanksgiving I plan to add one medium potato more (and possibly do another potato as a stand by). I have also seen suggestions to add instant potato powder if needed to thicken. What would you recommend?
Hi Gayle, I’m sorry you found them to be soupy! Preparing ahead by cooking an additional potato is a good idea. I don’t know how instant potato powder would behave in the recipe, so I’d be hesitant to use it.
Hi Jenn,
Can this be reheated in a crock-pot instead of the microwave?
Thanks so much!
Hi Mary, I haven’t tried it, but a number of readers have commented that they’ve reheated (or kept the mashed potatoes warm) using a crockpot, so I think it’s worth a try.
I have made these before and they are delicious. I’m wondering if I can turn them into garlic mashed potatoes, and if so, how to do it?
So glad you like them! To convert them to garlic mashed potatoes, you can add about a teaspoon of minced garlic or a few cloves of roasted garlic. Please LMK how they come out!
I’ve been making this amazing recipe for years and I add roasted garlic in, it’s delicious. I cut two heads of garlic in half, cover the top with olive oil then wrap each in a foil packet. (make sure the opening is at the top so the oil doesn’t leak out). Put the packets directly on the oven rack with the potatoes and take them out after 40 minutes. Before you beat the potatoes in the mixer open the packets and squeeze the garlic cloves into the potatoes. Works perfectly.
Hi Jenn, I made these the other night and it turned out amazing when I had a taste day of. But when I put them in the microwave the next day it turned to a soupy mess. Any ideas what could’ve went wrong?
Hi Tia, I’m sorry you had a problem with these! It sounds like perhaps you didn’t use quite enough potato.