Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are pure comfort in every bite! Tender golden potatoes are mashed with milk or half-and-half, butter, and cream cheese for a rich, velvety texture and just the right hint of tang. This indulgent side is perfect for a holiday meal!

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How to Make Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Step 1: Prep and Cook the Potatoes

1. Peel. Since golden potatoes are thin-skinned, many mashed potato recipes leave them unpeeled. We like these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes to be ultra-smooth and creamy, so I peel my potatoes.
2. Slice. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, and then each half into 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick slices. Aiming for a uniform thickness will ensure the potatoes cook evenly.

3. Prepare the Pot. Add the potato chunks to a large pot and pour in enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Salt the water with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal).
4. Boil. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, partially covered. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Cook the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until they’re tender but not falling apart. To check for doneness, slide the tines of a fork or the tip of a paring knife into a few of the slices—you should not feel any resistance.
5. Drain. Drain the potatoes into a colander, then place the colander over the empty hot pot. Let them sit for about 5 minutes so the excess moisture can evaporate. Before moving on, pour off any water that’s collected in the bottom of the pot so the mashed potatoes aren’t watery.

Step 2: Mash the Potatoes

Once the potatoes are cooked, it’s time to mash and mix in all of the good stuff that makes these Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes so rich and flavorful: 

• Cream Cheese: Use brick-style Philadelphia cream cheese (not the spreadable tub kind). Cut it into cubes and let it soften to room temperature before mixing it in. (If you’re short on time, check out Southern Living’s How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly.) 
• Whole Milk or Half-and-Half: Both are delicious, but half-and-half will give you creamier, more indulgent potatoes. Always warm the liquid before adding it to the cooked potatoes so it absorbs easily. You can pop in the microwave on medium power, stirring every 15 seconds, or heat it on the stove.
• Melted Unsalted Butter: While these potatoes are delicious with American-style unsalted butter, they’re even better with a higher-butterfat European-style butter (like Kerrygold or Plugrá). Kerrygold (shown here) also gives the mashed potatoes even more of a golden color.

Using a Potato Ricer

Work in batches to pass the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer {affiliate link} directly into the warm, dry pot. I usually add the softened, cubed cream cheese to the pot midway through ricing, layering it between batches of warm potatoes to help the cream cheese melt and incorporate easily.

Once all the potatoes are riced, stir in melted butter, pepper, and 1/2 cup of warmed milk or half-and-half. Gently mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until everything is combined, and season the potatoes to taste with extra salt and pepper.

Tip: If the potatoes cool down too much during ricing and the cream cheese isn’t melting, simply place the pot of riced potatoes back on the stove over low heat to gently warm it up as you stir in the ingredients.

At this point, you’re going to adjust the consistency of the mashed potatoes with extra milk or half-and-half by eye. The natural moisture content of potatoes (even within the same variety) can vary, so the amount of liquid you need to add may change each time you make this recipe.

For reference, the batch of potatoes pictured here only needed a little more than 1/2 cup. I’ve also had many batches take a full cup of liquid. Keep in mind when adding the milk or half-and-half that the mixture will thicken slightly as it stands.

Using a Mixer

Instead of a potato ricer, you can create creamy mashed potatoes with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer as long as you’re careful not to over-mix them.

To use a hand mixer, return the drained potato chunks to the warm, dry pot. Add the softened cream cheese, melted butter, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of warmed milk or half-and-half. Whip the mixture on low to medium-low speed, stopping as soon as the potatoes are smooth and creamy.

To use a stand mixer, transfer the warm, cooked potatoes and the same ingredients—starting with 1/2 cup of warmed milk or half-and-half—into the mixing bowl. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to gently combine everything until the potatoes are creamy and smooth.

As with the riced potato process, add additional warmed milk or half-and-half in small increments to adjust the texture to your liking (I like to stir it in by hand to avoid over-mixing), and season to taste with extra salt and pepper.

Serving Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

To serve these mashed potatoes, spoon them into a large serving bowl and use the back of the spoon to create soft swirls on the surface. For an extra touch of indulgence, add a few small pats of butter on top and let them melt into the creamy potato valleys.

I like to garnish the bowl with a sprinkle of snipped fresh chives. They add a subtle onion flavor and a pretty finish.

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are so good that I’ve happily enjoyed them “as is” on many occasions. That said, they’re a fantastic base for a hearty drizzle of gravy, especially when served with roasted chicken or a holiday turkey, or alongside a juicy slice of prime rib.

They’re also the perfect pairing for cozy, cold-weather meals like beef stew or pot roast. My family also loves a hefty scoop of them with saucy braises and skillet mains, like Stout Beer Braised Short Ribs, Creamy Pork Chops Marsala, Chicken Marsala, or Hard Cider Chicken with Bacon and Apples.

Storing and Reheating

This recipe makes a generous batch, which is always welcome in my house for leftovers! Store any extras (or the whole batch) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Freezing isn’t recommended, as it can change the texture of the potatoes once defrosted.

When it’s time to reheat, you can gently warm these mashed potatoes in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave. The richness of the cream cheese and butter helps the potatoes hold up well without drying out.

You may need to add a splash of milk or half-and-half to restore the potatoes’ velvety texture when reheating. Compared to other mashed potato recipes, I find that this one usually only needs a small amount.

More Holiday Side Dishes

• Sausage and Chesnut Stuffing
• Buttermilk Sweet Potato Casserole
• Traditional Bread Stuffing with Herbs
• Cranberry Pecan Stuffing
• Maple Glazed Air Fryer Root Vegetables
• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Brown Butter Whipped Sweet Potatoes

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5 from 9 votes

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

by Amanda Biddle

These Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and a crowd-pleasing favorite. Rich, velvety, and perfectly creamy, serve them for holiday dinners like Thanksgiving or Christmas, or any cozy meal.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/2- to 3/4 inch thick slices
• ▢ 1 stick unsalted butter , melted (see note below)
• ▢ 8 ounces brick-style Philadelphia cream cheese , softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1/2 to 1 cup milk or half and half , warmed (see note below)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt , plus additional to taste
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• ▢ snipped chives , for garnish (optional)

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Instructions 

Cook the Potatoes

• Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, partially covered.
• Uncover and reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil for 15 to 18 minutes, until potatoes are tender and a knife or fork can be inserted into the center of the wedges without resistance.
• Drain the potatoes into a colander and set it back into the hot pot. Let the potatoes stand in the colander for 5 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Discard any liquid in the bottom of the pot before proceeding.

To Use a Potato Ricer

• Rice the potatoes in batches into the warm, dry pot. Gently stir in butter, cream cheese, 1/2 cup milk or half-and-half, and pepper with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula (see note below).
• Add additional warm milk or half-and-half as needed to reach your desired mashed potato consistency.

To Use a Hand Mixer

• Add cooked, drained potatoes back to the warm, dry pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, starting with 1/2 cup milk or half-and-half.
• Use a hand mixer on low to medium-low speed to mash the potatoes, stopping as soon as the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in additional warm milk or half-and-half as needed to reach your desired consistency. Don't over-whip, or potatoes will become gluey. 

To Use a Stand MIxer

• Add cooked, drained potatoes to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, starting with 1/2 cup milk or half-and-half, and mix on low speed until smooth and creamy. Don't overwhip!
• As with the potato ricer and hand mixer methods, stir in additional warm milk or half-and-half to the potatoes as needed.

To Serve

• Season the mashed potatoes to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm, with a couple of extra pats of butter on top and a garnish of snipped chives, if desired.

Notes

Butter: For extra richness, I like to use European-style butter, like Plugra or Kerrygold. 

Potato Ricer Tip: If you find that the potatoes have cooled down too much during the ricing process to melt the cream cheese, place the pot back on the stove over low heat as you stir in the dairy.

Milk or Half-and Half Quantity: The amount of liquid you’ll add to the potatoes will vary by batch; some potatoes absorb more than others. Sometimes, I’ve needed the full cup; other times, a little more than half a cup has been enough. Always start with 1/2-cup of liquid and slowly increase as needed. Keep in mind that the potatoes will thicken a bit as they stand. 

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 999mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 25.8mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 7.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About our recipes

Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.

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Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published on Striped Spatula in October 2017. We have updated the blog post with new and improved photos and instructions addressing reader questions we’ve received.

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