Finding a way to make regular mashed potatoes feel special for Sunday dinners or holiday gatherings can be tricky. After all, plain mashed potatoes are tasty, but they don’t always have that wow factor you’re looking for when you want to impress your family or guests, and it gets even more complicated when you’re trying to prep everything ahead of time.
Luckily, these baked mashed potatoes solve all those problems: they’re creamy and comforting, easy to make in advance, and simple enough that you can customize them with whatever toppings your family loves most.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Mashed Potatoes
- Make-ahead friendly – You can prep these mashed potatoes earlier in the day and just pop them in the oven when you’re ready to serve, making holiday meal planning so much easier.
- Extra creamy and rich – The combination of butter, cream cheese, and half-and-half creates the most luxurious, restaurant-quality mashed potatoes you’ve ever tasted.
- Perfect for entertaining – Baking them in the oven frees up stovetop space and keeps them warm while you finish preparing the rest of your meal.
- Simple ingredients – You probably already have most of these pantry staples on hand, so no special shopping trip required.
- Foolproof results – The oven method prevents overcooking and ensures your potatoes stay perfectly fluffy and smooth every single time.
What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?
Russet potatoes are really the way to go for this baked mashed potato recipe since they’re naturally starchy and fluffy when cooked. You could also use Yukon Gold potatoes if that’s what you have on hand – they’ll give you a slightly creamier, more buttery flavor, though the texture will be a bit denser. Avoid waxy potatoes like red potatoes or fingerlings, as they tend to get gluey when mashed and won’t give you that light, fluffy texture you’re after. When picking out your russets, look for ones that feel firm and heavy for their size, without any green spots or soft areas.
Options for Substitutions
This creamy potato dish is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:
- Russet potatoes: Russets are really the best choice here since they get fluffy and absorb all that butter and cream beautifully. You could use Yukon golds, but they’ll give you a denser, less fluffy texture.
- Cream cheese: If you don’t have cream cheese, try sour cream or Greek yogurt instead. Use the same amount, but add it gradually and taste as you go since the tanginess will be different.
- Half and half: Whole milk works fine, though your potatoes won’t be quite as rich. Heavy cream will make them even creamier if that’s what you’re after. You can also use buttermilk for a slight tang.
- Salted butter: Unsalted butter works too – just add a pinch more salt to taste. You could even substitute some of the butter with olive oil, though you’ll lose that rich butter flavor.
- Chives: Green onions, parsley, or even crispy bacon bits make great toppings if you don’t have chives on hand.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making baked mashed potatoes is not draining the potatoes well after boiling, which leads to watery, thin mashed potatoes that won’t hold their shape in the oven.
Another common error is adding cold dairy ingredients directly to hot potatoes – make sure your cream cheese is fully softened and your half and half is at room temperature to prevent lumps from forming.
Don’t skip the step of properly seasoning your potatoes before baking, as the oven won’t add flavor like stovetop cooking does, and always taste and adjust your salt and pepper levels before transferring to the baking dish.
For the fluffiest results, use a potato ricer or food mill instead of a regular masher, and avoid overmixing once you add the dairy ingredients to prevent gummy potatoes.
What to Serve With Baked Mashed Potatoes?
These creamy baked mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for just about any protein you can think of! They pair beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled steak, or even a simple meatloaf – the rich, buttery flavor complements hearty main dishes really well. I love serving them alongside some roasted vegetables like green beans or Brussels sprouts to balance out all that creamy goodness. For a complete comfort food meal, try them with pot roast or baked ham, and don’t forget to add those chives on top for a little pop of color and flavor.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: These baked mashed potatoes keep really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered dish. I actually think they taste even better the next day after all those flavors have had time to meld together. Just cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Freeze: You can absolutely freeze these mashed potatoes for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. I like to portion them out in individual servings or family-sized portions depending on what works best for my household. Just make sure they’re completely cooled before freezing.
Reheat: To warm them back up, you can either reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes covered with foil, or pop them in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Sometimes I add a splash of milk or cream if they seem a bit thick after reheating.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 45 minutes |
| Total Time | 60-65 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3450-3700
- Protein: 55-65 g
- Fat: 165-180 g
- Carbohydrates: 410-440 g
We'll Pay You $5 to Try This Recipe!
Cook our recipe, snap some photos, and earn a $5 Amazon Gift Card. It's that simple!
Here's how:
- Make the recipe
- Take nice pictures of your final dish
- Fill out our quick form (2 minutes max!)
- Your $5 reward is on the way!
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes:
- 5 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
For the topping:
- 2 tbsp salted butter, cold
- Chopped chives, optional
Step 1: Prepare and Cook the Potatoes
- 5 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- water (enough to cover potatoes)
- Salt (for boiling, from the 1/2 tsp salt and to taste)
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Peel the russet potatoes and cut them into medium-sized cubes.
Rinse the potatoes thoroughly with water and drain.
Place the potatoes into a large pot, cover with fresh water, and add a few big pinches of salt.
Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Once cooked, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
Step 2: Steam and Dry the Potatoes
Set the pot with drained potatoes back over low heat.
Allow the potatoes to steam and evaporate excess moisture for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
This helps ensure your mashed potatoes are fluffy, not watery.
I always recommend this step for the best texture.
Step 3: Mash the Potatoes and Mix in Dairy
- steamed potatoes (from Step 2)
- 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp salt (remaining, plus more to taste)
- black pepper, to taste
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 cup half and half
Transfer the steamed and dried potatoes to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Beat on low speed until the potatoes are broken up.
Add in the melted salted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste.
Mix thoroughly, then add the cubed, softened cream cheese.
Gradually pour in the half and half, mixing until your desired creamy consistency is reached (you may not need the full cup).
Feel free to add more salt at this stage if the mixture needs more seasoning.
Step 4: Assemble in Baking Dish and Top
- mashed potatoes (from Step 3)
- 2 tbsp salted butter, cold
Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Spread the creamy mashed potatoes evenly into the dish.
Cut the cold salted butter into small cubes and scatter them over the top of the potatoes for a delicious golden finish as they bake.
Step 5: Bake and Serve
- chopped chives, optional
Bake the assembled mashed potatoes at 350°F for 45 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the dish is heated through.
Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped chives if desired, and serve hot.
For extra color and a fresh finish, I love adding chives on top right before serving.
Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes:
- 5 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper, to taste
For the topping:
- 2 tbsp salted butter, cold
- chopped chives, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Peel the russet potatoes and cut them into medium-sized cubes. Rinse the potatoes thoroughly with water and drain. Place the potatoes into a large pot, cover with fresh water, and add a few big pinches of salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
- Set the pot with drained potatoes back over low heat. Allow the potatoes to steam and evaporate excess moisture for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. This helps ensure your mashed potatoes are fluffy, not watery. I always recommend this step for the best texture.
- Transfer the steamed and dried potatoes to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until the potatoes are broken up. Add in the melted salted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, then add the cubed, softened cream cheese. Gradually pour in the half and half, mixing until your desired creamy consistency is reached (you may not need the full cup). Feel free to add more salt at this stage if the mixture needs more seasoning.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the creamy mashed potatoes evenly into the dish. Cut the cold salted butter into small cubes and scatter them over the top of the potatoes for a delicious golden finish as they bake.
- Bake the assembled mashed potatoes at 350°F for 45 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the dish is heated through. Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped chives if desired, and serve hot. For extra color and a fresh finish, I love adding chives on top right before serving.
