My Aunt Shirley is famous for her creamy mashed potatoes! They are SO fluffy, creamy, and have TONS of flavor. They are like soft pillowy clouds that melt in your mouth. I could describe them forever but you’re just going to have to make them! A very unique recipe. Originally posted November 7, 2017.
Table of Contents
- This Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe is a family favorite!
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes: A Thanksgiving staple
- Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
- How to make Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- What to pair with the Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- How to store this Mashed Potatoes Recipe with Cream Cheese
- More great potato recipes to try out!
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe with Cream Cheese Recipe
Did you know that Costco has FREE home delivery?? Did you know that the delivery person will even bring you a portion of the free food samples that you missed at the store??
Just kidding. I had you there for a minute, didn’t I? Come on don’t lie.
I went through all the things they brought me and thought, man, this is super boring. No hidden chocolate covered pretzels? No fancy bread from the bakery? Just bulk ground beef and 25 pounds of flour? Boo.
I was pretty excited about the delivery option but now I’m thinking I’ll probably still go to the store most of the time. Sure, I saved tons of money because I didn’t impulse buy 3 entire flats of mangos. But come on, sometimes you just don’t know in advance that you’re going to NEED those two enormous jars of Nutella. Or a giant jar of chocolate-vanilla coconut cashews (Have you HAD those?? Omg.) And don’t forget the cheese! Sell me all the fancy cheese! I definitely need 2 pounds of gouda.
Someday when I’m in debtor’s prison the other inmates will ask me, Karen, how did you end up here? Did you buy a mansion you couldn’t afford, did you drive a Ferrari? And I’ll say no, I bought 1000 pounds of gummy bears every week at Costco.
This Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe is a family favorite!
So have you ever tried my Aunt Shirley’s Famous Dinner Rolls? They are the butteriest, most pillow soft rolls of your life. I usually don’t even bother with real dinner when I eat them, just go for the gold with 3 rolls slathered in butter for dinner instead.
Shirley is an incredible baker but she’s also got mashed potatoes DOWN. This recipe is legendary. I had never actually made them before today, I’ve just been eating them for years at every holiday of my life. But I finally got the recipe from her and found out all her secrets. I knew she added cream cheese (lots; a whole 8 ounce package) but I didn’t realize how unique the rest of the recipe was.
First you boil the potatoes WITH a chopped onion and minced garlic. This way the onion and garlic get nice and mellowed (say no to stinky breath) but the potatoes still retain amazing flavor when it all comes together. The she adds chicken bouillon and Lawry’s seasoned salt. This is genius; it’s kind of like adding a little bit of gravy to your mashed potatoes. So delicious.
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes: A Thanksgiving staple
You can season it with a bit of pepper if you like, but I found it didn’t need it. Let the creaminess speak for itself!! You should totally make these potatoes for Thanksgiving. They are the ones I ate every year growing up! Just don’t take the last serving without double checking with everyone. There is a legendary story of my brother Eric taking a second helping of these creamy mashed potatoes before my cousin Amber had had any to begin with, and it was basically a tragedy.
I mean, I know that’s melodramatic, but seriously what if YOU were 12 and didn’t get any Thanksgiving mashed potatoes? What else is there to eat when you’re 12 and kinda picky? (The rolls, I guess.) I know this story like the back of my hand and I wasn’t even ALIVE when it happened, no joke. People have got FEELINGS about mashed potatoes. Eric’s never gonna live it down.
Maybe make a double batch just in case. We ate ours tonight with some pan seared salmon. Mm. Mashed potatoes makes everything amazing!
Ingredients for Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- Russet potatoes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cream cheese
- Seasoned salt
- Salted butter
- Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
- Fresh parsley (optional garnish)
How to make Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this recipe. Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below!
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1 or 2 inch pieces.
- Chop the onion. Smash and mince the garlic.
- Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic to the pot of boiling water. Bring it back up to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes carefully, then return them to the pot.
- Add the cream cheese, butter, chicken bouillon, and seasoned salt.
- Whip the potatoes with an electric mixer until creamy.
What to pair with the Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Obviously a Thanksgiving turkey and all the other sides. But I make these year-round as the dreamiest, creamiest side dish ever. Here are some of my favorite mashed potato companions.
Easy Fall-Apart Crockpot Roast
Easy Salisbury Steak Recipe (30 Minutes)
How to store this Mashed Potatoes Recipe with Cream Cheese
These mashed potatoes will stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days. Store them in a container with a lid and heat up as much as you need at one time. You can also freeze them for up to a month or two. When you’re ready to eat them, defrost them in the fridge overnight before heating. They’ll reheat best on the stovetop in a pot in small portions, like 1-2 cups at a time.
More great potato recipes to try out!
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes: << Say no to gravy. Yes to brown butter.
Slow Cooker Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes << Perfect way to save on stove top space on Thanksgiving.
Ultra Creamy, Cheesy, Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes << Make these ahead and bake last minute. They are sooooo cheesy.
Mashed Potato Casserole from House of Yumm
Stuffed Mashed Potato Patties from Alyona’s Cooking
Spiced Mashed Potatoes with Ginger and Ghee from Buttered Veg
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Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8-10 large russet potatoes, 5 pounds, peeled
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, fresh, smashed and minced
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup salted butter, 1 stick
- 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt, taste it
- minced parsley, fresh, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
- Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1 or 2 inch pieces. (See photos)
- Chop the onion. Smash and mince the garlic. (You can use garlic from the jar in a pinch, but fresh is always better.)
- Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic to the pot of boiling water. Bring it back up to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are very fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes carefully. I always use the lid and tip it over the sink but this can be a little heavy. Use a large colander if you have one. Return to the pot.
- Add the cream cheese, butter, chicken bouillon, and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
- Use an electric mixer to whip the potatoes until ultra creamy. You shouldn't need to whip more than 1-2 minutes. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula. Don't over mix; once it's whipped, turn off the mixer.
- Taste it and see if you would like to add up to 1 more teaspoon of seasoned salt.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if you’re a food blogger and need to post pictures of pretty food on the internet. Otherwise you can safely skip this step ;)
Notes
Source: This recipe, is, of course, from Aunt Shirley. :)
This is a wonderful, tasty recipe for mashed potatoes. Best recipe I have tried and I have tried lots. Wouldn’t change a thing.
So happy you loved it Kristine! It’s my all time favorite! Thanks for reviewing :)
Hi! This recipe looks amazing, but I HATE cream cheese. Is the taste of it obvious after it’s made? Would it completely change the outcome if I left it out? I saw someone used yogurt, but not a huge fan of that either. Lol. Thanks!!
Mandy I’m trying to be objective about your question but am having a hard time, haha. I love cream cheese so much I might be blinded. These potatoes don’t taste cream-cheesy to me. But then again, I love cream cheese. If you don’t like cream cheese you could sub sour cream. I would try it at least once though! Let me know what you think!
Im not a big fan of onion or garlic ‘chunks’ in my food…when you whip it all after boiling, do the onion and garlic chunks whip smoothly as well? Could I substitute onion powder and garlic powder instead and if so, how much would you recommend?
I am not a very adventurous cook but would like to expand my recipe book. Cooking scares me, hahaha!
Hi Angie! The finished mashed potatoes are super smooth and creamy. I would try it out with the onion and garlic and see how it goes! If you don’t like it, I would add 1/2 teaspoon each onion and garlic powder, or up to a teaspoon each. Enjoy!!
Made these vegan and omg delish! Best mash Ive ever had!
That’s awesome! So glad to hear they are successful vegan style! Thanks for reviewing!
Hi Karen! Ok, where do I start describing these absolutely AMAZING mashed potatoes!!! I have made mashed potatoes many, many times before but these….these are the holy grail of mashed potatoes!! My family and I went bonkers when we tasted them…my son doesn’t even like mashed potatoes but you should have see the eye roll when he ate these! We just couldn’t stop eating them…they are that good! I made them with your slow cooker pot roast and it was a fantastic meal! Thanks for sharing the most awesome mashed potato recipe EVER!!
Hooray!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the mashed potatoes Vanessa! I should rename these “Holy Grail Mashed Potatoes” ;) Thanks so much for leaving a review!!
These. Are the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten. Absolutely delicious!! Lots of flavor!!
I didn’t have cream cheese but plain Greek yogurt had the same texture and worked really well.
Awesome Donna! Thanks for the tip!
I’m so glad to hear you loved them! Thanks for commenting!
I found this recipe last month and have made it 3 times already. The first time my husband and I loved them!!! I made them to take to Thanksgiving dinner and my family loved them!!! I made them for some friends for dinner and they loved them!!! I used Neufchatel cheese-which is cream cheese with less fat and I added parsley to them as I mixed them. We like little pieces of potatoes in ours because that is always how my Gram made them. But even with the little pieces they were still really creamy!!! Even my son who is a chef was impressed and said, ” I never would have thought of putting the onion and garlic in with the potatoes while they cook”. I guess he will be doing the same at the restaurant from now on. I have shared your recipe with so many people!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!! My you and your family have a blessed Christmas.
I’m so happy to hear that Dianne! It’s true, I think the onion and garlic in the boil is what sets these potatoes apart. It tones them down so they aren’t so overwhelming, and you just get a nice flavor! Tell your chef son thanks for the compliment! And thank YOU for commenting, so glad you are enjoying the recipe. Merry Christmas!
Sounds delish! Can I use a potato ricer. My son hates lumps!
Hi Doreen! Yeah I thinK a potato ricer would work great! I haven’t tried it but I’m sure it makes for some ultra smooth potatoes. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh my gosh. Best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had. I literally licked the beaters just like I do when I make frosting! Thank you so much for sharing your family recipe. I will be making this for Thanksgiving
I lick the beaters for these potatoes too, Jenny, you’re not alone! They are just so creamy and delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, you are awesome for coming back to comment, thank you!
Incredible I Say !!! The Cream Cheese & Lawry’s totally made the mashed potatoes Amazing ! I thought mine were great with sour cream & garlic salt Boy was I wrong! Thank you & your Aunt Shirley for sharing the most Delicious mashed potato recipe!! 😋
The Lawry’s is a game changer, right?? Shirley is a miracle worker I tell you :) So glad you like it Angie!
I hate to admit it but I’m not a very good cook at all so I really had to work Thanksgiving for my man and I so I got online and did some searching. Thank God for The Food Charlatan! I really don’t care for turkey (SORRY!) so I made a roast in the crockpot, Aunt Shirley’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes and they were fabulous! Not to mention the candied yams 🍠 that I even made the syrup for 😋!! And corn (easy) and fresh rolls! Pumpkin pie of course. Everything with edible and tasty! Absolutely shocking 😳for me! I, the rookie, plan on using the food charlatan for a while! Thanks again! You wouldn’t believe how old I am 😯
Rookies unite! We have to stick together, right?? I’m so glad you loved the potatoes, they are a huge family favorite around here. I love how you describe your meal: “edible and tasty” haha! That made me laugh. Happy Thanksgiving, thank you for commenting!
Do you ever make these the day before and reheat? I’m cooking for a large crowd and going to use this recipe (which is now our go-to and we LOVE!) but I am wondering if I can save some craziness on Thanksgiving by having these done in advance? If so, how would you reheat? Sometimes mashed potatoes reheated are kind of “flat”
Hey Debra! I think you’re right, “flat” is a good word to describe day-old mashed potatoes. They will still be good, just not quite as fluffy and perfect. Mashed potatoes is one thing I will not make ahead of time, usually. I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer for you! I’m glad you are loving the recipe though, they really are the best potatoes :)
Thanks for the input. I’ll make them tomorrow! The day might be a little more hectic but we’ll have perfect mashed potatoes! Happy Thanksgiving!
I can’t believe she caved!
RIGHT??? She loves me. She really loves me.
Yum, looking forward to making these. How long should I mix with the electric mixer? I have tried using an electric mixer on mashed potatoes before but, it made them gummy. Not sure what I did wrong.
Thanks,
Hey Diane! Great question! I probably mixed for a total of 1-2 minutes. You want to stop mixing the moment you think you have got everything whipped up. You want them nice and creamy but if you do it too long they will get heavy and gummy, as you noticed. It helps to use a spatula to run along the edges and bottom of the pot so that you make sure you get all the corners. I hope this helps! Happy Thanksgiving, and happy potato making!
Thank you! will try making them with the help of your tips.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I’m excited to try these! I don’t do much with onions, so when you say “onion” do you mean yellow, sweet, white? 😬 Working on my grocery list and wanted to get it right, thank you!
Hi Carla, Yellow onion is what I always use! Enjoy!
Yum! This is making me think your Aunt Shirley is a genius!! Can’t wait to try these!
Aunt Shirley IS a genius!! She totally knows where it’s at, especially when it comes to comfort food! Hope you get to try out the potatoes Mary :)