Mouth-watering Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes with their creamy texture are the answer to your prayers for a perfect side dish and an amazing, easy-to-make, make-ahead mashed potato recipe.
Delicious and decadent, mashed potatoes are, without a doubt, everyone’s favorite side dish. I can confidently say that after one bite, you will agree that these homemade, creamy, double-baked mashed potatoes are the best ever.
Like my Southern Green Bean Casserole, because you can make them ahead, this mashed potatoes recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, a holiday meal, special occasions, dinner parties, or whenever you want a truly delicious and indulgent side dish that you can reheat and serve.
While this recipe serves four, it’s perfect for your holiday table, and easy to double or triple the ingredients to meet your needs if you need to feed a crowd.
This dish, unlike my recipes for Rustic Mashed Potatoes for Two or Pancetta and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, is made simply with baked potatoes, heavy cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Because it is made without cream cheese or sour cream, it allows the delicate potato flavor to really shine.
The other main difference between this unique recipe and the others is that the potatoes are baked, not boiled. Then, because this is a twice baked potato dish, that can be made ahead, the mashed potatoes are baked again before serving.
Jump to:
Advantages of baking potatoes for mashed potatoes:
- Baking instead of boiling them keeps out excess moisture, which can cause all sorts of issues.
- Baking in the oven is hands-off; you can relax while it does all of the heavy lifting.
- There is no waste! After scooping out the flesh, you are left with the jackets, perfect for making my flavorful old-school recipe for Loaded Potato Skins.
- And finally, and in my opinion, one of the best reasons is that you don’t have to peel them!
Ingredient notes:
- Russet potatoes – called Idaho potatoes, when grown in Idaho, with their high starch content, work best in this recipe and produce the best results.
- Heavy cream – adds a creamy richness to this dish. I do not recommend substituting half-and-half or whole milk.
- Butter – adds another layer of creamy, buttery deliciousness. Room temperature butter works best.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – enhance all flavors and combine them in one cohesive dish. (black pepper not pictured)
Complete measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to make Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes:
- Preheat your oven to 450 °F. Then, scrub the potatoes and prick them with a fork several times.
- Place potatoes directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 60 minutes or until they are very soft and squishy when squeezed with an oven mitt or fork tender, which means a fork when inserted goes in easily with no resistance.
- Before they are done, add the cream, three tablespoons of butter, and salt and pepper to a small saucepan and bring it to just below a simmer over low heat. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. Working quickly to keep them as hot as possible, cut them in half horizontally, one potato at a time, and then use a kitchen towel or oven mitt to hold the halves while you scoop the flesh into the bowl of a stand mixer. Put a kitchen towel or a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the bowl while you are working to keep them hot while you repeat this.
- Use a potato masher, potato ricer, or fork to mash the potatoes, smooth out the flesh, and remove as many lumps as possible.
- Then, using your paddle attachment, beat them at low speed just until they are smooth. But, again, do not over-mix or overbeat them.
- Add the cream and butter mixture and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula.
- Don’t panic; it will look like you have too much cream, but be patient and keep gently folding until the warm potato mixture has absorbed all the warm cream and butter. Then, taste and add additional salt or pepper, if needed.
- At this point, they are ready to serve. However, if you are making them ahead, place the mixture in a 9′ x 9′ inch metal baking pan or casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and spread them out evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
- Before serving, bake or reheat them covered in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot. Place in a serving dish, add a pat of butter, and serve immediately.
Top tips:
- The most important thing to remember for perfect mashed potatoes is to work quickly. Keep them as hot as possible when scooping the insides and mashing them.
- Also, ensure that your cream and butter mixture is hot before adding it to the hot potatoes. If they get cold, you won’t be able to get the lumps out, and the cream will not be absorbed.
Serving suggestions:
This decadent mashed potato side dish pairs beautifully with my New York Strip Roast, Southern Fried Chicken, Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce, Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce, Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken, and Southern Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken.
I also like to serve them with my Creamy Skillet Chicken with Bacon and Mushrooms, Crockpot Pork Chops and Apples, and Oven Baked Short Ribs.
Recipe variations:
This is a great recipe for a perfect dish made with simple ingredients. The only variation I suggest is to top your potato mixture with crispy bacon bits, chopped green onions, fresh chives, other fresh herbs, or a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.
Recipe FAQs:
Russet potatoes, also called Idaho potatoes when grown in Idaho, work perfectly in this recipe and are what I recommend.
Because of the way this recipe is made, Yukon Gold potatoes don’t work nearly as well and won’t absorb the cream like Russets. Also, don’t try this recipe with red skin or waxy varieties.
After reheating them in the oven, if you still need to keep them warm or travel with them, put them in a Crock Pot or slow cooker on low or warm. They will keep well like this for several hours.
Less is best! Overmixing or over-processing with a mixer, blender, or food processor can cause mashed potatoes to go from fluffy to gummy in the blink of an eye.
Allowing them to cool down too much before mashing can also cause problems. And finally, adding cold cream and butter to your potatoes is a recipe for disaster!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to four days. I do not recommend freezing them.
To reheat them, pop them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or until they reach your desired temperature.
Expert tips and tricks:
- Because the potatoes are baked and not boiled in salted water, they may need a bit more salt. Be sure to taste them before serving and add salt if needed.
- When the potatoes go into the fridge, they might still be a little looser than you like. However, they will firm up when they are chilled.
- Feel free to garnish this dish with chopped chives, cooked crumbled bacon, or shredded cheese before serving.
More potato recipes:
If you are a potato lover as I am, you might also like these recipes:
★★★★★If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
📋 Recipe:
Easy Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes Recipe (Make-Ahead)
Equipment
- stand electric mixer and bowl
- Potato masher or ricer
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes, about four medium-size
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 °F. Then, scrub the potatoes and prick them with a fork several times.
- Place the potatoes directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 60 minutes or until they are very soft and squishy when squeezed with an oven mitt. You do not have to use a baking sheet.
- Right before the potatoes are done, add the cream and three tablespoons of butter, plus the salt and pepper, to a small saucepan and bring it to just below a simmer over low heat. Do not let the mixture boil.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. Working quickly to keep them as hot as possible, cut them in half horizontally, one potato at a time, and then use a kitchen towel or oven mitt to hold the halves while you scoop out the flesh into the bowl of a stand mixer. Put a kitchen towel or a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the bowl while you are working to keep the potatoes hot while you repeat this with the rest of the potatoes.
- Use a potato masher, potato ricer, or fork to smooth out the potato flesh and remove as many lumps as possible.
- Then, using your paddle attachment, beat the potatoes at low speed just until they are smooth. Do not over-mix or overbeat them.
- Add the cream and butter mixture to the potatoes and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula. Don't panic; it will look like you have too much cream, but be patient and keep gently folding until the warm potatoes have absorbed all of the warm cream and butter. Taste and add additional salt or pepper, if needed.
- At this point, they are ready to serve. However, if you are making them ahead, place the mashed potatoes in a 9' x 9' inch metal baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and spread them out evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
- Before serving, bake or reheat them covered in a 350 °F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are hot. Place in a serving dish, add a pat of butter, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Because the potatoes are baked and not boiled in salted water, they may need a bit more salt. Be sure to taste them before serving and add salt if needed.
- When the potatoes go into the fridge, they might still be a little looser than you like. However, they will firm up when they are chilled.
- Feel free to garnish this dish with chopped chives, cooked crumbled bacon, or shredded cheese before serving.
- For perfect mashed potatoes, the most important thing to remember is to work quickly and keep them as hot as possible when scooping out the insides and mashing them.
- Also, ensure that your cream and butter mixture is hot before adding it to the hot potatoes. If they get cold, you won’t be able to get the lumps out, and the cream will not be absorbed.
- After reheating the mashed potatoes in the oven, if you still need to keep them warm or travel with them, put them in a crockpot or slow cooker on low or warm. They will keep well like this for several hours.
- Less is best! Overmixing or over-processing with a mixer, blender, or food processor can cause mashed potatoes to go from fluffy to gummy in the blink of an eye.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to four days. I do not recommend freezing them.
- To reheat them, pop them in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or until they reach your desired temperature.
Nutrition
Recipe source: Adapted from Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, Once Upon a Chef.
Such a great go-to recipe Sharon! It’s now in my “lineup” of favs.
I love how your recipes make cooking so easy when entertaining.
Hey Jan, Merry Christmas to you and Bennett!
Sharon
I would stick my face in those mashed potatoes.. Holy Smokes!!
They look so fluffy and delicious!
I had these potatoes and they awesome!
Hi Vanessa,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the mashed potatoes!
Sharon
Yes yes yes! I was hoping you would post this recipe 🙂
So glad you liked it!