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Cozy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes: The Best Easy Crowd Recipe

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These creamy, buttery crockpot mashed potatoes are the ultimate hands-off side dish for feeding a crowd. Made with Yukon Gold potatoes, cream cheese, and a slow cooker, they stay warm for hours and deliver perfect texture every time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • ½ cup whole milk or heavy cream, warmed
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • Optional: 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Optional: Fresh chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep the potatoes: Peel all 5 pounds of potatoes and cut them into uniform 2-inch chunks. Rinse the cut potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch, then drain.
  2. Layer in the crockpot: Place the potato chunks in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Pour in 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth. Dot the top with the 4 tablespoons of butter pieces. Do not stir.
  3. Cook on low: Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2.5-3 hours, until potatoes are fork-tender. About 30 minutes before they are done, add the minced garlic if using.
  4. Warm the dairy: While the potatoes finish cooking, warm the ½ cup of milk or heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until warm to the touch (do not boil).
  5. Add the cream cheese: When the potatoes are tender, add the 4 ounces of softened cream cheese cubes to the crockpot. Let sit for about 1 minute to start melting.
  6. Mash or mix: For ultra-smooth potatoes, use a hand mixer on low speed. For chunkier texture, use a potato masher. Start with the masher to break them up, then finish with a few pulses of the hand mixer for a perfect in-between texture.
  7. Add the warm liquid: Slowly pour in the warmed milk or cream while mixing. Start with half, then add more until you reach desired consistency. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Keep warm until serving: Switch the crockpot to the WARM setting. Potatoes will stay perfect for up to 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the top from drying out. If they thicken too much, stir in a splash of warm milk.

Notes

For best texture, cook on LOW. Do not skip rinsing the potatoes to remove excess starch. Always warm dairy before adding to prevent gluey texture. Do not overmix. Potatoes can be made a day ahead and reheated in the crockpot on low with a splash of warm milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot mashed potatoes, slow cooker mashed potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, Thanksgiving side dish, easy mashed potatoes, crowd-pleasing potatoes

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/cozy-crockpot-mashed-potatoes-the-best-easy-crowd-recipe/