Crock Pot Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes
These Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes come out so creamy! Russet potatoes, butter, cream cheese and chicken broth are all you need!
CREAMY HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES
Are you ready? Do you have your menu all planned? Are you looking for some great (but easy!) side dishes to impress your guests that won’t have you cooking ALL DAY? Well, I have got the dish for you! These Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes will be a huge hit with your family and friends!
Why is there no option for 10 stars!? Oh my goodness, I’m not much of a mashed potatoes fan, but they are the perfect with some dishes. But these were amazing, my daughter is so sick of me raving about them! So much more flavor than any other mashed potatoes I’ve ever had!
– Mark
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I do not recommend it. I know its a popular option these days but if you aren’t super careful, the potatoes can get over-whipped and end up turning out gummy. These potatoes will be so tender and will be super easy to mash with a traditional potato masher. You can mash them yourself quicker than transferring it to a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer. Plus, why dirty up extra dishes if you don’t have to?
This adds another layer of flavor as opposed to just plain water. It really takes these mashed potatoes over the top!
You can use sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
Yes. You can boil the potatoes in the chicken broth. Then continue with the rest of the recipe as written. The great thing about using a slow cooker is it doesn’t take up precious stovetop/oven space while doing all that holiday cooking and baking.
I don’t recommend a waxy potato like red potatoes. The texture just is not conducive to creating really good mashed potatoes.
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- russet potatoes – you can leave the skin on or peel them. Just make sure to scrub the potatoes good with water if you are leaving the skin on.
- salted butter – if you are at all sensitive to sodium, you can use unsalted.
- chicken broth – you can use a low or no sodium chicken broth if you prefer.
- cream cheese – you don’t taste a strong cream cheese flavor here. You could also use sour cream or if you are concerned about the taste, you can start with just half a block.
- milk – try to use a fattier milk if possible to ensure the best possible creaminess.
- salt and pepper – this will be to your tastes.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT MASHED POTATOES:
Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Place the cut potatoes into the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot.
Dot the potatoes with 1 stick of the cubed butter. Season with a little salt and pepper. Pour chicken broth on top of potatoes.
Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Potatoes are ready when fork tender. Carefully drain the excess broth into a bowl. Pro tip: use the excess broth to make some delicious gravy! See my quick recipe at the end of this post.
Place drained potatoes back into the crock pot. Add in remaining stick of cubed butter, cream cheese, milk and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth (or leave a little lumpy if that is your preference.) Cover and keep potatoes on the warm setting until ready to serve.
Then dig in!
Optional: Make them ‘Loaded Mashed Potatoes’ by topping with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled and cooked bacon and sliced green onions.
HOW TO MAKE A DELICIOUS CHICKEN GRAVY:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1-1/2 cups of the broth to boiling. Reduce heat to medium.
In small bowl, stir remaining 1/2 cup broth, the flour, salt and pepper with whisk until smooth. Gradually stir mixture into hot broth. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Serve with your Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes! Or try my KFC Gravy recipe!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Crock Pot Million Dollar Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds russet potatoes
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
- 32 ounce carton chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- ¼ cup milk (or more, to taste)
Instructions
- Peel and cut 5 pounds russet potatoes into 1-inch chunks.
- Place the cut potatoes into the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot.
- Dot the potatoes with 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes.
- Pour 32 ounce carton chicken broth on top of potatoes.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Potatoes are ready when fork tender.
- Carefully drain the excess broth from the cooked potatoes. Place back into the crock pot.
- Add in remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes, 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes and ¼ cup milk (see note below.)
- Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth (or leave a little lumpy if that is your preference.) Add in a little more milk if you'd like to thin them out some. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and keep potatoes on the warm setting until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Make them ‘Loaded Mashed Potatoes’ by topping with shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled and cooked bacon and sliced green onions.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can mashed potatoes before adding cream cheese and milk or after you add them in. It works both ways (whatever you find easiest.)
- These can be made on the stovetop by boiling the potatoes in chicken broth. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Hi,
How long can these sit in the crockpot on warm before serving, and still have the right taste/texture? Trying to free up my Thanksgiving afternoon! Thanks.
Ideally no more than a couple of hours (for best taste) – they can sit in there longer than that of course but I think for best flavor, it’s best not to leave them hanging too long. Some crock pots run hot even on the warm setting. 🙂
I’ve been making this recipe specifically since I found it in 2017! I send it to all my friends and family who ask. It was a *game changer* for my stove top and my peace of mind. I don’t change anything. Thank you for posting and I LOVE THIS!
I found this recipe years ago and it is my go-to every holiday or when making mashed potatoes for a large group. I now have almost my entire Thanksgiving down to a science with crockpots since I’ve only got one oven! Not only are these potatoes delicious but take so much stress off holiday dinners because they are fool-proof! Thanks so much for posting!
Thanks so much for commenting to let me know! That really makes my day to read!!
Can I use yellow potatoes?
You could but you’ll get better results with russets
If I make as directed but would prefer the. Sour cream over the cream cheese- should I use 4 oz cream cheese and 4 ounces sour cream? Thanks!
You could certainly do that. Start with less and add more to taste 🙂
Can I use a pressure cooker? If so, what is the time difference? Thanks!!!
I’m sure you could! I haven’t tested it one though so I can’t give you times. I’m sorry! Maybe you can Google other recipes for instant pot mashed potatoes to give you an idea 🙂
Hello, I am going to make these stove top. Then I will be out of the house for about 3 hours before I serve these. Best to keep them on warm or low? Thanks so much.
If you have fully made them and they are ready to go, you can just keep them on the warm setting. 🙂
Can I make these a day or 2 ahead of time, let cool, refrigerate and then reheat in the crockpot on the day I want to serve them. If I do this, can I refrigerate in the crockpot, let come to room temperature than reheat and for how long. If you put the cold crockpot directly from the refrigerator into the heating element would the crockpot crack from the sudden change in temperature?
I haven’t tested that Sue – I’m sorry!
I love this recipe. It’s delicious and a time saver. I make them a day in advance, cool and put them into a covered dish, and refrig. I heat them back up in my crock. they turn out perfect.
How long did it take to heat them up the next day? Did you heat them on low or high? Did you complete all the steps before cooling and refrigerating them overnight or save the last step for the following day?
My family won’t eat mashed potatoes any other way after eating these. They’re perfect.
could you use beef broth instead of chicken?
Personally I don’t think I would enjoy the taste – it would be pretty beefy tasting. However, if that sounds yummy to you, then go for it 🙂
can I cook them for 8 hours on low ?
I don’t see why not 🙂
I’ve been making your recipe for 5 years now. Every holiday. Every family get-together. Fool proof and always raved over.
Can I double this recipe?
You’d have to have a really large crock pot or you could use two crock pots
would I do anything different if I yellow potatoes instead of russet?
I haven’t tested this with yellow. They may need less liquid.
Why is there no option for 10 stars!? Oh my goodness, I’m not much of a mashed potatoes fan, but they are the perfect with some dishes. But these were amazing, my daughter is so sick of me raving about them! So much more flavor than any other mashed potatoes I’ve ever had, well done Brandie!!
Haha! That makes my day to read Mark!! Thanks so much!
How can I make this recipe stove top instead of crock pot? Sounds delicious!
I have directions above in the Frequently Asked Questions section 🙂
My go to for last 3 years never disappointed, add a couple garlic cloves!! Chefs kiss thanks for the recipe
Thanks so much for coming back to comment Ryan! I really appreciate it!
Made these for a family get-together and they were a huge hit! Love that everything is done in the crockpot. It’s so easy and super convenient that the mashed potatoes can travel and stay warm if you’re bringing them somewhere else. Will definitely make these again.
I made these but not in crock pot, boiled on stove in the broth, added the other ingredients, turned out tasty, and also added in my own bit of onion seasoning 🙂
I have made this recipe 4 times in recent months. I just can’t get enough. I live alone and cook just for myself, so this is a LOT for just me. But I get through it all :@)
There is something to be said about having a pile of mashed potatoes for dinner or for lunch heated up the next day – and they heat up so well!!
These are the best mashed potatoes ever!! Never making any other way again! They ate ALL of it!
do you have to add cream cheese to the mash potatoes
No but it adds to the creaminess and what makes these mashed potatoes different from other mashed potatoes recipes.
Would adding heavy whipping cream instead of cream cheese make them creamy and if so how much would you recommend ? Thanks
I made Crockpot Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving and they were such a hit. The cooks wanted the recipe, which I gladly gave! Thank you for the recipe!
I made these for Thanksgiving yesterday and they were a huge hit! I followed the recipe exactly except for the cream cheese as I thought I had it but didn’t I just used a little extra butter. Anyway, I used yellow potatoes (not really Yukon Golds, but close), washed the potatoes well but left the peels on. The timing was spot on at 4 hours and they were done beautifully. Even those in the family who don’t normally like unpeeled mashed potatoes loved them as the peels pretty much cooked away and you could barely tell they were there. Everyone loved them. This is the only way I will do my mashed potatoes from now on. So easy and my stove was freed up for other things.
Best mashed potatoes ever! Thanks for the recipe!
Love how these are made and most especially how they taste…….simple and delicious!!!
Delicious
Jenn, although I have not tried this recipe; I have made mashed potatoes many times. I almost always cut and peel ahead and it has never affected the end result. Just drain well. Hope this helps!
These are ridiculously yummy! I had to share your recipe with dozens of people at our church this weekend lol
Simply the best!! Will never make these another way!
Seriously the best recipe! I have tried to double this recipe in a larger slow cooker and honestly, like another commenter said, it really is best just to use two crock pots. This makes a lot though and if you are serving with a bunch of other food, I really think one is enough unless you have to serve like 20 people LOL.
I want to peel/cut the potatoes on Wednesday and then throw it together on Thanksgiving. If I store the cut potatoes in water, will that affect the end result?
Thank you!!
Sorry I’ve never tried that
I do this every year! Peal and cut the night before and just put them in a bowl of water and store in the fridge overnight.
I have done this, and the end result was the same!! Best recipe ever!
I needed to make double the recipe so I borrowed a second crock pot from someone else and did it that way instead of trying to cram it all into one large one & possibly ruining them. Everyone loved it for our Friendsgiving.
Like someone else here mentioned, I needed to double the recipe so I borrowed someone else’s slow cooker to make two batches. I didn’t want to risk doing all that work just to mess it up by putting it all in one larger crock pot. Made it a lot easier to deal with too. So for anyone doubling, just grab a second pot. It will save you a lot of trouble. It made it better to serve as well. Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s been a favorite of ours for years now.
I will never make mashed potatoes any other way now!! They are every last bit of these lol! Thank you thank you!!
Excellent and so easy!!!!
The flavor is spot on and….. You can use the broth you drain off to make excellent gravy
So it takes 2 sticks of butter?
Yes 2 sticks of butter total
One to put in pats on potatoes while cooking, then another when mashing and adding cream cheese!!
They are worthy of all that butter
Making this for Christmas, I’m sure it will be delish. Anybody thinks theirs
is better, bring your own.
The BEST mashed potatoes ever!!!!
I made these last night and I cut the recipe in half as I’m only cooking for 1. They were delicious. I have not made mashed potatoes in quite a while and these work probably the best I have ever made. I will definitely make them again.
Have you tried halving the recipe? Would you just cut all the ingredients in half with the same cooking time? Thanks!
Yep exactly! I think others have commented that they cut the recipe in half without any issues. Hope you love it!!
I came across this recipe a couple of Thanksgivings ago while searching if I could make mashed potatoes in the slow cooker. I will NEVER go back to boiling potatoes again!! These are the best ever!!
If I will be gone from the house longer than five hours, do you think cooking them on low for 8-9 hours would still work?
Maybe some wise on here can answer if they’ve tried it. I really think it depends on the type of slow cooker you have. If you have a digital one that will switch to warm after the recommended cooking time, that’s the best option. But some people have slow cookers that run hot even on the low setting and that could burn the edges and bottom.
I will never make mashed potatoes another way again!!! These are incredible and so easy!!! And such a hit for my family dinner.
I totally agree.
Will the potatoes taste as good if I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth? Two of our guests for Thanksgiving are vegetarian.
Hi Paula, I just don’t know. I haven’t tested it with vegetable broth. It should but I would hate for you to waste ingredients on something I haven’t personally tested myself. Perhaps you can experiment and do a dry run first. 🙂
I use veggie broth all the time. I think they taste just as good!
When we have mashed tasters this IS what we have. They are smooth and delicious. You outta try em if you haven’t because if you haven’t you are missing out pure deliciousness!!
Thanks so much!
My crockpot is only 4 quart. Will this recipe still work?
That might be a bit too small for this
I have a 4 qt cooker so I halve the recipe. I cook for 6-8 people and have lots of sides plus ham and turkey so there’s plenty of potatoes for Thanksgiving. Daughter would like more leftovers to take home though!
I need to serve 16. I have an 8.5 qt slow cooker. If I double the recipe do you think it will take longer than 4-5 hours? This should make getting Thanksgiving dinner together much faster. Thanks!
I wouldn’t think so but I’ll be honest, I haven’t personally tested that much myself.
Delicious and super easy! The only thing I add is some garlic powder and minced garlic to make them garlic mashed potatoes.
Thank you SO very much Melissa!
Excited to try this recipe! What can I use instead of chicken broth? Would vegetable broth be just as good or would you suggest water?
Hey Bre! Yep you can! I talk about that more in detail above but veggie broth works just fine 🙂
I’ve made these before and they are amazing. Can these be made the day before and reheated in the slow cooker? Any tips or anything to avoid when making ahead? Thank you!
Hi Tedi! You could do that but they can sometimes dry out if they hang in the slow cooker too long so you may want to have some extra low sodium broth or milk on hand to moisten them up a bit.
Trying this recipe for the first time .
Using Boursin herbed cheese in lieu of sour cream or cream cheese
thank you for your recipe !
I have a big family to make potatoes for at Thanksgiving and this will be a life saver.
Boiling potatoes is awful
Turns my kitchen into a steam bath. Can’t wait to try this
Hope you love it Debbie! It is one of my favorite recipes and it is my go-to!
Can I use gold potatoes? If I’m serving them with a roast beef, should I boil with beef broth instead?
Yes you can use gold. As for the broth, that is completely up to you and your taste buds. Personally, I don’t think I would like it but I think it depends on how much you enjoy beef flavored mashed potatoes 🙂