The holiday season is here, insert Holiday Crack Cream Cheese Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. It's time to indulge in yummy holiday foods! This year, as with holidays past, I was asked to contribute my "crack" mashed potatoes to the Thanksgiving festivities. My good friend nicknamed this recipe "crack potatoes" several years ago.
I have always hosted an annual, women-only fantasy football draft party. The first year I made these potatoes all of my friends raved and the nickname was formed. I was told there would be 20 people in attendance for Thanksgiving. My first thought was about the arm workout I would get in mashing all of those potatoes by hand. It may be time to add a rotating potato masher to my Amazon Wishlist! My mashed potatoes are always a hit, so I was excited to contribute.
This is a little over a full package of potatoes. I used red potatoes because I cooked this dish for a big family (20 people). Red potatoes are easy to peel and boil faster than regular. They are also my favorite!
I ended up using about 2 packages of cream cheese because of the number of potatoes used. It's best to use your judgment here. These ingredients are key and contribute to the savory flavor.
You don't need much Parmesan cheese for this recipe. The focus is on the garlic and the overall creamy texture. The cheese is a slight compliment.
Be sure to heat the cream cheese in the microwave for 20-25 seconds to soften it. It definitely helps with mixing and blending the mixture. You can also leave the cream cheese out at room temperature while you are prepping the dish. Add the whipping cream during the step. The added liquid makes the mixture easier to blend.
I add the small slices of butter to the top prior to baking so the potatoes have a slight crust.
Holiday Crack Cream Cheese Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 12 red potatoes peeled
- 12 oz cream cheese
- ½ - ¾ stick butter
- 8 fresh garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese shredded
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- paprika salt, and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender.
- Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet on medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher.
- Place the cream cheese in the microwave for 25-30 seconds to soften.
- Add the cream cheese, whipping cream, milk, garlic, and the Parmesan cheese to the bowl. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Season with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
- Add the mixture to a baking dish.
- Cut the butter into small individual slices.
- Add the butter slices to the top of the mixture.
- Sprinkle the parsley on top.
- Bake until the top begins to brown (about 35-40 minutes)
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Melissa Chapman says
It is so funny you use the saying crack because me and my husband always call irresistable foods that. Those mashed potatoes really look amazing and crack worthy.
staysnatched says
Haha! Great minds think alike.
Jen Temcio says
Oh my word! These sound so indulgent and delicious. I bet the baking makes them even more delish. I cant wait to make these since we all LOVE mashed potatoes.
Kapila says
My daughter loves Mashed Potatoes. Gonna try this recipe soon with her.
Aduke Schulist says
These look delicious. I can see why they are called crack potatoes. All that cream cheese. Yum!!
Flossie McCowald | SuperMomHacks says
WOW. I can see why you call these "holiday crack!" Then again, I'm REALLY missing mashed potatoes right now b/c we spend Thanksgiving with my in-laws and they just don't "do" mashed potatoes with their turkey 🙁 ...
Angela Tolsma says
I make something very similar and I wouldn't have thought to bake it in the oven though. Definitely going to have to try that.
Andrea says
In this recipe - crack is not whack! This looks like a wonderful recipe - and all that cheese that's in it!
David Elliott says
That does look delicious. I might have to try to do this with my daughter. She and I do something similar for the potatoes during Thanksgiving only we do Half and Half instead of whipping cream and we don't do the cream cheese. But I think we may have to try this instead one year.
Cynthia says
Looks marvellous! Adding cream cheese and parmesan, plus baking it, I'm sure it makes a huge difference!
Debbie Savage says
This looks so delicious!!! Yummy! My family LOVES mashed potatoes and I am excited to try this recipe!!!
lulubel says
I am not a native English speaker so I used to call mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes ... because you smash them, right? but now I have another way to call them lol, crack mashed potatoes sounds awesome and I can't wait to try the recipe!
staysnatched says
Aw that's so funny! I hope you enjoy.
Jake Ferrer says
Oh wow! This looks so delicious! My daughter will surely love this.
Vy Nguyen says
It makes me hungry. I really like parmesan. I have seen a lot of people making them but I have never cooked one. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I will try to make one.
Ifeoluwa says
I love mashed potatoes! This recipe was super easy to follow!
Alena Brenda says
Mash potatoes with cheese have always been my favorite. Indeed its a great recipe.
turkey burger recipe says
Cream cheese garlic parmesan is looking delightful. You are doing a good job.
Angela Crawford says
Loved this recipe! I love garlic and I tend to go overboard. This recipe was the perfect balance. The consistency of the potatoes was so creamy and smooth. They were delicious piping hot but when I doubled back for seconds they were even better! Also the presentation once cooked is beautiful! These are a must.
staysnatched says
haha. I do that sometimes, too. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Cassandra H says
I normally don't like mashed potatoes and don't even bother with them. I made these for Thanksgiving because my brother asked me to bring some and now my whole family is hooked. They're so flavorful and they're in regular rotation as a side now.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
Marisa Mckeown says
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for yet another delicious creation!! I was given the task of mashed potatoes this year. I never make mashed potatoes. So I came here for the win. Everyone loved them!!! And now they want me to make them for Christmas dinner.
Winning!!
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Cassandra says
Thanks to this recipe, I now cannot eat mashed potatoes any other way without being incredibly disappointed. If they aren't this recipe, I don't want them.
staysnatched says
I love that.