There’s nothing quite like a perfect pot of fluffy, creamy, mouth-watering mashed potatoes. But how do you achieve such a tasty tater feat? It’s easy! Check out these pro tips from our chefs to help you get your spuds spot on every time.

Go for the gold: For exceptional mashed potatoes, start with large Yukon gold baking potatoes.

Bake, don’t boil: Instead of boiling your potatoes, bake them whole in the oven until tender. Baking the potatoes creates a drier product that can soak up more butter and flavor while maintaining a creamy texture.

Keep it hot: Always work with your potatoes while they’re piping hot. Mashing cool potatoes can create a gummy consistency. When the potatoes are hot out of the oven, split each one in half and scoop out the insides. Hold the potato in a dishtowel to help protect your hand from the heat.

No lumps allowed: To avoid a lumpy dish, make sure all of your potatoes are cooked until completely tender. Occasionally a portion of a potato will not cook completely due to uneven oven temperatures. If you notice this, discard the uncooked portion of potato. 

Run of the mill: Pass the cooked potato through a ricer or food mill to give it an extra fluffy texture.

All the fixin’s: Fold in hot cream, melted butter, salt and white pepper to taste. A touch of sour cream or crème fraiche doesn’t hurt either!

There you have it—all you need to create the perfect mashed potatoes!