These incredibly easy and deliciously indulgent Loaded Mashed Potatoes are quick, nearly foolproof, and perfect for when you need a side that will WOW.
Who doesn’t love loaded mashed potatoes? It’s comfort food that combines the creamy richness of mashed potatoes with all the best toppings of a baked potato. Genius!!
I apologize in advance if after making these once you find yourself making them a little too often, but they’re just SO good and so easy to throw together. You’ll start dreaming of all that gooey cheese, crumbled bacon, and ultra-rich mashed potatoes, and the next thing you know, you’ll be in the kitchen throwing them together.
Ingredient Notes
- Sour cream: I highly recommend measuring your sour cream using a kitchen scale . It is the fastest way of measuring and makes cleaning up super easy (although the old-fashioned measuring cups will also get the job done). You can use either full-fat or low-fat sour cream, although full-fat sour cream is going to give you the best, richest results.
- Potatoes: This recipe calls for Russet potatoes, but you can also use Yukon Gold or red potatoes. Just be careful if you use reds or Yukon Golds not to over mix because you can wind up with gummy potatoes.
- Heavy cream: You won’t use a full carton of heavy cream for this recipe. For storage tips and recipes to use up leftover heavy cream, check out my post What to do With Leftover Whipping Cream . If you are out of heavy cream, you can also substitute for it with milk or half and half.
- Fresh chives: You can also substitute minced scallions for the fresh chives.
How to Make Loaded Mashed Potatoes
This is a quick overview with photos of the cooking process. For the full, printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Prep your ingredients: Before prepping anything else, cut your butter into 1-inch pieces and measure out your sour cream. Then, set them both in a warm place in your kitchen. (The warmer these two ingredients are, the easier they are to mix in, and the less they will cool your potatoes down before serving.) Once your sour cream and butter are prepped, chop your bacon into ¾-inch pieces, and peel and chop your potatoes.
Cook your bacon: Place your bacon pieces into a cold skillet and cook them over medium heat until your bacon is cooked to your level of crispiness. Use a slotted spoon to transfer your bacon pieces onto a towel-lined plate.
Cook your potatoes: While your bacon is cooking, add your peeled and chopped potatoes to a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water until your potatoes are fully submerged by about 1-inch. Add salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to keep the water at a good simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender (you should be able to easily smash a potato against the side of the pot with a fork). Then drain, return them to the pot, and cover to keep warm.
Heat heavy cream: Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until it is steaming hot.
Add butter and mash your potatoes: Add the cubed butter to the pot with the mashed potatoes. Then use a potato masher to mash your potatoes until they reach your preferred texture.
Add the rest of your ingredients: Stir in the sour cream and ¼ cup of the warmed heavy cream to the mashed potatoes. Taste and add the rest of the heavy cream if needed. Then stir in the cooked bacon, cheddar cheese, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve, and enjoy!
How to store your Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Refrigerator: If you have any leftover loaded mashed potatoes, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: I don’t think the texture of mashed potatoes is quite as good after freezing, but many people disagree with me, so try it for yourself and see what you think. To freeze these potatoes, transfer them to a freezer bag, press out all the air, and store them in your freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Serve These Potatoes With
- Country-style Pork Ribs Oven-roasted Tri-tip Slow Cooker Beef Ribs
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Paper towels
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Microwave-safe measuring cup, or microwave-safe dish to heat cream in
Ingredients
- ▢ 8 tablespoons (115g) butter salted or unsalted is fine
- ▢ ½ cup (120g) sour cream
- ▢ ½ pound bacon chopped 3/4-inch
- ▢ 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and chopped into roughly 1/2-inch pieces
- ▢ 1 tablespoon table salt plus more as needed
- ▢ ½ cup heavy cream divided
- ▢ 1 cup ( 4oz ) shredded cheddar cheese
- ▢ 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives plus more for topping if desired
- ▢ Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Before you begin preparing any of the other ingredients, cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and measure out your sour cream. Set both in a warm place in your kitchen.
- Place bacon pieces in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat until bacon reaches your preferred level of doneness. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- While your bacon cooks, to a large pot, add your peeled and chopped potatoes. Cover with cold water so potatoes are completely submerged by about 1-inch. Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to keep the water at a good simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender—you should be able to easily smash a piece against the side of the pot with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot and cover to keep them warm.
- To the cooked potatoes, add the cubed butter. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until they reach your preferred texture.
- Heat all of the heavy cream in the microwave until it is steaming hot. Stir in sour cream and ¼ cup of the warmed cream. Taste and add remaining cream if needed.
- Stir in the cooked bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives, and then salt and pepper to taste.
- Keep the potatoes covered until you’re ready to serve them, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Transfer to a freezer bag, press out the air, and store them in your freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in the microwave.
This delicious homemade London Fog Latte is extremely easy to make and can be brewed and in your mug in under 5 minutes!
Is a London Fog Latte your go-to Starbucks drink? Well you’re in luck. This is one of the easiest coffee shop recipes to recreate at home. Just like chai lattes , London Fog Lattes can be made using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and in under 5 minutes.
What is a London Fog Latte? And why is it called a London Fog Latte?
If you haven’t ever had one before, a London Fog Latte is made with strongly brewed Earl Grey tea with frothed milk, a dash of vanilla, and sugar to taste. The steamed milk foam sits upon a bed of sweet Earl Grey tea like a white and fluffy cloud.
And fun fact, the London Fog latte was not invented in London, but in a small cafe in Vancouver in 1997 by a pregnant woman named Maria Loria. Suffering from morning sickness and unable to stomach the taste of coffee, Maria asked the Buckwheat Cafe to make her an Earl Grey tea with skim milk. She then added vanilla and sugar to her drink until she was satisfied. Happy with the result, she would go on to recommend this new drink to others, and it quickly caught on.
By the time this drink became popular, it had developed the name “London Fog latte.” How it got the name is shrouded in mystery, even to Maria herself. It is also known as an Earl Grey Latte, Earl Grey Lavender Latte, and even goes by the name of Vancouver Fog Latte in Scotland.
What does a London Fog taste like?
A London Fog Latte gets most of its flavor from the Earl Grey tea base (black tea with notes of bergamot). The bergamot gives this drink a slight citrusy flavor that pairs well with the bitter black tea. The tea is then combined with vanilla, milk, and sugar giving the London Fog latte its signature soothing sweet taste.
Ingredient Notes
- Earl Grey tea bags: Use your favorite Earl Grey tea here. Decaf works great for an evening latte.
- Milk: You can use any type of milk for this recipe – whole milk, 2%, even your favorite dairy-free substitute if you’d like to make a vegan Earl Grey tea latte.
How to Make a London Fog Latte
Bring water to boil: In a small pot or kettle, bring your water to boil.
Steep tea bags: Pour ½ cup of water into a mug, and steep your tea bags in the hot water for 5 minutes.
Make your tea concentrate: Remove the tea bags from your mug, and stir in the sugar.
Froth your milk: While your tea bags are steeping, heat your milk in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave until the milk begins to steam (but be careful not to let your milk come to a boil). Then whisk vigorously until your milk foams or use a handheld milk frother to froth your milk . Alternatively, you can use an electric milk frother like the Aeroccino I used in the photo below.
Combine your ingredients: Pour most of the milk into your mug with the tea concentrate. Stir in the remaining ingredients and add any cream or vanilla to your latte. Then, add in the last of the milk and foam.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Variations
- You can use this technique to make a latte with any type of tea. Experiment, go wild, and make the tea latte of your dreams!
- You can also serve this drink over ice and make an iced London Fog Latte.
More Coffeeshop Favorites
- Iced Chai Latte
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Homemade Mocha
- Classic Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup filtered water
- ▢ 2 Earl Grey tea bags
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ( 8g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ ½ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- In a small pot, kettle, or your microwave, bring water to a boil. Pour ½ cup of water into an 8-ounce mug and steep tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in the sugar.
- While your tea steeps, heat milk in a small pot on the stove or in the microwave until the milk begins to steam (do not bring to a boil). Whisk vigorously until foamy or use a handheld milk frother to froth milk.
- Pour most of the milk into the tea concentrate leaving room for the cream and vanilla (if using). Stir in the remaining ingredients and then add in the last of the milk and foam. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Start your morning off right with these incredibly soft and fluffy chocolate chip pancakes. Quick and easy to make and filled with gooey, melty chocolate, they’re sure to become an instant family favorite.
These pancakes are a twist on my reader-favorite buttermilk pancake recipe for two . They’re the same super soft, super fluffy, super tasty pancakes, but family-sized with an indulgent chocolatey upgrade.
Add a stack of these to your Sunday brunch or make a batch to freeze for busy weekdays. However and whenever you eat them, it’s going to be a good time.
Ingredient Notes
- Buttermilk: The buttermilk in this recipe makes the pancakes soft, moist, and just a little tangy. However, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick buttermilk substitute using milk (regular or dairy-free) and a little lemon juice.
- Eggs: In this recipe, you will divide the eggs and use the egg yolks and the egg whites separately. Whipping and adding the egg whites to the batter at the end makes these pancakes incredibly light and fluffy.
- Chocolate Chips: You can use semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips.
How to Make The Best Chocolate Chip Pancakes
This is a quick recipe overview with photos. For the full, printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Separate your eggs: You are going to separate your egg whites into a small mixing bowl and your egg yolks into a large mixing bowl.
Mix your dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix your wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute), the egg yolks, cooled butter, and vanilla until it is well-mixed.
Combine: Pour your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and stir them together until they are just combined. Your batter should look pretty thick at this point.
Beat egg whites: Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.
Fold in egg whites: Gently fold in the egg whites into the batter, being careful not to over-mix and accidentally deflate the egg whites.
Fold in chocolate chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Cook your pancakes: Heat up your griddle, and cook your chocolate chip pancakes.
Serve, and enjoy!
Topping Ideas
These pancakes are excellent all on their own or topped with a little butter and syrup. But if you want to make things really fun, try adding:
- A dollop of whipped cream and your favorite fruit
- A drizzle of fudge sauce or dulce de leche
- Blueberry syrup or strawberry syrup
How to Store Leftover Pancakes
- In the refrigerator: Store your pancakes in a ziplock bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the microwave in 10-second increments.
- In the freezer: Place pancakes in a freezer ziplock bag with a small piece of parchment paper between each pancake to keep them from sticking together. Store for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to eat them, just pull out your desired number of pancakes and reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds (slightly extending the time for each additional pancake you make).
How to stop the chocolate chips from burning in the pancakes?
While some recipes have you sprinkle the chocolate chips over cooking pancake batter to keep the chips from burning, for this recipe, you can fold them directly into the batter. Since this batter is naturally quite thick, the batter helps protect the chocolate chips from the heat on the griddle. Cooking the pancakes over a lower heat (325°F) also helps protect the chocolate chips from burning.
Can pancake batter sit overnight?
Some pancake batters can sit overnight, but not this pancake batter. Because this recipe uses folded egg whites which give these pancakes the extra light and fluffy texture, it should be made right before cooking to keep the egg whites from deflating.
How do I keep my pancakes warm?
To keep your pancakes warm while you cook the next batch, simply preheat your oven to 200°F and keep any cooked pancakes on a tray in the oven until all the pancakes are ready to serve.
More Breakfast Favorites
- The Best Homemade Waffles
- Mini Coffee Cake
- My Favorite Chocolate Banana Muffins
- The Best Cinnamon Toast
Equipment
- Handheld electric mixer
- Electric griddle optional but great to have!
Ingredients
- ▢ 4 large eggs
- ▢ 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- ▢ ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ▢ 2 teaspoons table salt
- ▢ 3 cups buttermilk *
- ▢ 6 tablespoons salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ▢ 1 ½ cup chocolate chips
- ▢ Cooking spray or a little butter for greasing the skillet
Instructions
- If you are planning to serve all the pancakes at once, preheat your oven to 200°F to keep the pancakes warm between batches.
- Separate out egg whites from yolks, dropping the whites into a small mixing bowl and reserving the yolks in any small container to use later in the recipe. Set both aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate, large bowl, combine buttermilk, the egg yolks, melted and slightly cooled butter, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the flour mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir until just mixed and there is no dry flour at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will look very thick at this point.
- Use a handheld electric mixer starting on low and working up to high to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (when beaters are lifted out, the whites should stand straight up without curling over at the tips or collapsing)
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not over-mix or you risk deflating the egg whites.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Heat an electric griddle to 325°F or a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once your cooking surface is hot, lightly grease it with cooking spray or butter. Evenly space out slightly heaping ⅓ cups of batter. Cook until bubbles begin to form on the tops of the pancakes and and then flip and cook until done.
- If needed, place the pancakes on a cookie sheet in the oven to keep them warm. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Add your favorite toppings, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Paper towels
- Large pot
- Potato masher
- Microwave-safe measuring cup, or microwave-safe dish to heat cream in
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (115g) butter salted or unsalted is fine
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream
- ½ pound bacon chopped 3/4-inch
- 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and chopped into roughly 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon table salt plus more as needed
- ½ cup heavy cream divided
- 1 cup ( 4oz ) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives plus more for topping if desired
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Before you begin preparing any of the other ingredients, cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and measure out your sour cream. Set both in a warm place in your kitchen.
- Place bacon pieces in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat until bacon reaches your preferred level of doneness. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- While your bacon cooks, to a large pot, add your peeled and chopped potatoes. Cover with cold water so potatoes are completely submerged by about 1-inch. Add salt and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to keep the water at a good simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender—you should be able to easily smash a piece against the side of the pot with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot and cover to keep them warm.
- To the cooked potatoes, add the cubed butter. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until they reach your preferred texture.
- Heat all of the heavy cream in the microwave until it is steaming hot. Stir in sour cream and ¼ cup of the warmed cream. Taste and add remaining cream if needed.
- Stir in the cooked bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives, and then salt and pepper to taste.
- Keep the potatoes covered until you’re ready to serve them, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Transfer to a freezer bag, press out the air, and store them in your freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in the microwave.
