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You'll Never Guess Snoop Dogg’s Secret Ingredient for Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes

The Voice Coach even shared this tip with Martha Stewart. 

By Kaitlin Kimont

When the Doggfather tells you to put a little something something in your mashed potatoes, you don’t question it. Snoop Dogg released his first cookbook, From Crook to Cook, in 2018, but the follow-up reveals an absolute game-changing Thanksgiving recipe.

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The Voice Coach published his second cookbook, Goon with the Spoon, in 2023, featuring over 65 “crowd-pleasing” recipes he created with rapper Earl “E-40” Stevens. Like “Ridin’ Dirty Shrimp ‘n’ Grits," "Snoop’s Fruity Loop Bars,” and a mind-blowing recipe for a popular Thanksgiving side dish.

Snoop Dogg’s mashed potato recipe includes a secret (boozy) ingredient

Snoop Dogg appears on TODAY

In Goon with the Spoon, Snoop shares his recipe for “Cognac Mashed Potatoes.” Yup, Snoop’s secret ingredient is a half cup of Hennessy, along with russet potatoes, a hearty amount of heavy cream, and mayonnaise. 

“These ain’t your mama’s mashed potatoes, y’all!” Snoop writes in his cookbook, per People. “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Isn’t cognac more for a concert with the Dogg rather than Thanksgiving?’ My answer to that: ‘Why not both?’” He says that cooking his mashed potatoes with Hennessy is his “favorite way to eat this Thanksgiving staple.”  

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We all know mashed potatoes need plenty of butter, but what does Hennessy add? According to Snoop, once the alcohol cooks off, the addition of cognac brings out a “depth” of flavor and a “bit of sweetness.”

One review of Snoop’s Hennessy mashed potatoes said it was “surprisingly simple to make” and that the flavor from the cognac “really makes it stand out.” Kiersten Hickman for The Kitchn wrote, “I truly believe this is the only mashed potato recipe you need for Thanksgiving.”

You can find the full recipe for Snoop’s “Cognac Mashed Potatoes” in his cookbook, Goon with the Spoon. 

Snoop Dogg has been making cognac mashed potatoes for years

Before Snoop shared his Hennessy mashed potato recipe with the world in print, the rapper revealed this tip with Martha Stewart herself.

In 2008, Snoop appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and made a batch of mashed potatoes using a recipe inspired by Stewart’s mother. The two peeled potatoes together and plopped them in a stand mixer with lots of butter and a block of cream cheese. “Yabadabadoo!” Snoop said as he mixed his potatoes. “My granny would be proud of me right now for this.”

As the potatoes continued to mix, Snoop stepped away to grab “a little bit of this yak yak,” a.k.a. cognac, and poured a bit into his bowl. “I want to taste yours, I don’t trust mine,” Snoop joked to Stewart.

RELATED: How Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart's Amazing Friendship Got Its Start

While Snoop has certainly perfected this Thanksgiving recipe over years, it’s clear that adding that little something extra has always been his favorite way to enjoy a helping of holiday mashed potatoes.