Duchess Potatoes are a fancy piped potato side dish that must make an appearance at your next dinner party. Rich, creamy, and cheesy with just a subtle crisp, these elegant baked mashed potatoes are unlike anything else!
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It’s hard not to love a potato side dish. I’m always pairing dinners with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Potato Leek Soup, or Classic Potato Latkes not only because they’re classics, but also because they’re just so delicious!
On the nights where you need to take the sides up a notch and really impress a crowd, turn to these Duchess Potatoes. It’s a simple process of piping cheesy mashed potatoes onto a baking sheet before letting them bake to golden-brown perfection.
The classic mashed potato recipe won’t know what hit it!
The individual piped, creamy, and slightly crisp baked potato swirls are so fun to plate and serve. Your dinner party or holiday guests will be so pleased!
These are perfect to serve as a side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Especially since they can be made ahead of time! Keep reading to find out how…
What are duchess potatoes?
Duchess potatoes are a fancy way of eating cheesy mashed potatoes that are piped into a swirl.
Why are they called duchess potatoes?
The first known recipe for these potatoes was printed in a French cookbook in 1746. At the time, the descriptor “duchess” was added to any French dish which included a mashed potato and egg yolk mixture. Hence the name.
What kind of potatoes are best for duchess potatoes?
I love the golden color and subtle sweetness of Yukon Gold potatoes, but you can easily make a duchess potatoes recipe with any potato that boils and mashes well. Use Russet potatoes or red potatoes or try mashed sweet potatoes for the holidays.
Adding cheese to duchess potatoes
I love adding Cabot’s Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese to this recipe. It melts perfectly, and is deliciously sharp & tangy. The perfect complement to these creamy potatoes! You could also try adding in their Horseradish Cheddar Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese to up the flavor even more!
Parmesan cheese is another delicious option!
How to make them
Peel and dice the potatoes before adding them to a pot of salted boiling water. Let the potato cubes boil until they’re fork tender.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the cooked potatoes, cream, and butter together. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper to the smooth potato mixture before letting it cool slightly. To finish, stir in the egg yolks.
Spoon the mashed potato mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe your potato mixture into 3-inch swirls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the duchess potato swirls with melted butter before baking in the oven. Take them out of the oven when they’re golden brown, then serve and enjoy!
How do you pipe potatoes without a piping bag?
If you don’t own a piping bag and star tip, there are a few other methods you can use to make these beautiful and creamy baked mashed potatoes:
- Ziploc bag method: Spoon the potato mixture into a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Cut off one of the bottom corners and use it as a makeshift piping bag.
- Spoon method: If you’re all out of piping options, you can always use a spoon or cookie scoop to delicately dollop your potato mixture onto the baking sheet. They won’t look as pretty but will still crisp up and taste delicious!
Variations
- Egg free – The egg yolks play a key role in maintaining the shape and thickness of the mashed potatoes. Therefore, I don’t recommend making duchess potatoes without eggs.
- Vegan – Because the egg yolks and cheese are necessary to the structure of the potatoes, this recipe cannot be made vegan.
- More add-ins – Pack your duchess potatoes with flavor by adding garlic, rosemary, parsley, thyme, or red pepper flakes to the mashed potato mixture.
Make ahead tips
To make duchess potatoes ahead of time, make the mashed potato mixture and pipe it into the baking sheet as normal. Instead of brushing them with butter and baking, place them in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. Once they’re completely frozen, remove the potato swirls from the baking sheet and transfer them to a ziploc bag. They’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Can you cook duchess potatoes from frozen?
Yes! When you’re ready to bake the frozen duchess potatoes, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each swirl with butter before baking in a 425°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until warmed through and golden brown.
Serving suggestions
Try serving your golden and crispy piped potatoes alongside these main dishes:
More fancy side dishes
More comforting potato recipes
- More → 35+ BEST Potato Recipes
Did you try these duchess potatoes with cheese?
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Full Recipe
Duchess Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled)
- 6 Tablespoons butter (divided)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 large egg yolks
- Minced fresh parsley (for garnish (optional))
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork. Drain well.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add drained potatoes to a large mixing bowl along with the cream and 4 TBSP butter. Mash well with a potato masher until there are no longer any lumps (or press through a potato ricer).
- Stir in the cheese until well combined. Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
- Let cool slightly, then stir in the egg yolks.
- At this point if the mixture is very thick you can add additional heavy cream, if needed.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. (You’ll need to work in batches.) Pipe the potatoes onto the parchment-lined baking sheets into swirls about 3 inches in diameter.
- Gently brush with the remaining 2 TBSP butter, melted.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The duchess potato recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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