Duchess Potatoes are an easy to make side dish that will wow friends and family this holiday season! Pillowy clouds of mashed potatoes are baked to golden perfection as individual servings which makes them ideal for entertaining. A great make ahead recipe!

Love potatoes? Us too! Don’t miss these favorites: Sweet Potato Casserole, Cheesy Potatoes, Loaded Scalloped Potatoes and these extra creamy Mashed Potatoes!

This post is sponsored by Challenge Dairy.

large brown tray with six duchess potatoes garnished with Parmesan cheese and snipped chives.

Duchess Potatoes Recipe

I’m obsessed with potatoes in all of their many forms. They are hands down the most versatile when it comes to side dishes and are so easy to prepare. Think of the richest, creamiest mashed potatoes imaginable piped to form beautiful, individual mounds and then add a crispy, buttery exterior and you’ve got the side dish of my dreams: Duchess Potatoes.

Duchess Potatoes make a frequent appearance on our holiday menu but they are so easy to make that I love to double the recipe and then keep some frozen for a quick side to a weeknight meal.

one duchess potatoes serving cut in half and sitting on a small plate revealing the creamy interior.

What are Duchess Potatoes?

Duchess potatoes are a classic French side dish and any time I serve them, I inevitably feel very fancy. In truth, all they are is mashed potatoes that have been piped and baked.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s the perfect make-ahead side dish which makes it an absolute winner for the holidays. In addition, these Duchess Potatoes can be made ahead of time and frozen in their perfectly sized portions. Just pull them out and pop them straight in the oven – frozen. It’s amazing!

six duchess potatoes sitting on a brown serving tray with boxes of Challenge butter to the left of the tray.

What You’ll Need

This Duchess Potatoes recipe comes together very quickly and easily. As always, you can find the full printable recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a quick look at what you’ll need for this recipe:

potatoes – Yukon Gold is my favorite but russet can also be used.
salt – sea salt or kosher salt.
garlic – this is an optional ingredient but I love the subtle flavor it adds.
Challenge unsalted butter – the butter is used in two different steps: added to the potatoes as they get mashed and then again it is brushed on the potatoes before they are baked.
heavy cream – adds a richness to the potatoes.
ground nutmeg – just a pinch!
pepper – white pepper or black pepper can be used. If you’re going for a mostly monotone look, the white pepper works great.
egg yolks – gives the potatoes their silky texture and helps them to bake up firmly.

Optional Garnish

chopped herbs – any will work but I personally love chives, parsley, thyme or rosemary.
Parmesan cheese – freshly grated is a beautiful addition to the recipe.

I used Challenge Butter in this recipe. I’ve been using Challenge Butter my whole life and trust their products. I know the quality is outstanding and use it for all my recipes. Made with 100% real cream, it’s my butter of choice!

butter in a small white bowl ready to be melted.

How to Make Duchess Potatoes

This simple recipe comes together so fast and it’s the perfect make-ahead side dish. I’ve split this up into to parts: making the mashed potatoes and piping the potatoes.

Make Mashed Potatoes

Prep a baking sheet and set aside.
Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Place in a large pot and add water to cover the potatoes.
Add salt and garlic and bring to a boil.
Simmer the potatoes until fork tender. Drain the water and remove the garlic cloves.
Mash the potatoes with butter, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Test for seasoning and additional salt and pepper if needed.
Stir in the egg yolks.
Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Do I have to add the garlic? Nope. That being said, adding the garlic cloves to the water while the potatoes are boiling adds a very subtle garlic flavor to these potatoes without being overpowering. In fact, it’s one of my favorite ways to make garlic mashed potatoes.

six image collage showing how to make the mashed potatoes for the Duchess potatoes.

Pipe Mashed Potatoes

Pipe the mashed potatoes in large mounds onto the prepared baking sheet leaving about 2 inches between each mound. You will want to pipe out about a half cup of mashed potatoes for each. Create taller than wider mounds for the best results. (Refer to my video for any clarification needed.)
Chill potatoes in the fridge for 20 minutes or more.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Melt the remaining butter and brush on the chilled Duchess potatoes.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Serve immediately.

four image collage showing how to pipe the duchess potatoes and bake them.

How To Make Ahead

If you are making ahead, flash freeze the potatoes in the freezer for 30 minutes before transferring to an airtight, freezer safe container.

Bake, from frozen, but add a few additional to the baking time. Frozen Duchess potatoes are good for up to 6 months.

Watch Me Make Duchess Potatoes

Trish’s Tips and Tricks

Don’t skip the chilling time. The potatoes need to be cold (or even frozen) before baking or those pretty mounds you just piped will fall flat.

Don’t skip the eggs. I know the eggs are the one ingredient in this recipe that might be throwing you off a bit, but they are essential in this recipe for both texture, flavor and baking.

Garnish. These potatoes are impressive on their own but a quick sprinkling of fresh herbs and/or some Parmesan cheese take them to the next level which is so perfect for the holidays.

Potato Masher vs Potato Ricer. Either can be used in this recipe. The potato ricer makes it easier to get the potatoes very smooth without having to worry about over processing to the point of gumminess.

Duchess Potato Casserole

Don’t want to spend the time piping these potatoes? Make a Duchess Potato Casserole instead! Simply transfer the mashed potatoes to a 2 quart baking dish and use a spoon or knife to creates dips and swirls on the surface. Brush with melted butter and bake as directed.

single Duchess potato held up above a tray with a wooden server. granished with chives and Parmesan.

What To Serve With Duchess Potatoes

More Potato Recipes

How To Make Duchess Potatoes

Print Pin

5 from 25 votes

Duchess Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes are an easy to make side dish that will wow friends and family this holiday season! Pillowy clouds of mashed potatoes are baked to golden perfection as individual servings which makes them ideal for entertaining. A great make ahead recipe!

Course Side, Side Dish

Cuisine French

Keyword Duchess Potatoes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Chill Time 20

Servings

Calories 234kcal

Author Trish – Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

2½ pounds potatoes Yukon Gold is my favorite but russet can also be used
1 tablespoon salt sea salt or kosher salt
6 cloves garlic optional
6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
¼ cup heavy cream
pinch ground nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon or less
½ teaspoon salt sea salt or kosher salt
½ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
3 large egg yolks

Garnish (Optional)

chopped herbs chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary
Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or silicon baking mat and set aside.
Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Place in a large dutch oven or pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add salt and garlic and bring to a boil.
Simmer the potatoes until fork tender. Drain the water and remove the garlic cloves. Return the potatoes to the hot dutch oven or pot and let sit for 5 minutes to eliminate any additional water.
Mash the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. You will want to mash the potatoes until smooth and creamy but be careful not to over-mash or the consistency will turn gluey and gummy. If you have a potato ricer, that will work nicely here. Test for seasoning and additional salt and pepper if needed.
Stir in the egg yolks just until combined.
Transfer the potato mixture to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. You may need to do this in batches. If the potatoes are still very warm to the touch, let them cool until just barely lukewarm. Placing in the fridge for 10 minutes works perfectly.
Pipe the mashed potatoes in large mounds onto the prepared baking sheet leaving about 2 inches between each mound. You will want to pipe out about a half cup of mashed potatoes for each. Create taller than wider mounds for the best results. (Refer to my video for any clarification needed.)
Place potatoes in the fridge for 20 minutes or more. This will keep the potatoes from flattening as they bake.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and brush on the chilled Duchess potatoes. (Any leftover butter can be brushed on after baking if you like.)
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve with any garnish you like. I went with minced chives and Parmesan for mine but any fresh herbs are delicious. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

If you are making ahead, flash freeze the potatoes in the freezer for 30 minutes before transferring to an airtight, freezer safe container. Bake, from frozen, but add a few additional minutes to the baking time. Frozen Duchess potatoes are good for up to 6 months.

Tools Needed

Potato Masher or Potato Ricer
Piping Bags
Large Star Tip

Optional Finish: Instead of brushing with butter, brush the outside of the potatoes with a simple egg wash (1 egg whisk with 2 teaspoons milk or water) before baking.