Duchess Potatoes

December 15, 2021

Duchess potatoes are everything you love about mashed potatoes piped into bite-sized pieces! Baked to a golden-brown, this side is absolutely delicious and looks amazing on a dinner plate!

Potatoes are a must-make side for any holiday dinner! Hasselback, scalloped, and lemon roasted potatoes are some of my favorites. They’re all so flavorful and satisfying!

Duchess potatoes garnished with herbs on a gray plate.

Amazing Parmesan Duchess Potatoes Recipe

I love potatoes in every form. There are so many ways to prepare them but somehow they always end up mouthwatering and delicious! Today’s recipe is a yummy variation of mashed potatoes. You add them to a piping bag to make little decorative swirls and then pop them in the oven for 15 minutes. This makes the outsides nice and crispy. The result? An irresistible side that tastes as good as it looks! These are the perfect little size and always get devoured by my family. I know you’ll love them just as much as we do!

And if you’re not already convinced, these duchess potatoes are filled with parmesan and garlic for a boost of flavor. Is there anything better than baked parmesan cheese?! I swear I could eat a million of these. There’s so flavorful and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside! They’re bound to be a hit for Christmas and beyond. All you’ve got to do is pair them with a hearty ham, bacon-wrapped asparagus, a festive drink, and you’ve got a killer holiday dinner.

What You Need for Duchess Potatoes

The ingredients for these duchess potatoes are so simple, there’s no reason not to make them! You’ll be able to find everything in your kitchen. It’s the best!

Potatoes: I used russet potatoes in this recipe, but you can also use yukon! They’ve both got a delicious buttery texture that makes them perfect for mashing.
Egg Yolks: Egg yolks help your little swirls to hold their shape and stay soft and chewy once baked.
Parmesan Cheese: I love the way parmesan tastes with potatoes! You can substitute this for other sharp cheeses like cheddar, asiago, gruyère, or romano.
Heavy Cream: Helps your potatoes stay creamy and soft.
Garlic: Garlic + potatoes… need I say more? This gives them the perfect savory flavor.
Salt and Pepper: Added to enhance your duchess potatoes.

Making Duchess Potatoes

Making duchess potatoes is fun and easy! My kids and I love to form the little circle shapes. It’s a great way to switch up traditional mashed potatoes.

Prep Potatoes: To start, peel and cut your potatoes into about ½ -1 inch cubes. Place them into a large pot and wash the starch off until the water runs clear. Fill the pot with cold water to fully submerse potatoes. Add a dash of salt.
Boil: Next, boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until they are fork tender.
Mash: Using an electric hand mixer, beat the potatoes on high until they start to form peaks.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Add in the egg yolks, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper and mix until combined.
Pipe Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Then, scoop the mashed potatoes into a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe them onto a sheet pan.
Bake: Next, bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on the outside edges.

4 photos with mashed potatoes in the process of being piped into circles.

Enhancing Your Potatoes

Here are some easy variations and tips for your duchess potatoes! I know you’re going to love how they turn out. They’re so buttery and delicious!

Adding Herbs: In addition to garlic and cheese, I also like to add herbs for extra flavor! Chives, basil, oregano, and rosemary are all great in this dish. You can even add in a little Italian seasoning!
Chill: To help your duchess potatoes keep their shape, store them in the fridge for an hour or so before baking. The cold temperatures will help your piped edges stay nice and crisp.
Use Leftovers: If you’re like me and always have leftover mashed potatoes around the holidays, this is a great way to use them up! Simply transfer them over to a piping bag and bake. It’s so easy!
Egg Wash: To make the tops of your duchess potatoes extra golden and shiny, you can brush an egg wash on top before baking.

Storing Leftovers

Duchess potatoes are best served fresh, but here’s how to store and enjoy them later! Another great thing about this recipe is that you can make your potatoes ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. It’s great for relieving stress around the holidays.

In the Refrigerator: Cover baked duchess potatoes with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: My favorite way to reheat duchess potatoes is in the oven. This way, they don’t get soggy and stay nice and crisp on the outside! Pop them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Make Ahead: After piping your shapes, you can store your unbaked potatoes in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Baked duchess potatoes on parchment paper.

More Tried and True Potato Recipes

I’ve rounded up some of my favorite potato dishes here- they’ll accompany your holiday dinners perfectly! Whether you want something mashed, baked, or roasted, I’ve got you covered! Each of these tasty sides are loaded with flavor and have the most amazing texture. They may just be the star of your meal!

Side Dishes

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Side Dishes

Skillet Potatoes with Peppers

Side Dishes

Crispy Potatoes with Pesto and Parmesan

Side Dishes

Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes