Duchess Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes are a side dish that is often served during the holiday season. They are made by combining mashed potatoes with egg yolks and butter, then piping them into shapes using a pastry bag.

They make for a very pretty side dish. The Duchess potatoes can be piped into any number of different shapes, such as swirls, circles, or wreaths.

I love serving these potatoes for the holidays because they are so much prettier than a big dollop of mashed potatoes. Plus it makes keeping serving sizes measured and it is easy to make sure you have enough for everyone.

Try serving these at your next holiday gathering – I know your guests will be impressed like ours are. That crisp outer layer with that cheesy, buttery flavor is INCREDIBLE!

duchess potatoes recipe

Here are some commonly asked questions

How to Store Duchess Potatoes

After the potatoes are cooled completely they should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.  They will be good for 4 days.  Remove and reheat for 1 minute in the microwave.

Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.

When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.

potatoes duchess

Ingredients for Duchess Potatoes

• Yukon gold potatoes
• butter – salted, room temperature
• heavy whipping cream – room temperature
• parmesan cheese – shredded
• coarse sea salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• egg yolks

Do I have to use Yukon Gold potatoes?

No, they are the best for mashed potatoes though.  They have a great creamy consistency.  Russet potatoes also work well, they are fluffier.

duchess mashed potatoes

How to Make Duchess Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper and then lightly spray with cooking oil. Set aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and then cut them evenly so they’re all roughly the same size, but not too small.
4. Add the chopped potatoes to a large pot with cold water covering 2” above the potatoes.
5. Add the salt to the water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a rolling boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
6. Using a slotted spoon transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Once baked, transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher.
8. Add 5 tablespoons of the butter, 1 cup of the parmesan, the black pepper and garlic powder. Use a stand mixer with the wire whip, whip the potatoes and other ingredients on a medium speed for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides intermittently.
9. Add the egg yolks, one at a time while the whip is moving on low speed. Once they’re completely mixed turn off the mixer.
10. Transfer a portion of the potatoes to a piping bag with a large star (or 4B) tip. You can use a glass to hold the bag while you fill it to help avoid any mess.
11. Pipe the potato mixture into nice spiral mounds, about 3” wide and 2” tall on a clean, parchment-lined baking sheet.
12. Place the baking sheet, uncovered, into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.
13. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
14. Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Brush the melted butter lightly over the potato swirls.
15. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the tops.
16. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Watch the potatoes close, you can remove them once they start to brown on the edges.
17. Serve immediately.

This recipe calls for a stand mixer.  Can I also make this recipe by hand?

Because this recipe requires whipping the potatoes at a high speed to create the right texture, this will require some sort of mixer to achieve the final end product of this recipe. However, you don’t need to use a stand mixer, these can be made using a hand mixer too.

potatoes side dish

Can you freeze these Duchess Potatoes?

Definitely, they freeze well.  Keep them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Do I have to use the garlic powder?

Not at all.  A hint of garlic is a popular way to serve mashed potatoes, but it’s not absolutely necessary.

What to serve these potatoes with

While we usually like to serve these potatoes with a holiday meal, they are always nice to have alongside a weeknight dinner too. Here are some of our favorite main dishes to pair with these potatoes.

• Oven Fried Chicken
• Cajun Turkey Breast
• Roasted Cornish Hens
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Oven-Baked Pork Chops
• Air Fryer Cod
• Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
• Pork Loin Roast
• Garlic Butter Salmon

piped mashed potatoes

Why did my Duchess Potatoes not hold their shape and melt?

There could be many reasons.  Perhaps they needed longer freezing.  The potatoes were cut too small and made them watery.  When making Duchess Potatoes you’ll want the mashed potatoes to be firm, not too creamy.

Why do you put the boiled potatoes into the oven for 10 minutes?

This step will help the potatoes lose some of the water and dry them somewhat.  It’ll help keep your mashed potatoes from being too soft and soggy. You need them to be firm so they hold their shape when piping.

princess potatoes

Can I pipe these potatoes without a piping bag and tip?

Yes, you can use a resealable bag with the tip cut off.  It won’t be quite as pretty but it will work.

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

piped potatoes

Products I love when making Duchess Potatoes…

This Duchess Mashed Potatoes recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made piped mashed potatoes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this side dish recipe.

• stockpot
• cutting board
• knives
• potato peeler
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• sheet pan
• mixer
• piping bag
• large star tip
• coarse sea salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder

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If you love this Easy Piped Potatoes recipe, you’re going to love these other side dishes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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