Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes

Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes are delicious, individually portioned mounds of mashed potatoes that have been baked. Inside, they’re creamy and fluffy while the outside is beautifully golden and crisp.

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Easy Duchess Potatoes Recipe

We’re in our new house now!

I think we’ve done a pretty good job of getting unpacked and settled. I hate the clutter of packing materials everywhere and have an extreme dislike for living in a space that feels like I haven’t made it mine yet.

Despite all of that, I think we’re a little crazy to be hosting Thanksgiving this year… But I’m also super excited to share our new home with our family so soon. It’s like a christening of sorts to be celebrating and opening our home and kitchen right away.

It’s also been a really good motivator to continue to work to get organized. I’ll tell you though, to be totally real and honest, that I definitely have not followed my own Thanksgiving Preparation Schedule.

While doing that, I remembered that I hadn’t shared this recipe for Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes yet and I wanted to before Thanksgiving.

I made these cream cheese potatoes for Kendall’s birthday dinner to go with the Slow Cooker Ham with Honey Marmalade Mustard Glaze. We’re definitely having the ham for Thanksgiving. I’ll also be making a Apple Cider Sage Turkey Brine and Kevin is going to smoke a turkey, too.

Last year was the biggest Thanksgiving I’d previously hosted and this year we’ll have four more people than we did before…that calls for lots of food!

What are Duchess Potatoes?

Duchess potatoes are a mixture of mashed potato, egg yolk, and butter piped through a piping bag into various shapes. Then, baked until golden brown potatoes with nice crispy edges.

They’re often seasoned similarly to mashed potatoes. In this recipe, I’ve switched things up a bit by adding cream cheese and chives for an extra pop of flavor.

An amazing thing about these Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes is the fact that all four kids liked it, even the ones who say they don’t like mashed potatoes.

That’s a win in my book and I think the extra few minutes spent on presentation, plus the nice golden crispy exterior won them over.

Where did Duchess Potatoes Originate?

Duchess Potatoes, or pommes duchesse, have quite the history!

They’re a classic item in French cuisine that can be traced back to a 1746 edition of La Nouvelle Cuisinière Bourgeoise. In the United States, there is documentation that recipes have been around in cookbooks, such as The American Housewife Cook Book: Parts I & II, since at least 1878.

Tools Needed for this Duchess Potatoes Recipe

You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this recipe for duchess potatoes. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:

• Potato Peeler – to remove the potato skins before boiling the potatoes.
• Large Pot – to boil potatoes in.
• Potato Ricer – I prefer to use a ricer over a potato masher when mashing the cooked potatoes so I don’t end up with large chunks of potatoes. You could also use a food mill.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons – to measure ingredients.
• Large Bowl – for mixing ingredients.
• Hand Mixer – to combine the egg yolks, butter, cream cheese, and whole milk together
• Rubber Spatula – to stir the mashed potatoes in with the cream cheese mixture
• Large Piping Bag – to pipe the potato mixture. If you don’t have a large pastry bag, you can also use a large ziploc bag
• Large Star Tip – to attach to the piping bag to make decorative swirls out of the potato mixture.
• ​Baking Sheet – to cook the duchess mashed potatoes.

Duchess Potatoes Ingredients

This duchess potatoes recipe may look fancy, but it’s actually so easy to make and requires just a handful of ingredients.

• Potatoes
• Kosher salt
• Bay leaves
• Egg yolks
• Butter
• Cream cheese
• Whole milk
• Fresh chives
• Salt and pepper

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make duchess mashed potatoes, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

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How to Make Duchess Potatoes

Here’s the basic rundown of how to make duchess potatoes:

1. Boil the potatoes in a pot of well salted water. Add in the bay leaf too.
2. Once cooked through, press potatoes through a potato ricer.
3. Mix the potatoes together with the cream cheese, egg yolks, butter, and whole milk.
4. Spoon the potato mixture into a piping bag fitted with an extra large piping tip. Pipe onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
5. Set trays in freezer to chill the potato mixture.
6. Remove duchess potatoes from freezer, then brush with melted butter.
7. Bake until puffed and golden.

The above is simply a quick summary of this elegant side dish. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

What Are the Best Potatoes for Duchess Potatoes?

I recommend using Yukon Gold potatoes for this duchess potato recipe. Yukon Gold potatoes are waxy and mash really well without becoming gluey.

Can I Freeze Duchess Potatoes?

Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes are awesome if you’re busy and need to do some of the prep work ahead of time, because you can freeze the potatoes until you’re ready to bake them.

Did you know you can freeze potatoes? I hadn’t really done that much experimenting with freezing potatoes until this recipe, but it worked great.

I made a double batch and froze half of them. We ate the rest a couple weeks later and all I had to do was pop them in the oven and bake — so perfect!

Tips for Making Duchess Potatoes

Make sure to salt the water you’re going to boil the potatoes in very well. You want the potatoes themselves to have some flavor, otherwise your duchess potatoes may turn out a little bland.

When piping the potato mixture onto the baking trays, be sure to use an extra large piping tip. If the piping tip is too small, the tip will become clogged and it’ll be a pain to pipe it all out.

Also, you want to pipe the duchess potatoes about 2 inches apart from each other. They’ll spread a bit in the oven and you don’t want them forming one big blob.

FAQ Duchess Potato Recipe

Got questions about how to make these duchess mashed potatoes? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I use different herbs?

Sure! You can definitely mix up the fresh herbs – thyme or rosemary would also be delicious in this recipe.

How long do they take to bake?

They take 20 – 30 minutes to bake, however baking time can vary depending on how large you make your piped potatoes.

When should I serve Duchess Potatoes?

The individual portions of potatoes make these duchess mashed potatoes the perfect recipe for a dinner party or other special occasion. They’re great during the holiday season, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner parties.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them any time! They make a great addition to many different meals.

How should I store leftover Duchess Potatoes?

Leftovers should be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. They’ll last 3 – 4 days.

Try these Duchess Potatoes at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a unique potato side dish to make, give this duchess potato recipe a try!

Did you love the flavor and fun presentation? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your duchess potatoes!

More Potato Side Dishes:

Potatoes, in some form, always seem like a classic Thanksgiving side dish. They’re perfect to serve potluck-style, usually travel well for those attending Thanksgiving as a guest and can often be made ahead. Here are a few of our favorite potato recipes for Thanksgiving.

Blue Cheese Rosemary Mashed Potatoes are your favorite Russet Potato Mashed Potatoes after a surprising makeover. With the addition of pureed cannellini beans, gorgonzola cheese, and fresh rosemary you go from yum to YUM!

Mascarpone Chive Mashed Potatoes are similar in flavor to these Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes, but are served like traditional mashed potatoes

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are anything but traditional. They’re are ramped up with the flavors of roasted garlic, cauliflower puree, and the smoothness of cream cheese.

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes are fragrant thanks to the addition of fresh rosemary and garlic.

Broccoli Cheese Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes have all the same goodness of a regular loaded baked potato plus some broccoli all mixed together with the potato pulp, stuffed and baked to gooey perfection.

 Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan Gremolata are smashed, roasted baby potatoes topped with a delicious mixture of fresh parsley, lemon, and parmesan

 Artichoke, Leek and Potato Casserole is perfect if you’re looking for a layered, gratin-style potato side dish. The addition of leek and artichoke makes it extra special.

What are your favorite potato recipes for Thanksgiving?

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Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes

Yield: approximately 12 - 16 potato puffs

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Buttery, golden, and impossibly elegant, these duchess-style potatoes are piped into swirls, kissed with chives, and crisped to perfection. Cream cheese adds subtle tang and richness, while Yukon Golds keep the texture silky and smooth.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 lbs peeled and quartered Yukon Gold potatoes (weighed after peeling and cutting; see note for variation)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 5 oz cream cheese, softened
• ⅓ cup whole milk, warmed
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing)
• Optional: flaky salt or finely grated Parmesan for finishing

Instructions

Boil the Potatoes

1. Place the peeled, evenly quartered Yukon Gold potatoes in a stockpot and cover with hot water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the bay leaves.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20–30 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.
3. While the potatoes boil, prep your piping bag with an extra-large star tip and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the Cream Base

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, melted butter, cream cheese, and warm milk.
2. Whisk until smooth, or use a hand mixer on low. The mixture should be creamy and light.

Rice the Potatoes

1. Drain the potatoes and discard the bay leaves. Working while hot, press the potatoes through a ricer directly into the cream cheese mixture.
2. Add the chives, then fold everything together until evenly combined.
3. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Optional: If you don’t have a ricer, a food mill or fine potato masher will work—the texture won’t be quite as silky, but still delicious.

Pipe & Chill

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Transfer the potato mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
3. Pipe swirls onto the prepared pans, about 3 inches wide and 1½–2 inches tall. Leave at least 2 inches of space between each to prevent spreading.
4. Place trays in the freezer for 15 minutes to help the swirls hold their shape during baking.

Brush & Bake

1. Brush each swirl lightly with melted butter.
2. Bake for 20–30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops are golden and lightly crisped.

Optional Finish: Sprinkle with flaky salt or finely grated Parmesan just before serving for extra flavor and texture.

Notes

Ingredient Notes: Yukon Golds give a naturally creamy, dense texture. For a fluffier finish, try substituting half with Russet potatoes.

Piping Notes: For piping tips, how to fill a pastry bag, and information about my favorite pastry tips check out these Cupcake Piping Tips. Many of the tips will apply to piping the potato mixture.

Make-Ahead & Freezing Tips

• You can freeze the piped, unbaked potatoes directly on the tray. Once firm, transfer to a zip-top bag and store for up to 2 months.
• To bake from frozen, brush with butter and bake at 375°F until golden and hot—add 5–10 minutes to the time.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Vegetable Peeler
• 
  Knife Block Set
• 
  Stainless Steel Cookware
• 
  Mixing Bowls
• 
  Measuring Spoons
• 
  Potato Ricer

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 224Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 308mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

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