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Individual Cheater Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
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If you’re looking for an easy, cheesy holiday side dish, these individual cheater cheesy au gratin potatoes are the answer. Made with thinly sliced russet potatoes, sharp cheddar, and creamy layers baked in muffin tins, they cook up quickly and save valuable oven space during busy holiday meals. Parboiling the potatoes first cuts down the bake time, while the smaller portions mean everyone gets their own perfectly golden, bubbly stack.
They’re rich, comforting, and pair beautifully with roasted meats, turkey, or festive vegetable sides—making them a go-to for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy winter dinner.
For more recipe inspiration, try my fall roasted squash salad with yogurt-tahini dressing or a tomato bacon jam grilled cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick holiday side — parboiled potatoes and muffin tins cut down on cook time
- Perfect portions — everyone gets their own cheesy, golden stack.
- Crowd-pleasing comfort food — creamy, rich, and full of sharp cheddar flavor.
- Versatile pairing — goes with turkey, beef, ham, or roasted vegetables.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Russet potatoes – I first peel the potatoes then use a mandolin to thinly and evenly slice them. While it can be done by hand, a mandolin is a great way to quickly create even slices. I recommend using a starchy potato like Russet rather than a waxy potato, so the potatoes break down and become tender.
- Heavy cream – Coating the potatoes in heavy cream to cook adds a rich and creamy flavor. For the best flavor I recommend using heavy cream rather than whole milk or half and half in this recipe.
- Cheddar cheese – I recommend using grated sharp Cheddar cheese for the best flavored potatoes. I toss the potatoes in the cheese then add additional on top just before baking. The Cheddar can be replaced with another favorite semi-hard cheese.
- Chives – Diced chives add a subtle onion flavor while also adding an aesthetic garnish of color to the potatoes.
- Spices – Since this is meant to be a quick recipe, I rely on onion powder and garlic powder to kick up the flavor of the potatoes rather than sautéing fresh aromatics.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tips
- Par-boil. I slice the raw potatoes and drop them into boiling water to par-boil them so they are already tender.
- Muffin tins. I then mix them with cheese, cream and spices before adding them to greased muffin tins. Adding to muffin tins allows for smaller individual portions as well as smaller surface area to cook in comparison to a larger baking dish.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Swap the sharp cheddar with Gruyère, Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack for a different cheesy flavor.
- Use green onions, thyme, or rosemary instead of chives for a fresh twist.
- Prefer a classic casserole style? Assemble the potatoes in a 9×11-inch baking dish and bake covered, then uncovered to finish browning.
Tips and Tricks For This Recipe
How to make in a casserole dish
These potatoes can be made in a more traditional casserole style by mixing the potatoes according to the recipe below, then arranging in a greased 9″x 11″ (23cm x 28cm) baking dish. Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cover with aluminum foil and bake until bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown, about an additional 15 minutes.
Special Equipment
Mandolin – A mandolin makes shaving Brussels sprouts quick and easy, giving you perfectly even slices that cook evenly and create a tender, flavorful salad every time. This affordable option should do the trick!
How to Make Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes (Step-by-Step)
Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Peel the potatoes then use a mandolin to thinly slice them.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Add the potatoes and par-boil them until just tender but not falling apart, about 6 minutes.
Drain the potatoes place in a large mixing bowl. Add the cream, 1½ cups (337g) of the Cheddar cheese, 2½ (7g) tablespoons of the chives, onion powder and garlic powder, gently folding to combine. Season with salt and pepper and fold once more.
Grease a jumbo 6-cup muffin tin with butter. Divide the potato mixture among the muffin tin cups. Pour any extra cream left in the bowl over the potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese.
Bake until tender and the cheese is bubbling, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around each of the cups of potatoes and gently lift them out.
Serve warm garnished with the remaining chives.
How to Serve This Recipe
- Serve warm straight from the muffin tin for individual portions.
- Garnish with extra chives or fresh herbs for color and flavor.
- Pair with roasted meats like turkey, beef, or ham, or enjoy alongside vegetable sides for a complete holiday spread.
How to Store This Recipe
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through to keep the tops crispy.
- Freeze baked and cooled portions in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months; reheat directly from frozen in the oven.
Yes! You can parboil and assemble the potatoes in the muffin tins up to a day in advance. Just cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready to serve.
Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor, but Gruyère, Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Colby Jack are all great swaps.
Definitely. Use a greased 9×11-inch baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until bubbling, then uncover to brown the top.
Keep cooked potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven so the tops stay crisp.
Yes. Freeze fully baked portions once cooled, then reheat directly from frozen in the oven.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this easy potato recipe, give these a try:
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Individual Cheater Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
Rate this Recipe
Equipment:
- 1 Mandolin
Ingredients:
- 3 medium russet potatoes (about 2½ pounds), scrubbed
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 tablespoons diced chives, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- Unsalted butter, as needed for greasing pan
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Peel the potatoes then use a mandolin to thinly slice them.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Add the potatoes and par-boil them until just tender but not falling apart, about 6 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes place in a large mixing bowl. Add the cream, 1½ cups (337g) of the Cheddar cheese, 2½ (7g) tablespoons of the chives, onion powder and garlic powder, gently folding to combine. Season with salt and pepper and fold once more.
- Grease a jumbo 6-cup muffin tin with butter. Divide the potato mixture among the muffin tin cups. Pour any extra cream left in the bowl over the potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake until tender and the cheese is bubbling, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around each of the cups of potatoes and gently lift them out.
- Serve warm garnished with the remaining chives.
Notes:
- Par-boil. I slice the raw potatoes and drop them into boiling water to par-boil them so they are already tender.
- Muffin tins. I then mix them with cheese, cream and spices before adding them to greased muffin tins. Adding to muffin tins allows for smaller individual portions as well as smaller surface area to cook in comparison to a larger baking dish.
Nutrition:
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I just loved this recipe!! It was Brilliant!! You can actually parboil the potatoes a day before. I will be making this recipe again on Christmas! My family loved it! Thank You Kylie! All the ingredients are spot on.
This makes me so happy Robyn! Thank you for sharing!