These adorable Potato Gratin Stacks are the mini version of Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise). Layers of thinly sliced potato baked in a muffin tin with cream, cheese, garlic and thyme, the best bit are the crusty caramelised cheesy edges!
Serve as a potato side for dinner. Breakfast with eggs. Party food bites. So many possibilities!
Mini Potato Gratin Stacks (Dauphinoise)
All you need to know is that these Mini Potato Gratin Stacks are cheesy, creamy and ridiculously irresistible. I mean, let’s be blunt. Potatoes + cheese + cream + garlic + butter. BAM! That’s a home run right there!
Actually, they’re a mini version of French Potato Gratin / Dauphinoise. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – everything is better in mini form, not just because it’s cute. But because you get the whole thing to yourself.
Right? 🤷🏻♀️
Besides not having to share, making these in mini form means you get nice golden cheesy edges on each piece which might be my favourite part. No golden edges when you make Dauphinoise the usual way!
What you need to make Mini Potato Gratin Stacks
Here’s what you need to make these:
Potatoes – Use starchy or all-rounder ones so they become fluffy when cooked and absorb flavour. Sebago (the common dirt brushed potatoes in Australia), Russet (US), Dutch creams, King Edwards and red delight are all ideal.
If you use waxy potatoes, the layers sort of slip apart when you cut into them.
Shape – Opt for long thin ones so you have less offcuts when trimmed into a cylinder shape to cut slices that fit the muffin thin.
Cheese – Gruyere and Swiss cheese are my favourites here, for their melting quality and flavour. Any cheese that melts will work just fine – cheddar, Colby, tasty cheese. I tend not to use mozzarella because it doesn’t have as much salt / flavour as other cheese but you can if you wish.
Shredded and sliced – I find it best to use slices of cheese between the potato layers and shredded cheese on top.
Cream – Thickened / heavy cream works best because it’s thicker so it pools on the layers better.
Garlic – For flavour, to infuse the cream sauce.
Thyme – Classic herb flavouring for Dauphinoise.
How to make Mini Potato Gratin Stacks
Assembling each gratin stack does take a little more effort than making one big bubbly Dauphinoise for sharing. But it’s worth it – especially for the golden cheesy edges that you never get when you make one big gratin bake!!
1. Cutting the potato slices
Peel and trim – Peel the potatoes then cut the base so it is stable when standing upright. Then trim the potato to make a (rough!) cylinder shape. It doesn’t matter if they are not a perfect round – mine aren’t!. Once they are cooked, you can’t really tell if your potatoes are a little more hexagon-y or octogon-y, or even rectangular or triangular!!!
Check size – The cylinder should be the size of the muffin tin holes.
Potato cylinders – Repeat with remaining potato. To fill a standard 12 hoc muffin tin, you will need 3 potato cylinders cut from 1.2 kg / 2.4 lb of potato.
Slice thinly – Using either a mandolin or a sharp knife, cut the potato into 2mm / 0.1″ thin slices.
Separate slices – Use your fingers to separate the slices as they have a tendency to stick. We want to make sure the creamy sauce seeps between all the potato layers!
Cream sauce – Melt the butter in a saucepan then sauté the garlic for 20 seconds or until it smells amazing. Then add the cream and salt, and simmer for 30 seconds to bring the flavours together.
Now, we’re ready to assemble!
2. Assembling the gratin stacks
Fill halfway – Place a stack of potato slices in the muffin tin hole so they come up halfway.
Pour over cream – Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of cream over the potatoes. No need to be exact here, just use about half the cream.
Cheese slices – Top with a slice of cheese.
Potato and cream – Top each stack with another stack of potatoes so they are just higher than the rim of the muffin tin. We want to make them taller because they sink slightly once cooked.
Then drizzle the remaining cream over each stack.
3. Bake!
Thyme – Sprinkle each stack with most of the thyme. Reserve a bit to sprinkle on at the end. A hint of fresh thyme is a really nice finishing touch!
Cover and bake – Cover loosely with foil then bake for 40 minutes at 180°C/350°F or until the potato is cooked. Check by inserting a knife all the way to the bottom – there should be no resistance.
Cheese then oven – Top with the shredded cheese and return to the oven uncovered for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and there are some lovely golden spots on the surface.
Garnish with thyme & serve! Sprinkle the top with the remaining thyme, then serve immediately!
What to serve with Mini Potato Gratin Stacks
You will want to eat them straight out of the oven, and they are certainly tasty enough to do so! But actually, they are intended to be a side dish.
I tend to pull these out for special occasions when we want a side dish that’s a bit special. Think, holidays and celebratory gatherings, alongside things such as:
the most glorious buttery, herby, garlicky roast chicken
the roast pork of your dreams (because it’s completely encased in crackling)
a grand Thanksgiving Turkey (brined is the only way!)
a big juicy steakhouse steak
If you make these for just-a-usual-midweek-dinner, I wish I was you. I could eat these everyday and never tire of them. There’s a reason my nickname was Potato Girl when I was growing up!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Cheesy Potato Gratin Stacks (Muffin Tin)
Ingredients
- Oil spray
- 1.2 kg / 2.4 lb starchy potatoes , large long ones (Note 1)
- 30g /2 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 cup heavy / thickened cream
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 3/4 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 75g / 2.5 oz gruyere cheese sliced into 12 squares to fit into muffin tin (or other melting cheese, Note 2)
- 3/4 cup gruyere cheese (or other melting cheese), shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (all oven types).
- Brush muffin tin with butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat then use what you need to lightly brush the muffin tin holes with butter. (Remaining butter is for the cream sauce)
- Cream sauce: Into the remaining butter, add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add cream and salt then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 seconds, then remove from stove and keep warm.
- Slice potato: Peel potatoes. Trim base so it stands upright. Then cut into cylinder shapes that fit the muffin tin. Cut into 2mm/ 1/10" slices using a mandolin or sharp knife.
- Assemble stacks: Place potato slices into the muffin tin so they go halfway up the muffin tin holes. Try to match by size to make them into neat stacks.
- Cream: Drizzle each potato stack with 1 tsp of cream mixture – use 1/2 of the mixture.
- Cheese slice: Top with cheese slice.
- Top with potato, cream then thyme: Top each stack with remaining potato slices so the height is about 1cm / 1/3" above the rim of the muffin tin (they sink once baked). Drizzle with remaining cream mixture and sprinkle with most of the thyme (reserve some for topping).
- Baked 40 minutes: Cover loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until potato is cooked through. A small sharp knife should go through without any resistance.
- Top with cheese, bake 10 minutes: Remove from oven, sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake without foil for 10 minutes or until golden.
- Garnish with thyme: Sprinkle with remaining thyme.
- Stand 5 minutes then remove to serve. Use a tablespoon or butter knife to help scope them out. (Note 3)
- To Serve: Dinner – serve as a side. Finger food – serve warm as is. Breakfast – serve with eggs and bacon.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published September 2015. Updated November 2021 with improved recipe, new instructional photos and better video.
Life of Dozer
Happy to help with the washing up….!
This is how I deal with dishes on big recipe development days for the cookbook – pile them into tubs to keep them out of the way then do giant loads at a time. The amount of dirty pots and pans we generate on big cook days is pretty phenomenal…!!!
Just made these as a ‘getting ahead’ job for a party tonight. Oh dear we ate them!!! Gorgeous little stacks of garlicy spuds….I’ll make more
Haha I was just wondering if they’ll survive Christmas eve if I make ahead. You answered my question.
Ha ha!!! Job hazard!! N x
Nagi and Bruce the temptation! made them again, hid them in fridge and heated up at party – still gorgeous – gave them to nephews to bring around….fool! scoffed the lot among the circle of beer drinking manly men, but at least they asked for recipe, directed them to you Nagi
Can I use sour cream instead of heavy cream?
If making ahead & freezing, do you remove from the baking tray or freeze in the tray?
Probably best to remove them and freeze in an airtight container. N x
Love your recipes!! Just wondering if you can freeze these? Thank you
Yes you can! See the recipe notes! N x
I was wondering about making these using paper muffin cups?? Have you ever tried this? Wanted to make this for a large gathering. Thanks!
Hi Cynthia – I haven’t tried that but I think they would get quite greasy on the paper from the butter and would not look so good. N x
I tried twice and found the result pleasing but disagree that Dutch Creams are a good type of potato for this recipe as they are a waxy type and the layers do slip apart! The recipe advises that spray oil and black pepper are needed but are not included in instructions. Will definitely keep trying to get the desired result so I can include in the Christmas menu.
Oh My Goodness! I wanted to make these tonight despite not having all the correct ingredients so I improvised. Instead of the Russet potatoes I would liked to have used, I used the Yukon Gold I had on hand. And I used sliced gouda cheese for the center and topped them with shredded white cheddar.
Didn’t make any difference I’m thinking. They were WONDERFUL! They will definitely be added to my sides rotation as they are super easy to make and delicious!
Hi I’m wondering if anyone has made these and reheated in a microwave? I want to make them for a morning tea at work but only have a microwave and I’m worried they’ll turn into a soggy mess reheating them that way.
Hi Taysia – you are correct, they won’t be as good heated in a microwave. You will lose all the lovely crispy edges! N x
I’m sorry if I missed it, but how many stacks is assumed per person. I see how to adjust to servings, but is that assuming 1 stack per person? (I feel like I have a 2-3 stack kind of family!)
Yep Stacy that scale assumes 1 per person but I am also from a 2-3 (or 4, or 5?!) stack type of family so just make as many as you need! N x
Have you tried these with fresh Rosemary? I have that in my garden, I wasn’t sure if it was to strong to put with Swiss cheese.
(Btw-I have made several of your recipes, they have all been delicious-than you!)
I tried these last week and everyone loved them! Definitely a keeper, can’t wait to put them on the Christmas table. Thank you!
Hi! Could these be baked in actual muffin holders placed in the muffin tin?
Hi Emma – the paper will get greasy from the butter and they won’t be as crispy on the edges. N x
Hi Nagi,
This looks Amazing! I will have to give it a try!
Nagi, I just wanted to let you know that for some reason I don’t receive your ‘new’ recipes in my inbox anymore as I used to?
Thankyou
Cathy x
Hi Cathy…I am taking a (temporary!) break from new recipes as I am writing a cookbook which is why the email traffic has slowed down. I will be back! In the meantime, there are over 1600 recipes on my site to try or you can follow me on Instagram or Facebook for inspiration as my recipes are posted there daily! Thank for checking in! N x
I didn’t receive this recipe in my emails either, Nagi. I know that you’re on a break, but I only caught this one by chance on YouTube. Nevertheless, WOW! I wonder — could you make a couple more using the peels and trimmings? They may not look as pretty, but the russet peels are delicious. It’d be a pity to waste them, there’s always somebody who likes the “ends,” doncha know.
Good to see the sweet boy. Hope you’re doing good too Nagi. Look forward to your posts.
It’s been a while since I received emails from Recipetineats. Maybe I was scrubbed from the list so I signed up again. Anyway, I decided to see if you were writing your book instead of these recipes and what a surprise to see this mini dauphinoise delight! I am so glad I checked the website!!
Hi JoJo – yes I am taking a break from email posting to work on the cookbook – but I will be back! In the meantime there are heaps of recipes on the website and on my facebook and instagram if you are looking for inspiration! N x
Welcome back Nagi – I’ve missed getting your emails! If made in advance and frozen (aim th9nking Christmas Day here) would you reheat in the tin or can they come out and reheat on a baking tray? And are they still as moist/gooey or would they benefit from extra cheese/cream before reheating please?
I adapted this recipe to grate the potato to cut down waste, and mix through the cheese and cream before scooping in to the muffin tray and they’re excellent. Also a great lunch box snack.
Hey, thanks Josh because I’ve been wondering if they can be made as grated potato cakes – and thank you Nagi because I have a 19 yo son who has started ‘lifting’ (weights) again and these are just the thing to fill a few gaps! Absolutely delicious and so easy!
Great idea Josh!! N x
These are delicious but next time I won’t oil my non-stick muffin tin. They were just too oily.
Hi making the gratin tin stacks
Can I pre assemble them a couple hours ahead and put in frig or no?
Hi Hope, you need to cook them as storing uncooked potatoes like this will turn grey. See the recipe notes for instructions on how to reheat 🙂 N x
Is there something I could substitute for the heavy cream to make them a little healthier for a midweek meal? Happy for it to have diary but I’d prefer not use cream.