Creamy Potato Stacks with Garlic and Parmesan
These creamy potato stacks bake in a muffin pan with garlic, thyme, and Parmesan. Each stack has tender potato layers and golden edges. Perfect little serving of scalloped potatoes for your holiday table.
Table of Contents
Featured Comment: “Ahhhhmazing! Huge hit at Christmas, absolute favorite. Everyone asked that I do it again! Thank you for the recipe.” – Mindy
Why I Use Heavy Cream for These Potato Stacks
These potato stacks have become one of my favorite holiday sides. I love the creamy layers and how each person gets their own little stack.
Using heavy cream is the key here. I’ve tried half-and-half, but it separated during baking and left the potatoes oily. With heavy cream, the filling stays creamy as the potatoes bake.
I warm the cream with garlic, thyme, and nutmeg before spooning it over the stacks. It’s a simple step that brings those flavors into every serving.
Ingredients for Creamy Potato Stacks
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Russet potatoes: These are my first choice for this recipe. Look for potatoes narrow enough for the slices to fit inside your muffin cups without much trimming.
- Heavy cream: Stick with heavy cream for the creamy layers. Half-and-half separated when I tried it, so I don’t recommend that swap.
- Fresh thyme and garlic: These flavor the cream as it warms. Remove the thyme sprig before spooning the cream over the potatoes.
- Nutmeg: A little adds warmth to the cream without taking over the garlic and thyme.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated Parmesan for the golden topping.
How to Make Potato Stacks in a Muffin Pan
Here are some brief instructions on how to make these cheesy stacks. You can find the full recipe below.
Step 1: Warm together cream, thyme, garlic, and nutmeg in a small saucepan.
Step 2: Toss the potato slices with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Layer potato slices into stacks in the prepared muffin pan and spoon cream over each stack.
Step 4: Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese. Bake until potatoes are knife tender and golden brown on top.
How to Slice the Potatoes
I recommend a mandoline for thin, even slices. Use the hand guard and aim for the thickness listed in the recipe card.
A sharp knife works too, but take your time to keep the slices even. Thicker slices may need longer to cook. If a potato is too wide for the muffin cups, trim it to fit before slicing.
My Tips for Creamy Potato Stacks
- Keep the slices even. Similar thickness helps every layer cook through at the same time.
- Grease each muffin cup well. Coat the bottoms and sides so the stacks are easier to remove. I like to use non-stick spray but you can also use avocado oil to brush the inside of the cups.
- Check through the center. Slide a thin knife all the way to the bottom of a stack. It should pass through easily without hitting a firm potato layer.
- Let them rest before lifting. Give the stacks 5 minutes in the pan, then run a thin knife around the edges and gently lift from underneath.
What to Serve with Potato Stacks
Serve these creamy potato stacks alongside roast turkey, chicken, or steak. For a holiday meal, add roasted green beans or a simple green salad to round out the plate.
Storing and Reheating Potato Stacks
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat individual stacks in the microwave in short intervals until heated through. The edges will soften after storing and reheating, but the potatoes will still have their creamy layers.
Video: How to Make Potato Stacks
More Holiday Side Dishes
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Creamy Potato Stacks with Garlic and Parmesan
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 12 potato stacks 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Thinly sliced potatoes bake in a muffin pan with garlic-thyme cream and Parmesan for tender, creamy layers and golden edges.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 lbs. medium russet potatoes (about 4-5), peeled and sliced 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Special Tools
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Spray 12 cup standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small sauce pan, whisk together cream, thyme, garlic, and nutmeg. Bring to a slow simmer and remove from the heat. You want the cream just heated through. Discard the thyme.
- Toss the potato slices with salt and pepper and layer them into stacks in the prepared muffin cups, filling each one to the top but not over the top.
- Spoon cream over each potato stack, filling almost to the top. You will have a couple or so slices exposed. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are knife tender and golden brown on top. Check a stack through the center with a thin knife. It should slide all the way to the bottom without resistance.
- Remove the muffin pan from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen up the stacks and carefully remove them to a serving platter. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Heavy Cream: For best results, do not replace heavy cream with half and half or another milk alternative. Half and half will separate during baking, and potatoes turn out oily.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato stack
- Calories: 164
- Sugar: 1.8 g
- Sodium: 251.7 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35.2 mg
Recipe originally published November 2015 but since been updated with new images and content.
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Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
Make these all the time. Only thing I change is, I substitute tyme, which I don’t always have on hand, with italian seasoning.
Hi! I have made these several times and my family loves them! Can I put them together earlier in the day and place in the refrigerator until I’m ready to cook them? I’m thinking 4 hours…..
I haven’t tried it but I think it will be okay! I would cool the cream mixture before pouring over the stacked potatoes and also keep an eye on bake time. You may need a little less or more possibly!
Yes!! I have done this with great success. I assemble everything up to the Parmesan topping, cover with plastic wrap then take them out about 30 minutes before cooking!! Add Parmesan then bake. Turned out perfect!!!
Can I bake 3 muffin tins at the same time?
It should be fine if you can fit it all in the oven.
Ahhhhmazing! Huge hit at Christmas, absolute favorite. Everyone asked that I do it again! Thank you for the recipe.
Any thoughts on how to keep these potatoes warm for a potluck style dinner?
To be honest, I’m not sure how they’ll do without falling apart or losing their crispy texture if kept warm for too long
Hi: Have you ever made this as a large casserole, much like scalloped potatoes? Wondering if so what size pan and how long to cook
I have not but I think a 9X13 casserole would be a good size. I would bake it like you would a scalloped potato recipe.
Wonderful side dish! Potatoes were cooked perfectly with great flavor!!
Katy’s, would you only recommend russet potatoes? If yes that is fine, if not would you recommend using Yukon gold potatoes? I love their flavor and generally use them in my gratins, thank you and advance for your help.
Either one is fine actually. They both bake very well.
Thank you for replying. I’m anxious to give these to try
I finally got around to making these potatoes. They were delicious, however, not as attractive looking as yours. I made sure to fill cups with the potatoes to the top and not go over brim as you suggested, I filled with what appeared to be the same amount of heavy cream as you used. I baked in my Wm. Sonoma gold touch muffin pan. What I was surprised with is; the potato stacks shrunk down and the cream mixture created a rim of cooked brown cream on the pan. I used 1/16th on mandolin, maybe should have used 1/8th? I am an experienced cook and thought this would be a no brainer! From what I have explained, do you have any thoughts as to why mine didn’t cook the way your beautiful picture shows your potatoes did? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I want to continue making these potatoes. Thank you.
After the potatoes are done baking, you can run a knife around each potato stack before transferring it to a plate. That’s simply all I did for my photos. I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe though!