Found this in my aunt’s recipe box from 1958. She served these at every bridge club meeting.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the potato cups rest in the muffin tin for at least 10 minutes. This short rest helps the cream set and makes it easier to lift them out in neat portions, just like my aunt did when she passed them around the card table.

Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of each cup to loosen, then gently lift out the potato au gratin cups and transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm, and refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours.

Variations & Tips

To keep this true to its 1958 bridge-club roots, the recipe uses just potatoes, cream, onion, and cheese, with salt and pepper for seasoning. That said, you can adjust within that framework. Swap the mild cheddar for Colby or a young Swiss for a slightly different but still period-appropriate flavor. If you prefer a milder onion note, grate the onion instead of mincing so it almost melts into the cream, or reduce the amount by half.

For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but the cups may weep a bit more liquid and won’t be quite as rich or set; bake them on the longer end of the time range. If you need to make them ahead, bake until just tender, cool, then reheat loosely covered with foil at 350°F until hot and bubbling.

For food safety, always refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking, store them in a covered container, and reheat until steaming hot before serving again. Use caution when slicing potatoes with a mandoline—always use the guard—and be careful when removing the muffin tin from the oven, as the cream and cheese will be very hot and can bubble over.

Finally, if you grease the muffin tin well and let the cups rest before unmolding, they’ll release more easily and keep their shape on the platter.