Cheesy Funeral Potatoes {Au Gratin Potatoes}
These cheesy funeral potatoes (i.e. au gratin potatoes) with that buttery cornflake topping are so easy and delicious! Plus that easy homemade sauce is canned soup free and tastier than ever!
Burning question alert: what do you call potato dishes like this?
Au gratin potatoes?
Funeral potatoes?
Cheesy potatoes?

Something else entirely?
I grew up eating my mom’s ultra-delicious cheesy au gratin potatoes.
That’s what she called them. So that’s what I called them.
It wasn’t until I was a semi-adult that I realized “au gratin” potato dishes were actually kind-of-fancier, thinly sliced potatoes (like this) often topped with bread crumbs and always topped with cheese.
So, basically nothing like what I had grown up eating. Haha.
Too late, though. My mom’s cheesy au gratin potatoes (often called cheesy funeral potatoes in other circles*) ruined me for classic French-style au gratin potatoes long before I even knew what real au gratin potatoes were.
Her cheesy potatoes are legendary; they were one of my favorite dishes growing up! So creamy, so cheesy, so tasty.
AND, my mom made them with a homemade, canned soup-free knockoff sauce long before that kind of thing was even popular (go mom!).
*In many Mormon and some Southern circles, these types of potatoes are known as funeral potatoes, since they are often traditionally served with ham at the meal following a funeral.
These cheesy funeral potatoes (au gratin potatoes/cheesy potatoes/WHATEVER) have been on my site for over five years now, and I make them all the time.
Not just for funerals. Not just for Easter.
No, no. They are a standard go-to side dish for so many main dishes all year long. Once I even made these potatoes to feed a crowd of 400 for a church holiday party.
I still get a nervous twitch thinking about that process, but it was worth it (I think??).
Reading through the comments, you’ll see that many others love them too, and many have adapted them to be slow cooker friendly. Awesome!
I’ve left the recipe exactly the same as the original that was posted long ago, except that over the years, I’ve reduced the amount of dried thyme, so I’ve noted that, and I almost always use cooked potatoes instead of frozen hash browns, so I’ve also included details on that.
I also wrote up my notes on making these potatoes ahead of time; lifesaver.
If you are looking for the best recipe for cheesy funeral potatoes with an easy, homemade sauce this is my favorite of all time in the history of ever!
And don’t even think of leaving off the buttery, cornflake topping. The potatoes will be so lonely, and so will your soul. 🙂
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes {Au Gratin Potatoes}
Ingredients
Potatoes:
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon if you want more thyme flavor
- 2 cups (228 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 5-6 large russet potatoes, peeled, cooked and shredded or small diced or a 26-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns (see note)
- ½ cup (113 g) light or regular sour cream
Topping:
- 3 cups (106 g) cornflakes, lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture. Stir in the salt, pepper and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream and mix until combined.
- Mix in the frozen hash browns or cooked and shredded potatoes, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined.
- Evenly spread the potatoes into the prepared 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges. If baking the potatoes with a ham (my ham recipe bakes at 300 degrees), bake the potatoes for 90 minutes at 300 degrees then crank the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes more.
- Let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: inspired by a recipe in Cook’s Country as well as my mom’s timeless au gratin potato recipe
Recipe originally published April 2011; updated with new pictures/commentary/recipe notes.
I love the fact that I will never have to use that cream of whatever soup version again! These were delicious and really not that much more work than the soup based version, yet they tasted so much less processed and more delicious. I took the suggestion of an earlier commenter and added a minced garlic clove with the onions and I think it was a good call. This one goes into permanent rotation. Thanks!
I made these for the second time the other day (the first time I baked it a little too long, so it wasn’t quite as good), and they are wonderful. I use the frozen diced potatoes and breadcrumbs because I don’t eat cornflakes. Now I want to buy more potatoes so I can make it again:)
My mother actually makes her own take on this dish, adding hamburger to the velveeta and instead of the messy shredded hashbrowns she uses the frozen hashbrown patties and lines the bottom of the pan with them. It’s absolutely delish! I think I need to make it now!
Hey Melanie, have you had much experience altering your recipes to be gluten free? I have a sister who is celiac and would love to make these for Christmas dinner when she iks here. Not sure if corn starch would sub ok, or if should try an alternate “flour” like tapioca or arrowroot.
Have you had any experience with this by chance?
Amanda F – I don’t have a lot of experience changing out the flour to make recipes gluten free but if you do those kind of substitutions you might know better than I would. Cornstarch wouldn’t work for a direct substitute in this recipe because it needs to be dissolved in a cold liquid before being added so you wouldn’t be able to whisk it in with the butter and then add the liquid, although you could perhaps try whisking it in with the chicken broth and adding it in that step. Sorry I don’t have a great answer but it’s definitely worth a try!
Okay, after third & final baby I am trying to return to my wedding day size & weight. I still have several pounds to lose, but I’ve lost most of it already by consistent exercise & self-discipline with food. I’ve been faithful to stay within my daily calories. Of all the many wonderful things I’ve cooked from your site, this dish knocked me off the low-calorie wagon. I made this for supper tonight & I will not embarass myself by telling you how many helpings I had. I absolutely love this stuff. Freezer hashbrowns did me in. Really??? I’m so ashamed & so full! Yummy as always, Mel.
Can this be made up ahead of time, frozen, and then baked? If so, would you bake it from the frozen state or let it defrost first? Looks delicious!
Stefani – it is definitely worth a try. I would bake it from frozen, adding about an hour (or a bit longer) onto the baking time. Bake it covered until the last 30 minutes of the total baking time. Good luck!
I used thyme powder and it was too strong. Now I realize that maybe I was supposed to use it when it was still in plant form. ?
emdalling – yes, dried thyme (the small leaves) is probably a better option.
I love making cheesy potatoes, but if you are out of cornflakes, try topping with dried onions. for the last 10 min of baking. It is truly a yummy treat.
this recipe looks great! I’ve been making something similar because I didn’t want to use the cream of ____soups to be more economical. The sour cream and thyme are good additions I hadn’t been adding, but will next time. One thing I would add to this recipe is 1-2 cloves garlic minced (cook with the onions) or you can use a little garlic powder. The sauce is delicate so doesn’t need much to give it a good flavor.
Great suggestion, Leona – thanks!
Others may have suggested this, but it’s even better with cubed potatoes (instead of hash-brown style)! It gives it a little more substance, I think. 🙂 Thanks for posting!
I needed to take funeral potatoes to a funeral at church this morning, but had no cream of chicken in the house because it’s not something I keep on hand. I was so happy to have this recipe to use instead with things I always have. Now I just need to make a pan for myself!
I made these this past weekend for a party i had for the Air and Water Show. They were a huge hit and plan on making these for more holidays/parties. They have been great for leftovers as well 🙂
Ha ha, we call them Methodist Potatoes cause the Methodist church from where I grew up served them at every get together, especially funeral dinners, hence, funeral potatoes. We’re from the Midwest.
Try using Frosted Flakes…I did this one time when I was out of Corn Flakes….Super YUM!!!
Glad to find a recipe without the canned soup! Never heard of Funeral Potatoes! We call them “Cheesy Potatoes”, of “Church Potatoes”. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
we call them “party potato’s”. where i grew up (the midwest) you’d find them at every backyard party as well as at holiday dinners, potlucks, block parties – i could go on and on. i just love them.
i look forward to giving this recipe a try – thank you!
LOVE funeral potatoes!! but i must say that they are WAY yummier when you use potatoes vs hashbrowns. just bake the potatoes, let them cool and then grate them into your bowl.
This was delicious and quick too! I did try using real potatoes. 5 small to medium potatoes yielded about 3 1/2 cups shredded, and that was perfect. I followed the advice above to boil until tender. I peeled the potatoes first, cut in half length wise and boiled 15 minutes. I allowed them to cool and grated them while waiting for the sauce to thicken. I would not have been able to create the sauce without condensed soup – which thanks to your inspiration we do not use – Thanks for another great recipe Mel!
Thanks for this yummy recipe. I made it last night (with cooked potatoes that I shredded instead of frozen hash browns) and was pleasantly surprised at just how good it was. This is a popular dish in my family, but usually made with Cream of Chicken/Mushroom soup, which I despise, so thanks for the healthier recipe. We loved it!
Thanks so much for emailing this recipe to me so long ago! I ended up saving it for Easter, as well, but found it a very good substitute for the original. I’ll definitely be using this recipe again the next time we want cheesy potatoes! Thanks again!
I made these last night, and they were quite good! Only recommendation from hubby was for more cheese:) Can’t go wrong with more cheese!
Here in Utah we call them Funeral Potatoes. I love them. I make mine a little different. Instead of chicken broth I use Cream of Mushroom/Chicken and instead of cornflakes I have started using Rice Chex. I also throw in a litte cayenne(I like it spicy) and sometimes some bacon bits. One of the great comfort foods.
Oooh I am so excited for this recipe! Everything is the same as my absolute favorite cheesy potatoes except for the cream of chicken; I will have to give this a try!
I made these tonight for company, and everyone loved them! Another of your recipes to add to our collection. Love your site!! 🙂
I’m so glad you use 3 cups of corn flakes in your recipe! Every recipe I see usually only calls or 1-2 cups, and that’s just silly. They are the best part in my book. I’ve famous among my family and friends for my funeral potatoes, but I am giving these a whirl, I love that you don’t use cream of chicken.
I’m swooning right now… I’m currently on a two-week detox, but these may welcome me back to the (wonderful) world of meat & potatoes. Soon. Very soon.
funeral potatoes is such a grim name for an amazingly tasty dish. cheese + potatoes = win, every time.
I do the same cheesy tatoes but with honeyed corn flakes. In a pinch, frosted flakes…….sounds disgusting but disturbingly good!
When I make these I have to use “real” potatoes. My family doens’t like the hashbrowns. The texture isn’t the same. I boil the potatoes until tender, peel and then grate them. This makes them really creamy. I also use green onions instead of a yellow onion.
Ooo, now this is my kind of gratin! I love that you topped it with cornflakes and hash browns, too. The crispy topping is my favorite part of the whole thing! Thanks for sharing, Mel.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Pray that there’ll be a rainy day coming up soon!
We put crushed potato chips on top instead of corn flakes. Very nice that way.
Oh! I LOVE that you’ve posted this recipe without using Cream of Chicken soup! Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but I have in-laws with an MSG allergy and always have to adjust recipes that call for it, so this is perfect for our next family dinner!
David LOVES these. We make them at least 3xs a month!
Thanks for sharing this! I made your other Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes for Easter (my second time making them) and they were fabulous! I am excited to have this version too.
I’m going to try these next time I make cheesy potatoes… I’ve only made them with the condensed soup. We usually use frosted flakes for the topping though… it just adds a little sweetness for my sweet tooth! Thanks for the recipe!!
I grew up calling these Cornflake potatoes (or sometimes funeral potatoes). I look forward to eating them every Christmas and Easter. My mom never used hashbrowns though, she always just cut up potatoes in small chunks. Since I grew up on potatoes that way, it’s the only way I like it now. I love that you don’t use any cream of chicken, one change to the recipe I will gladly accept!
I invited a friend over Easter morning when I found out she didn’t have any place to go and she asked if she could bring “funeral potatoes” I had no clue what they were but they were wonderful and now I have the receipe. Thanks! Any ideas on using regular potatoes. I live in Idaho so I don’t buy frozen potatoes that often.
I love these too! Thanks for a soup-free version, although I’m a purist and can’t stand the frozen hashbrowns–they don’t taste right or get soft enough. Real potatoes for me! I cut them in fourths, boil them, put them into the 9×13 pan and smash them roughly with a potato masher, then pour the sauce over it.
Hooray, an updated and much improved recipe to one of my most favorite comfort foods (and my mom called the “au gratin” too). I can’t wait to give these a try. I served your slow cooker maple brown sugar ham for Easter along with your homemade sparkling jello! AMAZING! This was the only thing missing! Thanks for all the fantastic recipes!
Yum! These are always a hit!
Yum! I grew up eating these. We called them Mr. Dell’s Cheesy Potatoes because they were literally the potatoes on the back of the Mr. Dells’ Hash Brown bag, LOL! They truly were my favorite holiday food as a child though. I do not typically make them anymore. I don’t ofter use recipes that call for condensed cream of soups, I especially don’t want to a holidays anymore. I guess I’ve turned into a bit of a food snob? 😉 That said, I am excited that your recipe doesn’t have any condensed soup! I think I am going to need to give these a try soon!
I made this exact recipe for our Easter dinner – it was a hit for sure! Definitely a keeper!
Thank you for posting these…I love cheesy potatoes with corn flakes on top, except my mom’s recipe always used the crumbs and cream of chicken soup so this is a great alternative!
Ham and “Funeral Potatoes” are what we had for Easter dinner. The Funeral Potatoes are always my favorite part of the meal! I’ll have to try your recipe!
SO glad you posted this!! this is almost the same as my mom’s ‘scalloped potatoes’ that she has made for years, except that her’s uses a can of ‘cream of …’ soup, which I just HATE using!! what is that gloppy stuff, anyway?
definitely going to give yours a try!! the corn flake topping makes the whole dish!!
YUM! My family calls this Hash Brown Casserole. I’ve never topped it with cornflakes, though. I will try your recipe the next time I make it! Thanks, Melanie! 🙂
I’m so excited to try these! Funeral potatoes are the best part of a funeral! Yum!
PS I made your chicken cordon bleu casserole sauce with cheddar cheese for my Easter potaoes this year and they were a huge hit even with my 13-year-old step-daughter who hates cheese. Thanks again!
Ah, the potato. So many varieties, so many ways to cook them. Au gratin is a special one. “Funeral” potatoes? That’s a new one for me.
Very idea to include hash browns and cornflakes. It takes the gratin to another level!