If you love classic comfort food but don’t need a full casserole dish, these Small Batch Funeral Potatoes are the perfect solution. Creamy, cheesy, and irresistibly cozy, this scaled‑down version delivers all the flavour of the traditional potluck favourite — just in a size that’s ideal for the smaller family. Made with tender shredded potatoes, a rich and creamy sauce, sharp cheddar cheese, and a buttery crunchy topping, this recipe is quick to assemble and bakes into the kind of golden, bubbly goodness that makes any meal feel special.
Whether you’re craving a comforting side dish, cooking for a smaller household, or simply want a taste of nostalgic homestyle cooking without the leftovers, these small batch funeral potatoes are easy, satisfying, and never fail to please. They pair beautifully with roasted meats, grilled chicken or fish, or simple weeknight dinners, making this a versatile recipe you’ll want to keep on repeat.
One potato casserole which I have always enjoyed is Funeral Potatoes. I first tasted them at a church pot luck many, many years ago. I think actually that is how they got their name as they are a very popular dish to bring to church get-togethers such as pot lucks and funerals.
They are rich, cheesy, creamy and very delicious with a lovely crunchy topping. Everyone enjoys them. The original recipe does make rather a lot however, far too much for me to conceivably eat on my own, so I thought I would cut the recipe down to make a much smaller portion.
This recipe I am sharing with you today, still makes four portions, which makes it ideal for two people to enjoy on one day and then have as leftovers the next. Or you can freeze the extra portions to eat another time. It is also ideal for a family of four to enjoy without any leftovers.
We enjoyed these with some shake and bake chicken pieces, carrots and a tasty side salad and were very pleased with our dinner. Comfortingly delicious, creamy and crunchy, I hope that you will love this tasty small batch side dish!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
SMALL BATCH FUNERAL POTATOES
This is a great store-cupboard side dish to prepare.
For the casserole base:
- 3 cups (300g)cubed frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed, or the equivalent in cooked cubed potatoes. (I used a container of dehydrated hashbrowns, rehydrated)
- 1 (15oz/285g) condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1/2 cup (120g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (115g) mayonnaise
- 1 cup (115g) grated strong cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste (remember cheese and soup can be salty)
For the casserole topping:
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted
- 2 cups (230g) crushed crackers or 2 cups (60g) cornflakes, crushed
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS
I used the dehydrated hash browns like this, rehydrated. It is nice to have another way to use them. They worked very well.
I used mushroom soup because I had run out of the cream of chicken. I don't think it really matters which one you use. If you have an aversion to tinned soups, you can make a simple 2 cup sized white sauce, using half milk and half chicken stock.
I used full fat sour cream and Hellman's full fat mayonnaise.
I used crushed clubhouse crackers for the topping and salted butter. I only keep salted butter in the house.
HOW TO MAKE
SMALL BATCH FUNERAL POTATOES
As simple as stirring a few ingredients together and baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 7 by 11 inch casserole dish really well. Set aside. (I used Kirkland canola oil spray.)
- Melt your butter for the topping and then mix it together in a bowl with the cracker or cornflake crumbs. (You should have a coarse mix of crumbs for texture and appearance.)
- Whisk the soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, seasonings, and cheese together in another bowl. Fold in the prepared potatoes, combining everything well together. (I just used a spoon for this.)
- Spread the potato mixture into the casserole dish, leveling it off. Top with the buttered crumbs, sprinkling them evenly. (I pressed the crumbs down into the casserole lightly with the palm of my hand to help them adhere better.)
- Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. It should be bubbling around the edges and golden brown. (You could also insert a metal knife into the center. It should feel quite warm to the touch when you remove it.)
- Leave to stand for five minutes before serving.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Read through the recipe several times before beginning to familiarize yourself with all of the ingredients or equipment needed.
- Assemble everything you need before you begin so that you don't accidentally leave anything out.
- Follow the instructions as given without variation.
- If you are using frozen hash browns, use the loose brand and thaw them before using.
- Grate your own cheese. Fillers are added to the pre-grated ones to make them flow easier. Usually this is cellulose which is wood fiber and I don't know about you, but I don't want to be eating that.
- Make sure you don't crush the crumbs or cornflakes too finely. You want a bit of texture.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN I USE FRESH POTATOES INSTEAD OF FROZEN?
Yes you can. Simply use the equivalent of cubed cooked potatoes in the place of the frozen hash browns. OR, you can do as I did and reconstitute a package of the dehydrated hash brown potatoes. These are the ones I use.
CAN WE MAKE THIS CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can easily make this ahead of time. Simply put together, cover, and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. I would remove it from the fridge half an hour prior to baking. I would not put it together any more than a day ahead of time.
CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?
Yes, simply double the amounts of all the ingredients. You will need a 9 by 13 inch buttered shallow baking dish and it may take 15 to 20 minutes longer to bake.
HOW CAN I STORE ANY LEFTOVERS?
You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep up to three days. To reheat simply place in a moderate oven until heated through.
CAN THIS BE FROZEN?
Yes, they can successfully be frozen after baking. Simply place into an airtight freezer container. Label, date and freeze. Use within 2 months. I would thaw it out prior to baking. Simply place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
A FEW MORE POTATO RECIPES FOR YOU TO ENJOY
If, like me, the potato is your favorite vegetable, you might also enjoy these tasty potato recipes.
RUSTIC SMASHED RED POTATOES - Before I made this delicious version of mashed potatoes, I wasn't really sure if I would like mashed potatoes with the skins still in. I decided to give them a go and was quickly converted! These smashed potatoes are of a different genre of smashed potatoes. These are like a smashed mashed potato, meant to be rustic and creamy all at the same time. This totally works. Red skinned potatoes, well-scrubbed, are simmered in water along with salt and a bay leaf until fork tender. They are then drained well and mashed together with a bit of creamed cheese, butter and chives or spring onions. The end result is a potato dish that practically melts in the mouth with tastiness. These go well with just about anything! I highly recommend!
PAPRIKA BROWNED POTATOES - I am no stranger to fried potatoes. That is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them! As a child, when fried potatoes were on the menu, we were all happy campers. Our mother made brilliant fried potatoes. The only difference between these and the fried potatoes, or pan fries my mother used to make is the addition of paprika. Everything else is pretty much the same. This is a fabulous recipe for using up leftover cold potatoes. In fact, I often boil extra potatoes when I am cooking them just so that I can make these. When these are on the menu, everyone is happy!
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Yield: 4 servings
Small Batch Funeral Potatoes
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 55 Min
Although this still makes four servings, it is still quite a bit smaller than the full sized version of this delicious potato casserole. It is enough to enjoy as a side on one day and as leftovers the next.
Ingredients
For the casserole base:
- 3 cups (300g)cubed frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed, or the equivalent in cooked cubed potatoes. (I used a container of dehydrated hashbrowns, rehydrated)
- 1 (15oz/285g) condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1/2 cup (120g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup (115g) mayonnaise
- 1 cup (115g) grated strong cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste (remember cheese and soup can be salty)
For the casserole topping:
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted
- 2 cups (230g) crushed crackers or 2 cups (60g) cornflakes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 7 by 11 inch casserole dish really well. Set aside.
- Melt your butter for the topping and then mix it together in a bowl with the cracker or cornflake crumbs.
- Whisk the soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, seasonings, and cheese together in another bowl. Fold in the prepared potatoes, combining everything well together.
- Spread the potato mixture into the casserole dish, leveling it off. Top with the buttered crumbs, sprinkling them evenly.
- Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. It should be bubbling around the edges and golden brown.
- Leave to stand for five minutes before serving.
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There’s something wonderfully comforting about a simple muffin recipe you can count on, and these Yum Yum Muffins are exactly that — soft, tender, lightly sweet, and perfect for breakfast or an anytime treat. Made with everyday pantry ingredients and ready in just minutes, they’re the kind of bake that fills your kitchen with warm, homey aromas and brings everyone wandering in to see what’s fresh from the oven.
Whether you love small‑batch baking, easy muffin recipes, or nostalgic flavors that remind you of childhood kitchen moments, these Yum Yum Muffins deliver every time. They’re quick to mix, beautifully moist, and ideal for busy mornings, lunchboxes, or cozy afternoon snacks. If you’re looking for a reliable muffin recipe that’s simple, delicious, and fuss‑free, a muffin that is not a cake, then this vintage muffin recipe is sure to become a favorite.
I really love muffins, especially muffins that are not like cake. When I eat a muffin I don't want a piece of cake, or muffins that are like eating cake, being overly sweet . . . high in fat. If I want cake, I'll bake a cake.
I want a muffin as it is supposed to be, as they were originally intended to be. A quick bread, slightly raised with rounded pebbly top. The insides filled with nice holes. Perfect for spreading with a tiny pat of butter, that you don't need to feel guilty about eating because the muffins themselves are not high in fat. In short, an old-fashioned muffin.
A muffin just like this old fashioned-muffin recipe I am sharing with you today. This recipe was adapted from one which I found in a vintage Five Roses Cookbook. This book was originally published in 1967 and is one of my prized cookbooks. This adapted recipe is a small batch recipe and produces six perfect muffin. Not loaded with fat and sugar. Delicious, plain and simple. Flavored with ground baking spices, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, and generously studded with raisins. A muffin you can feel good about eating.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE YUM YUM MUFFINS
Simple ingredients put together simply and deliciously.
- 1 cup (120g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (75g) raisins
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 2 TBS butter, melted
INGREDIENTS NOTES
- To measure your flour, spoon it into a metal measuring cup and level off the top with a straight edge. Don't use self-rising flour.
- I used Kirkland brand organic granulated sugar. If you are in the U.K. use caster sugar.
- Use the freshest spices you can. Even better, grate or grind your own. Freshly grated/ground spices will give you amazing flavors.
- Not a fan of raisins? Try using toasted chopped walnuts or pecans in their place.
- Make sure you use fresh eggs. I get mine at a local chicken farm.
- I used whole milk.
- I used salted butter.
HOW TO MAKE YUM YUM MUFFINS
These go together simply and easily.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Butter six muffin cups really well. Set aside. (Alternately you can use paper liners. I would still grease the liners.)
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Stir in the spices and then stir in the raisins to coat them with the flour. (Coating the raisins with the dry ingredients helps to distribute them easily in the batter.)
- Whisk the egg, milk and melted butter together. (Alternately you could use sunflower oil instead of the butter.)
- Add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir together just to combine. The batter should be lumpy, but there should be no big dry streaks in it. (Don't overmix or the muffins will be tough.)
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups. (2/3 full)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. (They should be well risen and the tops should spring back when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted in the center of one should come out clean.)
- Remove from cups to a wire rack to cool.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR GREAT MUFFINS
Here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:
1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine.
2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.
3. Add your flavors last. While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.
4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer.
5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups. Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.
6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top. Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.
7. Protect your baking pan. If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling.
8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan.
9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN THESE MUFFINS BE MIXED TOGETHER AHEAD OF TIME?
If you like you can mix together the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately, ready to mix together when you are ready to bake them. The dry ingredients can be kept in a bowl, covered on the countertop. The wet ingredients should be kept in the refrigerator, covered. Bring them to room temperature before mixing and baking. I would not do this more than 24 hours ahead of time.
CAN I CUT THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?
Yes, you can absolutely double this recipe. Simply multiply all of the ingredients by two and bake in a 12 cup muffin tin. Bake times will remain the same.
CAN THESE BE FROZEN ONCE BAKED?
Yes, these can be frozen after baking. Simply wrap each muffin individually in some cling film and then place them all into a zip lock baggie, label and date. That way you can take out as many or as few as you wish to eat. You can thaw them on the countertop for several hours, or you can gently reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high. You can freeze them for up to three months, properly wrapped.
HOW LONG WILL THESE MUFFINS KEEP ONCE BAKED?
These muffins are best eaten on the day as they are relatively low in fat.
A FEW OTHER MUFFIN RECIPES TO ENJOY
Here are a few other muffin recipes that you might also enjoy!
SPECIAL K BREAKFAST MUFFINS - These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick and easy to make. Delicious. I highly recommend. Simple and filled with fiber. You can use ordinary Special K cereal, or you can be a bit more extravagant and use one of the varieties which contain fruit. This recipe makes half a dozen fabulous muffins.
GINGERBREAD MUFFINS - I am a hug fan of gingerbread anything. I think gingerbread is probably one of my favorite things to bake and eat! They are moist and delicious with a lovely crumb and beautiful ginger/cinnamon flavor. The recipe makes a full batch of 12 fabulous muffins!
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Yield: Makes 6
Yum Yum Muffins (small batch)
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This old fashioned recipe makes six tasty muffins.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (75g) raisins
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 2 TBS butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Butter six muffin cups really well. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Stir in the spices and then stir in the raisins to coat them with the flour.
- Whisk the egg, milk and melted butter together.
- Add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir together just to combine. The batter should be lumpy, but there should be no big dry streaks in it.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups. (2/3 full)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from cups to a wire rack to cool.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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