Place the potatoes into a large stockpot, add cold water to the pot to cover the potatoes plus an additional 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 15-18 minutes, until fork-tender. If the skins split, that is okay.
Drain the potatoes and place them on a baking tray, and let them steam off any excess water.
While the potatoes are drying, whisk together the butter and ranch seasoning in a small bowl, set aside.
On the sheet tray, gently smash the potatoes. I like to use a potato masher to gently smash the potatoes. You could also use the bottom of a glass to achieve this. The thinner you can get them, the crispier they will get, but you still want them mostly intact
Brush the potatoes with the butter/ranch mixture. Be sure to use it all!
Bake at 350F degrees for 40-50 minutes until crispy.
Serve with a garnish of minced parsley and ranch dressing for dipping, optional.
Notes
We use baby gold potatoes for these, but essentially any baby potatoes will do, red, yellow, etc.