Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe (Creamy & Delicious!)

Name: Twice Baked Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: 4 russet potatoes (See note 1 for alternatives); 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 ¼ cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar, gruyere, or Mexican cheese blend. Divided, see note 7 ); ¼ cup sour cream (at room temperature); ¼ cup milk (at room temperature); 4 tablespoons butter (softened to room temperature); 2 green onions (finely sliced); 4 strips of bacon (cooked and crispy, chopped into small pieces, divided); Salt and pepper (to taste); Chives (finely chopped, for garnish)

Everyone looks forward to a potato side dish, whether they’re scalloped potatoes, crushed potatoes (aka smashed), grilled potatoes, air fried potatoes, or roasted in the air fryer. So, you know these twice baked potatoes will be an epic crowd-pleaser! The crispy slightly salty skin, filled with fluffy, loaded mashed potatoes sitting in a cute little hollowed out potato, then baked all over again until the cheese topping is all melted and delicious!

Four twice baked potato halves served on a white platter

It’s comfort food in every sense of the word and a side dish that is as easy to make as it is to eat! Twice-baked potatoes are a super simple, budget-friendly side dish fully loaded with filling and flavor!

It may remind you of a loaded baked potato because of the sour cream, cheese, and bacon, or maybe a larger version of everyone’s favorite potato skins appetizer. I do believe that this recipe is the BEST of both worlds with mashed potatoes joining the party.

It’s filling, satisfying, and the combination of creamy sour cream, smoky, salty, bacon, and sharp cheese is fantastic and the balance of textures between crispy skin and creamy potato filling and salty, tangy, savory flavors is insane. One bite and you’ll start wondering if you even need to eat anything else besides seconds.

It can very easily become the star of your meal because it does have a lot going on, but it can also act as a humble side dish to a simple hamburger as easily as it does a fancy steak.

There is a little extra baking time because it’s baked twice, but it’s worth it. It allows you to focus on getting the rest of your meal together, especially if you’ve got lots on your menu.

These freezer-friendly potatoes can be made ahead of a later date and any leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed the next day.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s delicious. Let’s start there. It’s where a loaded baked potato recipe meets mashed potato meets potato skins and it’s the best!
The crispy skin. Slightly salted, nicely crisped skin serves a function on top of adding amazing texture to every bite.
It is versatile. Let’s face it, it’s a busy potato. It can be a side dish, an appetizer, or a main meal!
A budget-friendly way to serve a hungry crowd. It’s also a great make-ahead dish that can be frozen for later on, so not only is it a money saver, it’s a time saver too.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients needed for twice baked potatoes

Russet potatoes – I like to use russets because of the starch content. They bake up nice and fluffy and the skin is coarse and sturdy enough to carry the weight of all that yummy filling. If you can’t find russets, scroll down for other potato options you can use depending on your location and what’s available to you.
Olive oil or vegetable oil – To coat the potato before it bakes. Helps to create a crispy outer shell.
Salt – A simple sprinkling of salt is needed to get that deliciously salty crispy taste. Otherwise, the skin of a russet potato isn’t the most flavorful.

For the Filling:

Shredded cheese – Sharp cheddar is always a classic choice, however, Monterey jack, sharp Gruyere, or Mexican cheese blend are all great choices.
Sour cream – Sour cream has a cooling, creamy effect on baked potatoes, however this time it’s being mixed into the filling. It will give it a creamy, richness with a delicious tang.
Milk – The liquid is added to the mixture to help blend all the ingredients making it nice and creamy.
Butter – Potatoes and butter go hand in hand. The buttery flavor of any mashed potato is the stuff dreams are made of.
Green onions – Adds a slightly pungent, sharp, fresh note to the otherwise heavy ingredients.
Bacon – Salty, crispy bits of bacon add texture and round out the flavors of the filling so beautifully.
Salt and pepper – A simple seasoning is all that is needed.
Chives – An optional garnish that you typically see with sour cream, potatoes, butter, and cheese. So, it’s a natural fit!

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes

Before you begin, take the amount of milk, sour cream, and butter you need out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature. Using ingredients that are at an even temperature, to begin with, will help ensure even baking throughout.

Two images showing how to pierce potatoes, and bake them.

Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C, wash and scrub potatoes and pierce the skin with a fork. This is so that the steam can escape while the potato is baking so that it doesn’t explode. Rub the entire potato with oil and season with salt.
First bake: Place potatoes in the oven on an oven-safe rack over a baking sheet. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 210°F/100°C. When pierced with a paring knife, the potatoes should be tender.
Allow cooling: Remove them from the oven and allow the potatoes to cool enough to handle them safely.

Scooping out potato flesh from each baked potato half

Cut each potato in half and scoop out the inside: Once you have cut all the potatoes in half lengthwise, take each half and carefully scoop out the flesh. You want to leave about fourth inch of potato flesh so that the skin doesn’t rip and it’s sturdy enough to hold the filling.

Collage with two images showing how to make the potato filling with cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onion.

Mash the potatoes: Place the potato flesh in a large mixing bowl, and mash it with a potato masher or hand mixer for extra creamy potatoes. Add the cheese, sour cream, milk, butter, green onions, and half of the bacon, along with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Tip!

Whenever possible, it’s recommended you freshly grate your cheese from a block as it melts much better. Pre-shredded packaged cheese comes with anti-clumping agents (which is why it’s not clumpy when it comes out of the bag) which stop it from melting as nicely.

Filled potato skins with cheese bacon and sour cream on a wire rack

Fill potato skins: Grab each halved, hollowed-out potato skin and fill each one with the potato mixture. You want to fill it enough so that it looks loaded but leave enough for each one to get its fair share. Top with remaining cheese.

Twice baked potatoes topped with cheese, placed on a wire rack

Second bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with the rest of the bacon and fresh chives and serve.

Tip!

Whether you know how to cook bacon in a skillet, in the oven, or the microwave, go ahead and get this done while you wait for the potatoes to bake the first time around. That way you’re all set to add the pieces to the filling. Don’t forget to save some for the top!

Twice baked potatoes placed on a wire rack

Best Potatoes for Baking

You want to use potatoes with a higher starch content so they bake up nice and fluffy. Russet potatoes or Yukon Golds are great and readily available in most American and Canadian grocery stores. Sebago potatoes in Australia or Maris Piper or King Edwards potatoes in the UK are perfect choices.

Waxy potatoes that have a lower starch content will still work because they are sturdy and will not fall apart on you, however, they will result in a different texture. They won’t be as fluffy or creamy and will be denser.

Tips and Tricks

Remember to use potatoes with a higher starch content or at least ones that are somewhere in the middle.
Make sure to pat the potatoes dry so that the skin crisps up nicely and the water on the outside of the potato doesn’t create any extra steam.
Pierce potatoes with a fork before baking to avoid exploding potatoes!
We’re keeping the skin on (obviously) so make sure to scrub them beforehand.
Using a hand mixer is super convenient but don’t forget to watch for over mixing.

Variations and add-ins

If you can dream it up, you can add it in. A twice-baked potato is a perfect vessel for additional flavors and textures. Whatever you enjoy on your loaded baked potato, you’ll enjoy even more in this twice-baked version. Below is a list to get your creative juices flowing.

Swap out the sour cream with cream cheese. It won’t be as light, and will be a little denser, but will still provide a nice cheesy tangy flavor.
Caramelized onions would be crazy good!
Salsa or a Salsa ranch combo is a great way to jazz it up Tex-Mex style.
Ranch dressing mix or blue cheese dressing is a welcome addition to any potato recipe.
Red pepper flakes, diced jalapeno, or sriracha for heat.
Have any leftover buffalo chicken? You see where I’m going with this!

Recipe FAQs

Why are my twice-baked potatoes gummy?

That can happen when you overmix your mashed potato mixture. As convenient as a hand mixer can be, you also need to watch for overmixing and overworking the starch.

Do you wrap potatoes in foil to bake?

No need! You want crispy skin, so leaving them unwrapped will allow the air to circulate freely. Enclosing them in foil will trap the steam and although it will cook through, it won’t leave you with the crispy texture you’re looking for.

Do you poke holes in twice-baked potatoes?

This is so your potatoes don’t explode! Yes, seriously, it’s been known to happen. The holes are there for the steam to escape.

Is a baked potato enough for dinner?

That depends on whom you’re feeding and how hungry they are. If you’re one to enjoy a loaded baked potato or mashed potatoes with all the fixing on its own, then a twice-baked potato is definitely enough to fill you up, especially if you eat more than one. Of course, it’s meant to be a side, and if they’re smaller in size, then you’ll probably want to add a main to your meal.

Serving Suggestions

On the side of: Instant Pot ribs, Air fryer steak, Popeye’s chicken sandwich, smoked beef brisket, or grilled BBQ chicken are all hearty main dishes that would welcome an equally hearty side dish.

With a side salad: Keep it as a main dish and enjoy it with a side salad such as this three bean salad, Asian chicken salad, a simple tossed green salad, Kale Salad, or a kid-friendly pasta salad.

Other starters: Needing to find some suitable sides to pair with your twice baked potato? When serving a large crowd add baked beans, Air Fryer corn on the cob, coleslaw, creamed corn or glazed carrots to your meal.

Make ahead

If you are planning and figuring out how to meal prep days in advance, these are great for that. Assemble the baked potatoes up until the point of filling them and topping them with the remaining cheese.

Keep them wrapped tightly in foil or plastic and keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To freeze them, place them on a baking sheet and flash freeze them until they’re solid, and then store them in a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to bake them, thaw them overnight in the fridge and bake as directed or bake from frozen adding on about 15 minutes of extra bake time.

Storing & Reheating

To Store: Store any leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat: You can reheat it quickly in the microwave, especially if you’re just reheating one serving. If you have a few that need reheating it might be worth turning on the oven to 400°F/205°C and reheating potatoes for about 20 minutes. You can also use the air fryer. Preheat it to 400°F/205°C for 5 minutes before adding the potatoes to heat through.