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Twice Baked Potato Recipe

Twice baked potatoes are a great side dish to any meal or barbecue. The potatoes are budget-friendly and have all the flavors of the comforts of home.

Easy Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potato on a plate with sour cream.

We love potatoes around here. I will eat them pretty much any way I can get them.

The kids loved the twice baked potatoes recipe and we had enough leftovers to eat them a second night, out of just four potatoes.

Twice baked potatoes are honestly one of the easiest recipes to make and the potatoes turn out so creamy and flavorful.

These are also a great side dish for any dinner or holiday meal because they are so easy to make.

Mashed potato bite on a fork.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Twice Baked Potatoes?

  • Russet potatoes
  • Milk
  • Sour cream (optional)
  • Butter
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Crumbled cooked bacon
  • Chives (optional)

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

How To Make Twice Baked Potatoes

  1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes and poke a few holes in each potato with a fork.
  2. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for about one hour, or until the potatoes feel soft on the inside.
  3. Turn the temperature down to 350-degrees.
  4. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before cutting.
  5. Slice the potatoes down the middle and dig out the insides, leaving just a tad behind in the peel.
  6. Add the potato insides to a large bowl.
  7. Next, add the half and half, sour cream, salt, pepper, and butter to the bowl and mix until all of the lumps are gone.
  8. Add the shredded cheese and crumbled bacon and mix.
  9. Spoon the mashed potato mixture back into each potato skin.
  10. Top with some more shredded cheddar cheese and bacon and bake for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are heated through.
Baked potatoes on a cookie sheet with cut chives, bacon, and cheese on top.

Other Toppings That Go Great On Twice Baked Potatoes

  • Broccoli
  • BBQ pork or beef
  • Your favorite salad dressing
  • Mozzarella, bleu cheese, Swiss cheese, or any type of cheese you can think of.

How To Cook Twice Baked Potatoes

Cooked potatoes sitting on a cookie sheet.

Start by preheating the oven to 400-degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes and put a few fork holes into the potatoes.

Place the potatoes into the oven right on the oven rack and cook for about one hour.

You’ll know the potatoes will be done when you gently squeeze them and they are soft.

When you take the potatoes out of the oven, reduce the heat to 350-degrees.

Cooked potatoes sliced and on a cookie sheet.

Once the potatoes cool a little, slice them in half and place them onto a cookie sheet.

Hollowed out potato skins on a cookie sheet.

Scoop the cooked potato out of the skins, leaving a little bit still in the skin.

Pouring milk into a bowl with potatoes.

Pour the half and half into the bowl and add the sour cream.

You can use milk instead of half and half, if you’d like.

If you’re not a big sour cream fan, you can switch it out with cream cheese, or leave it out altogether. It will still taste fantastic and flavorful.

Pouring melted butter into a bowl with mashed potatoes.

Next, pour the melted butter into the bowl and mix until all of the lumps are gone.

Mashed potatoes with cheese and bacon in a bowl.

Add half of the bacon and half of the shredded cheddar cheese and mix until combined.

Mashed potatoes inside of potato skins.

Scoop the creamy mashed potatoes back into each of the skins.

There was plenty to go around. I was a little worried I wouldn’t have enough to fill each skin, but I had plenty.

Potato skins topped with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.

Top with the remainder of the cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles and bake on 350-degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are nice and hot.

Twice baked potato on a cookie sheet with chives, melted cheese, and bacon on top.

Dinner recipes that go well with twice baked potatoes:

Cooked potatoes on a white plate with sour cream.

Can I make the twice baked potatoes ahead of time?

You can make the potatoes ahead of time. You can keep them in the refrigerator for about three days, or freeze them for up to two months.

When you are ready to cook the potatoes, add the topping and bake.

You will need to cook them a few minutes longer if they are going right from the fridge to the oven.

Can I freeze twice baked potatoes?

Yes, you can freeze the potatoes, but be sure to freeze them before baking them a second time.

When you are ready to eat the potatoes, allow them to thaw, top with the cheese and bacon (or toppings of your choice) and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are hot.

Twice baked potato on a plate with sour cream.

Twice Baked Potato Recipe

Yield: 8 potatoes
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Twice baked potatoes are a great side dish to any meal or barbecue. The potatoes are budget-friendly and have all the flavors of the comforts of home.

Ingredients

  • 4 Russet potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 cup sour cream OR 4 oz. cream cheese (optional)
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 6 Tbsp. melted butter
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 12 oz. pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes and poke a few holes in each one with a fork.
  2. Place the potatoes directly on the rack in the oven and bake for about one hour, or until the potatoes are soft when you squeeze them.
  3. Turn the oven down to 350-degrees.
  4. Allow the potatoes to cool a little and then cut them in half and scoop out the inside of the potatoes and add to a large bowl.
  5. Add the half and half, melted butter, salt, pepper, and sour cream to the bowl and mix well. (Sour cream is optional).
  6. Add half of the shredded cheese and crumbled bacon and mix.
  7. Scoop the potatoes back into the potato skins and top with the remainder of the cheese and bacon.
  8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are hot.

Notes

TIP: You can use milk instead of half and half, if you'd like to.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 497mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 11g

Nutrition is approximate.

Did you make this recipe?

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Find more delicious recipes at Julia’s Simply Southern, and Southern Home Express, and South Your Mouth.

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