Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes are a favorite side dish and great to make ahead.

A baked potato shell is stuffed with creamy mashed potatoes, cheese, green onion, and bacon. Stir in your own favorite additions and bake until hot.

Stuffed potatoes are the perfect side dish, they freeze well, and they can even be baked from frozen.

Twice Delicious, Twice Baked Potatoes

While oven-roasted potatoes are a go-to for us, I can’t help but love these dreamy double-baked potatoes with crisp skins and a cheesy potato filling.

Twice Baked Potatoes are as easy to make as they are yummy!
These can be prepared days ahead of time.
They can also be frozen and baked right from frozen.
They’re an inexpensive way to feed a crowd, and you can add anything you’d like to the mix!

The Best Potatoes for Twice Baked

The best potatoes for twice-baked potatoes are russet potatoes or baking potatoes (the same potatoes we use for mashing). The thick skin holds up well to stuffing, and the potatoes are starchy and fluffy.

Of course, this recipe will work with almost any variety, but the texture might be slightly different.

How to Make Twice-Baked Potatoes

This twice-baked potato recipe is easy to make.

Bake the potatoes: Use the oven, microwave, or air fryer to bake potatoes until tender.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides with a spoon.
Mash the potatoes and stir in the add-ins, spoon it back into the skins and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until heated through.

Make it a Meal: Change up the mashed potato filling with some optional additions or leftovers. Stir in some ground beef (or leftover taco meat), cooked chicken, steamed vegetables or broccoli.

Making Twice-Baked Potatoes Ahead of Time

Prepare as directed below until the skins are filled with the mashed potato mixture.

Fridge: Place the prepared potatoes in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking. If cold from the fridge, potatoes may need an extra 5-7 minutes baking time.
Freezer: Cool completely and freeze on a baking pan. Once frozen, the potatoes can be stored in a container or freezer bag.
Bake From Frozen: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.

Tips for Perfect Potatoes

Use starchy potatoes like russet or baking potatoes are best in this recipe.
Adding 1/4 cup spreadable cream cheese (any flavor, herb, and garlic is a favorite) is optional but delicious.
Mash potatoes until smooth, if using a hand mixer, be sure not to overmix.
Be sure to leave at least 1/8 to 1/4″ of a shell so the skins don’t break or crack.
To make filling easy, place the prepared filling in a freezer bag and snip it off the corner. Squeeze it into the shells.
Once your potato skins are stuffed, they can be frozen or refrigerated. To bake frozen potatoes, add an extra 15-20 minutes to the baking time.

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Creamy potatoes with bacon, cheese, and chives are baked until golden. These are the perfect side dish for any meal!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Scrub the skin of the potatoes and poke with a fork. Bake potatoes in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until tender. Allow them to cool until they’re cool enough to handle.
Slice each potato in ½ lengthwise. Scoop out the potato flesh leaving a ⅛” shell.
Add the potatoes, sour cream, butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher (or use an electric mixer) until smooth. Add milk as needed to create a creamy texture, you may not need any or all of the milk.
Fold in chives, bacon, and ¾ cup cheddar cheese.
Fill each skin with the mashed potato mixture and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 15-20 minutes* or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Potatoes can also be baked in the air fryer or microwave.
Mash the potatoes while warm for the best consistency. Sour cream and butter may add just enough moisture; check the potatoes before adding extra liquid.
A hand mixer can make fluffy whipped potatoes, but overmixing will can make them gummy, so mix just until fluffy.
Be sure to leave at least 1/8 to 1/4″ of a shell, so the skins don’t break or crack.
I often bake one extra potato in case one of the skins breaks. If you have extra potatoes, the shells can be stuffed with extra filling.
To make filling easy, place the prepared filling in a freezer bag and snip off the corner. Squeeze it into the shells.
Once your potato skins are stuffed, they can be frozen or refrigerated. To bake frozen potatoes, add an extra 15-20 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

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