Twice Baked Potatoes
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These best-ever twice baked potatoes have a smooth, creamy filling with sour cream and cheddar cheese that melts in your mouth! The extra layer of melted cheddar cheese on top gives you a satisfying, crispy finish that contrasts perfectly with the soft potato inside. They make the perfect appetizer or side dish for any meal!
Serve with roasted beef tenderloin and Tuscan broccoli for a showstopping meal.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Servings: 8 people
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian & Gluten Free (if no bacon is used)
- Method: Oven Baked
- Technique: Bake the potatoes, then split in half and scoop out part of the flesh, then season it. Fill the potato skins, top with cheese, and bake.
- Flavor & Texture: These twice baked potato skins have a crispy skin and golden cheese topping with a creamy, melt-in-your mouth filling.
Why You’ll Love this Family Favorite!
The best twice baked potatoes are a treasured recipe from my husband’s family. They’ve served these at countless family gatherings for over 60 years, and it is a tried-and-true recipe you will love.
Whether you serve them as a side dish for a weeknight dinner, holiday gathering, or party, they’re always a hit. They look and taste impressive, and they’re easy to make ahead of time!
Try our Duchess potatoes or red skin mashed potatoes next! Or serve this on your Thanksgiving table and complete your menu with our herb butter turkey rub.
Made With Amore,
“I made these the other night and my husband immediately said I need to make these once a week or maybe every other week! My 3 kids loved them all. They will definitely be a constant side dish in our dinner rotation!”
– Dana
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Twice Baked Potatoes
Each ingredient brings a unique element to the dish, making it the ultimate twice-baked potato with a rich, creamy filling and delicious toppings.
- Baking Potatoes (Russet Potatoes): These starchy potatoes are perfect for baking and mashing, with a fluffy interior that makes them ideal for twice-baked potatoes. Their sturdy skins hold up well to stuffing.
- Sour Cream: This adds a tangy creaminess, making the filling extra smooth and flavorful. It helps balance the richness of the butter and cheese.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar adds a sharp, savory flavor and melts beautifully. It’s used both in the filling and sprinkled on top for a cheesy finish.
- Green Onions & Chives: These add a fresh, slightly sharp flavor that complements the richness of the other ingredients. They’re mixed into the filling and used as a garnish along with chives, which are similar to green onions but milder.
- Bacon (Optional): Crispy, crumbled bacon adds a smoky, salty crunch to the potatoes. It pairs wonderfully with the creamy filling and cheese, giving the dish an extra layer of flavor and texture.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes: Add crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, or cooked sausage into the filling for a hearty, savory twist.
- Broccoli & Cheddar Twice Baked Potatoes: Add steamed or roasted broccoli florets and a little cream cheese to the filling for extra nutrition and a cheesy, veggie-packed variation.
How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes
These easy twice-baked potatoes are easier to make than you think! See the recipe card for the full instructions and tips.
- Rub the large potatoes with olive oil and bake in a 350°F oven for about an hour, or until fork tender.
- Let the hot potatoes cool before scooping out the insides.
- Scoop out the tender insides and leave the skins on the baking sheet.
- Add the inside of the potatoes and all the filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the mashed potato filling with an electric mixer or potato masher.
- Salt and pepper the potatoes to create salty potato skins, then fill the potato shells with the prepared mashed potato filling.
- Place the stuffed potatoes in the oven for the second bake. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Enjoy these twice baked potatoes as the ultimate comfort food! They’re perfect for family dinners and holiday gatherings and pair perfectly with our broiled New York strip steak and Italian sausage and peppers!
Recipe FAQs
They get their name because they are baked twice! First, the whole potatoes are baked until tender. Then, after scooping out the insides and mixing them with delicious ingredients like butter, sour cream, and cheese, the stuffed crispy potato skins are baked again to heat through and melt the cheese, giving you a crispy, cheesy top.
The whole potatoes take about 1 hour to bake at 350°F (175°C), or until a knife easily slides through the center. Once stuffed, the potatoes should be baked for another 15-20 minutes at 350°F until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly on top.
Russet potatoes are the best choice for twice-baked potatoes. Their high starch content gives you that fluffy interior and their thick skins hold up well when scooped out and filled. Yukon Gold potatoes can also work, but their creamier texture and thinner skins make them a bit more delicate to handle.
Yes! You can prepare the potatoes up to the second bake. Stuff the potatoes, cover them and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 2-3 months. When ready, bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if reheating from frozen.
Here’s how to store leftover twice baked potatoes: refrigerate them in an airtight container or wrap each potato individually in plastic wrap or foil. They will last for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To reheat twice baked potatoes in the oven, place the potatoes on a baking sheet and cover with foil to prevent them from drying out. Heat for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. For frozen potatoes, you may need to extend the baking time to 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp the top. Alternatively, cover with paper towel and microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
These twice baked potatoes taste wonderful as a side dish with any main course! Some of my favorite things to serve with these include small prime rib roast, Italian meatloaf, baked ham with glaze, or chicken cacciatore. Enjoy a slice of Italian cheesecake, Italian almond cake, or Italian pear cake for dessert.
My Pro Tip
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the filling. Avoid overmixing when mixing the potato filling, as this can make the texture gluey and gummy. Use a gentle hand to keep the filling light and fluffy.
- Leave a border. When scooping out the potato, leave a small border (about ¼ inch) around the edge to prevent the skin from collapsing when you stuff it.
- Pre-bake the potatoes until fork-tender. Make sure the potatoes are fully cooked during the first bake. A fork or knife should slide through easily. This ensures a soft and creamy filling.
- Taste the filling before stuffing. After mixing the filling, taste it and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before stuffing the potatoes.
Other Potato Recipes You’ll Love
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Best Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 russet baking potatoes, washed and rubbed with a bit of oil
- 4 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- ½-¾ cups whole milk, adjust for creaminess
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- paprika, to taste
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced (divided)
- 4 chives, thinly sliced
Optional Topping
- 8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and set aside (add with chives and green onions before second bake)
Instructions
Bake the Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the washed and oiled potatoes directly on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until tender (a knife should glide through easily). Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly until they are safe to handle.
Prepare the Filling
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, slice each potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the insides into a large mixing bowl, leaving about ¼ inch of potato inside the skin to keep them sturdy.
- Add the butter, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and half of the green onions to the bowl. Pour in ½ cup of milk (add more if necessary to reach the desired creamy consistency). Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Mix everything together using a hand mixer or potato masher. Be gentle and avoid overmixing to keep the potatoes fluffy. Overmixing will result in a gummy filling.
Fill the Potato Skins
- Season the inside of the potato skins with a bit of salt and black pepper.
- Spoon the potato mixture back into the hollowed-out potato skins, dividing evenly between them. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese, the rest of the green onions, and the thinly sliced chives. (Add crumbled bacon if desired.)
Second Bake
- Sprinkle a bit of paprika on top of each stuffed potato for extra flavor and color. Return the stuffed potatoes to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately while warm and cheesy.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the filling. Avoid overmixing when mixing the potato filling, as this can make the texture gluey and gummy. Use a gentle hand to keep the filling light and fluffy.
- Leave a border. When scooping out the potato, leave a small border (about ¼ inch) around the edge to prevent the skin from collapsing when you stuff it.
- Pre-bake the potatoes until fork-tender. Make sure the potatoes are fully cooked during the first bake. A fork or knife should slide through easily. This ensures a soft and creamy filling.
- Taste the filling before stuffing. After mixing the filling, taste it and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before stuffing the potatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these the other night and my husband immediately said I need to make these once a week or maybe every other week! My 3 kids loved them all. They will definitely be a constant side dish in our dinner rotation!
This makes me so happy to read, thank you for sharing this! Hearing that your husband asked for them on repeat and that all three kids loved them is the best compliment I could receive. That’s exactly how recipes become family favorites, and I love knowing this one has earned a regular spot at your dinner table.
Thank you for cooking along with me and for welcoming this dish into your home, comments like this truly mean so much. 🤍
Elena
Just made it for dinner and it was a huge success!!! Simply delicious and so easy to make!
Yay! So happy you loved this family recipe.