Bake It With Love

Classic Recipes, Comfort Food and Amazing Desserts!

  • Home
  • Main Dish
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
  • About Angela
    • FAQ
    • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Collections
  • Food Info
You are here: Home / Recipes / Side Dishes / The Best Twice Baked Potatoes

February 22, 2016 Last Modified: October 20, 2020 By Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com Leave a Comment

The Best Twice Baked Potatoes

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Mix
  • Email
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
pin with a closeup overhead image of twice baked potatoes on white background.
tall pin with 2 images of the twice baked potatoes on white background.

This family favorite twice baked potatoes recipe makes the ultimate loaded baked potatoes that are full of flavor and overflowing with sour cream, ham, bacon, cheese, and more! They’re easy to make, and a great side dish to make in advance or have in the oven while you are busy with other cooking!

small square overhead of several twice baked potatoes on white background.

Delicious twice baked potatoes have a creamy, flavorful, cheesy filling in crispy baked potato skins!

Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

These easy to make ultimate loaded stuffed potatoes are simply the best way to enjoy potatoes! Especially if you love cheese and bacon and food you can make in advance, and what’s not to love about all of that?!

Prep these intensely yummy potatoes and set them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make dinner for a super-fast side dish. This makes holiday meals easy too, as your stuffed twice baked potatoes can be made a day in advance and just popped into the oven after your amazing prime rib roast is finished and resting!

Plus, in a pinch, a fully-loaded twice baked potato works as a quick meal! I’ve been known to make big batches with some super-sized russet potatoes and save each halved and filled potato skin in the freezer for ready-to-eat individual servings.

How To Make Twice-baked Potatoes

Making your twice baked potatoes takes just a few simple steps and deciding what you want in your mashed potato filling! Preheat your oven and get ready to enjoy this tasty potato side dish!

Twice Baked Potato Ingredients

I’ve included some of my standard ingredients in this recipe. Gather the following ingredients to get your potatoes started:

  • Russet Potatoes – By far my favorite for baked potatoes is a great russet potato! The starch content is just right for a creamy, delicious filling and the skin holds up better than red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. When available, I always go with Idaho russet potatoes. They’re grown in the perfect climate and soil conditions to yield superior potatoes!
  • Butter – I’m using my standard salted butter, and I don’t add much additional salt to my potato filling. The butter adds to the creamy texture of the filling and adds richness to your twice baked potatoes!
  • Milk – Milk or buttermilk ( or a buttermilk substitute ) are all wonderful in these easy potatoes! Start with less milk and add more until your mashed potato filling reaches your desired level of creaminess.
  • Cheese – Which cheese is your favorite?! My usual is grated cheddar cheese in my twice baked potatoes, but colby or colby-jack melt a bit better. A smoked cheese would be amazing too, and gruyere just adds so much flavor to any potato dish!
  • Sour Cream – I love sour cream! The tangy flavor of sour cream adds a nice ‘zing’ to the mashed potato filling!
  • Bacon – As much as you want! My range of 4 – 6 slices is varied because you would require fewer thick-sliced bacon slices than standard bacon slices to reach roughly 1/4 cup of cooked, chopped bacon.

From here there are many other optional stir-ins that could be included! Things like chopped broccoli or cauliflower, tasty horseradish, blue cheese, pesto, chicken, cooked ground beef, or mixed vegetables.

To bake the potatoes the first time, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C) and wash your large russet baking potatoes. The potatoes can be cooked in the microwave to make this first step fast and easy, but the skins won’t be as crispy!

( Optional ) Fork each potato three to four times so the potatoes can “vent” and pull off squares of aluminum foil to wrap each potato in. Set the potatoes in the center of the aluminum foil squares and (optional) drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a coarse grain salt.  I love using Himalayan salt or sea salt for this!

Bake the potatoes for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until they are soft when squeezed. My husband likes very crispy potato skins, so if I haven’t drizzled the potatoes in olive oil I will usually take them out of the aluminum foil and bake for the last 15 minutes or so without being wrapped.

Allow your baked potatoes to cool slightly before handling them. *The mash is easiest to work with while the potatoes are still warm.

Assembling Twice-baked Potatoes

Once the potatoes have cooled enough to hold, scoop out the insides into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Be careful not to get too close to the skin, as it will tear easily. Add 1 stick softened butter, milk, and sour cream then combine with a hand mixer or masher.

Stir in diced, cooked ham and cheddar cheese as well as salt and pepper for seasoning then spoon into the hollowed-out baked potato skins. Top with bacon, chives or scallions, and more cheese if desired, and place in a buttered or greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Bake at 375ºF ( 190ºC ) for 30 -35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are getting golden edges.

You Might Also Like These Potato Dishes

  • Fondant Potatoes
  • Creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  • Au Gratin Potatoes with Diced Ham
  • Homemade Hash Browns From Scratch
  • Pan Fried Potatoes and Onions
large square overhead of several twice baked potatoes on white background.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Twice Baked Potatoes

This family favorite twice baked potatoes recipe makes the ultimate loaded baked potatoes that are full of flavor and overflowing with sour cream, ham, bacon, cheese, and more! They're easy to make, and a great side dish to make in advance or have in the oven while you are busy with other cooking!
Prep Time1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Cooling Time15 mins
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Course: Dinner Recipes, Lunch Recipes, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked potato, loaded baked potato, twice baked potato, twice baked potatoes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 400kcal
Author: Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Ingredients
 

Baking Potatoes

  • 4 large russet potatoes (baking potatoes)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil (optional -extra virgin)
  • 1 pinch Himalayan salt (coarse, optional)

Twice Baked Potato Filling

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup sour cream (or sour cream substitute, cottage cheese, chivo or top o' tater)
  • 1/2 cup ham (diced, frying is optional)
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated, a little more for the topping if desired)
  • salt & pepper (to taste)

Twice Baked Potato Topping

  • 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 cup bacon (chopped, cooked - about 4 to 6 slices)
  • 2 Tbsp chives (fresh, chopped)

Instructions

Baking the Potatoes (the first time)

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
  • Clean and fork large baking potatoes, place on squares of aluminum foil. (optional) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse grain Himalayan salt. Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before handling.
    baked russet potatoes on the cutting board.

Assemble the Twice Baked Potatoes

  • Slice each baked potato in half lengthwise.
    baked potatoes halved and ready to scoop out before filling.
  • Scoop out the inside white of the potato, being careful not to get too close to the skin as it will tear easily. Place the scooped out potato into a mixing bowl.
    scooping and coring out the halved baked potatoes.
  • Add 1 stick softened butter, milk, and sour cream then combine with a hand mixer or masher. Stir in cooked ham and cheddar cheese, season with salt & pepper to taste, and mix again. Spoon filling portions into hollowed-out baked potato skins.
    filling the baked potatoes with potato mixture.
  • Top each filled potato with bacon and chives (or scallions), and add more cheese if desired.
    filled baked potatoes topped with cheese and ready to bake.
  • Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a greased baking dish for 30-35 minutes, until cheese topping is melted and/or the filling is turning golden brown.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 560mg | Potassium: 610mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!

Save

Save

author profile photo
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

bakeitwithlove.com

Filed Under: Recipes, Side Dishes, Video Recipes Tagged With: bacon, baked potatoes, baking, chives, cooking, ham, loaded, potatoes, recipe, russet, side dish, twice baked, Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

« How To Make Roasted Garlic
Christmas Crack »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe

Get My Recipe Newsletter

large square image Crispy Shrimp Rangoons served on white plate with sweet and sour sauce.

Shrimp Rangoons

large square image of crispy air fryer frozen onion rings stacked 8 high with dip on the side.

Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings

large square angled overhead image of air fryer tater tots on white plate.

Air Fryer Tater Tots

large square angled frontview of the leftover prime rib tostadas in metal dipping sauce cups.

Leftover Prime Rib Tostadas

More Great Appetizers!

  • Food That Starts With
  • Oven Temperature Conversions
  • Substitutions

Copyright © 2016-2021 · Bake It With Love

All Rights Reserved. Please use only one photo and include original recipe page link when sharing recipes in recipe round-ups and articles. When sharing recipes, please do not share our original recipe in its entirety.

en English
ar Arabicbn Bengalizh-CN Chinese (Simplified)da Danishnl Dutchen Englishtl Filipinofr Frenchde Germanhi Hindiid Indonesianit Italianja Japanesems Malaymr Marathipt Portuguesepa Punjabiru Russianes Spanishsw Swahilisv Swedishta Tamilte Telugutr Turkishur Urdu