Twice Baked Potatoes
are one of the ultimate side dish recipes! These are seriously
comforting, extra cheesy, deliciously creamy, mashed potato loaded,
hearty stuffed potato skins and they never disappoint! A family favorite
recipe!
Twice Baked Potatoes
- Servings: 8 (or 6 large)
- Prep Time 15 minutes
- Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 (13 - 14 oz. each) large baker russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup half and half, then up to 1/4 cup more if needed (heavy cream can be substituted for a richer option)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 Tbsp butter, melted
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp each paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
- 6 oz. freshly shredded medium cheddar cheese
- 6 slices bacon, chopped small and cooked until crisp (optional)
- 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven and prep potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and rinse potatoes clean and pierce potatoes several times on each side with a fork.
-
Bake whole potatoes until softened through: Place potatoes in preheated oven and bake 75 - 80 minutes until fully cooked through (they should be fairly soft when squeezed). Remove potatoes from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
-
Scoop out flesh of potatoes: Slice potatoes into halves. Use an oven mitt to hold potato halves and scoop potato flesh into a large mixing bowl (while leaving about 1/6-inch potato intact with the peel). Transfer empty potato peels to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish or baking sheet (see note*).
-
Mash: Mash potatoes with a potato masher until no longer lumpy (or pass through a potato ricer or food mill into bowl for seriously smooth potatoes).
-
Add liquids and season, stir: Add in half and half, sour cream, butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend mixture together with a spoon (or with just briefly with an electric hand mixer) while adding more half and half as needed to thin.
-
Fill potato skins: Scoop mixture into potato peels. Sprinkle with cheddar.
-
Stir seasonings and sprinkle over potatoes: In a small bowl whisk together paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Sprinkle seasoning evenly over potatoes.
-
Bake to heat through and melt cheese: Bake in preheated oven until cheese has melted and potatoes are heated through, about 10 - 15 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and green onions and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
- *If you liked potatoes to be heaped full only use 6 skins and 1 1/4 cups cheddar, if you want to fill level use 8 skins and 1 1/2 cups cheddar.
- To cut calories you can use light sour cream, 2 Tbsp butter, low fat cheddar and omit the bacon. Nutrition estimate given based on 8 servings.
- Swap sour cream with cream cheese.
- Add sautéed or roasted garlic to the potatoes.
- Try with another cheese on top like Colby jack or even a Mexican blend if that's what you've got on hand, or use a blend of cheddar and another cheese like parmesan.
- Add a drizzle of ranch dressing on top after baking. So good!
- Substitute 2 Tbsp fresh minced chives for the green onions.
