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    🏠Home » Recipes » Potato Recipes

    Easy Twice Baked Potatoes

    Jan 6, 2014 · Modified: Feb 27, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 8 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.48 from 19 votes

    Simple and delicious, these easy Twice Bake Potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and packed with bacon and other things you love—the perfect side dish comfort food for any meal.

    twice baked potato on white plate with meal
    Jump To:
    • 👍Why you should make this recipe
    • 🥔Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳How to Make Twice-Baked Potatoes
    • ✔️Tips
    • ❓Making ahead and how to store leftovers
    • 📖Potato Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    👍Why you should make this recipe

    • This easy twice-baked potato recipe is delicious with cheesy potatoes and your choice of additives or toppings.
    • Perfect for steak or many other meals or load on the topping, and it can be the main course.
    • Make it "loaded" with bacon, cheese, and onion.
    • Make them for two or a crowd.
    • Easy to make ahead and freeze for later.
    • Take your baked potatoes to the next level with the simple step-by-step photo instructions.

    Inspired by Pioneer Woman since she keeps it basic.

    🥔Ingredients

    • Potatoes—large russet only
    • Butter—chopped into small pieces
    • Sour cream
    • Milk
    • Cheese—shredded cheddar cheese or others
    • Seasoning salt—Lowry's or similar
    • Black Pepper
    • Bacon—optional but highly recommended
    • Optional ingredients include green onion, chives, broccoli, or anything else.

    👨‍🍳How to Make Twice-Baked Potatoes

    1. Scrub russet potatoes, coat with oil, and bake until fully cooked—about 1 hour.
    2. Combine with sour cream, butter, milk, shredded cheddar cheese, seasoning salt (Lowry's or similar), and black pepper. Optional ingredients can be added here. Do not add onion if storing for later.
    3. After the potatoes are cool, scoop out the potato insides leaving a small rim of potato in the skins.
    4. Mix the scooped potatoes into the sour cream mixture and mash together. This does not need to be smooth.
    5. Refill the potato skins, then cover them with shredded cheese.
    6. Sprinkle with optional bacon, green onion, or other things here.
    7. Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes until hot and browning some.

    ✔️Tips

    • Use only russet potatoes for twice-baked potatoes. You need the starchy center and the thicker skin to hold it together.
    • While still warm, the potato should be mixed with the sour cream, or the texture may be gummy.
    • Do not over-mix the potato mixture. Mix by hand or gently with the mixer unless you want a fluffy mashed potato texture.
    • Be careful to spoon out the potato leaving about ¼ inch to protect the skin.
    • Do not use onion if you plan to store or freeze the potatoes. The taste will dominate.
    • Most optional ingredients may be added to the potatoes or on top before baking.

    ❓Making ahead and how to store leftovers

    How to make twice-baked potatoes ahead.

    Once stuffed, the potatoes can be sealed airtight and refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 3 months. If doing either, do not add onion which will dominate the flavors.

    Generally, frozen potatoes would be thawed first, but frozen twice-baked potatoes can be cooked without thawing. Remove from the freezer and unwrap. Place in a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake covered for about 30 minutes at 425°, then uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes until hot.

    Storage and reheating leftovers

    Store leftovers sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Leftovers can be frozen depending on your optional ingredients.

    Reheating in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.

    📖Potato Recipes

    Easy Roasted Red Potatoes

    Baked Parmesan Potato Wedges

    Crispy Parmesan Baked Potatoes

    Crispy Smashed Potatoes

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Potato Recipes, Side Dish Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    Special note: Pictures are for 8 servings, but instructions and recipe card are written for 2 servings (one potato.) Use the serving adjustment in the recipe care to adjust for larger amounts.

    potatoes with other ingredients

    Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.

    scrubing a potato under running water

    Scrub the skin well.

    brushing cleaned potatoes with oil

    Brush the skin with a light coat of oil. This will help the skin not dry out and break as you scoop.

    potatoes on the oven rack

    Bake for 1 hour or a little more. Be sure they are well done. If unsure, check for an internal temperature of 200° to 210°.

    butter chopped up on black board

    While potatoes are cooking, combine butter, sour cream, milk, shredded cheese, seasoning salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add optional ingredients but do not add onion if storing for later. Mash them together and set them aside.

    scooping potato out of the skins

    Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes; cut in half, then scoop out most of the potato with a large spoon leaving a ¼ inch rim of potato.

    mixing potato with ingredients in a glass bowl

    Add the potato to the butter mixture and mash together—no need to over-mix. Rough is fine. You could add other things at this point. Bacon bits would be about 2 tablespoons or 1 slice of bacon per half of the potato. The green onion is about one onion per whole potato. If freezing or storing, do not use green onion.

    stuffed potatoes with cheese on top

    Scoop the potato mixture back into the skins and top with a little shredded cheese. You could refrigerate or freeze them at this point.

    four potatoes browned on baking tray

    You can add more optional ingredients before baking. Place on baking tray sprayed with PAM and bake at 375° for about 20 minutes until hot and browning.

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    Recipe

    twice baked potato on white plate

    Easy Twice Baked Potatoes

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Simple and delicious, these easy Twice Bake Potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and packed with bacon and other things you love—the perfect side dish comfort food for any meal.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.48 from 19 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 2 servings

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 russet potato - larger
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons sour cream
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese - plus a little for topping
    • ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt - I used Lowry's
    • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
    • 1-2 strips bacon - 8 Tbsp or 4 strips, optional
    • 1 green onion - One per potato - optional
    • anything else you want - optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional.
      potatoes with other ingredients
    • Scrub the potato skin well.
      scrubing a potato under running water
    • Brush the skin with a light coat of oil. This will help the skin not dry out and break as you scoop.
      brushing cleaned potatoes with oil
    • Bake for 1 hour or a little more. Be sure they are well done. If unsure, check for an internal temperature of 200° to 210°.
      potatoes on the oven rack
    • While potatoes are cooking, combine butter, sour cream, milk, shredded cheese, seasoning salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add optional ingredients but do not add onion if storing for later. Mash them together and set them aside.
      butter chopped up on black board
    • Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes; cut in half, then scoop out most of the potato with a large spoon leaving a ¼ inch rim of potato.
      scooping potato out of the skins
    • Add the potato to the butter mixture and mash together—no need to over-mix. Rough is fine. You could add other things at this point. Bacon bits would be about 2 tablespoons or 1 slice of bacon per half of the potato. The green onion is about one onion per whole potato. If freezing or storing, do not use green onion.
      mixing potato with ingredients in a glass bowl
    • Scoop the potato mixture back into the skins and top with a little shredded cheese. You could refrigerate or freeze them at this point.
      stuffed potatoes with cheese on top
    • You can add more optional ingredients before baking. Place on baking tray sprayed with PAM and bake at 375° for about 20 minutes until hot and browning.
      baked potato halves on a pan
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. This is only for mature Russet potatoes.
    2. The recipe is for one potato which makes two servings. You can easily adjust the ingredients in this recipe card by changing the number of servings.
    3. I find half of a potato is a good serving.
    4. The milk, sour cream, cheese, and usually bacon are basic. So is the green onion usually, but I would skip it if refrigerating or freezing.
    5. Good sealed tightly in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and frozen for 2-3 months. So make them ahead.
    6. You can cook a still-frozen twice baked potato. Instructions are in the post. But generally, you would though first.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Twice Baked Potatoes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 241 Calories from Fat 144
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16g25%
    Saturated Fat 10g50%
    Cholesterol 44mg15%
    Sodium 211mg9%
    Potassium 493mg14%
    Carbohydrates 21g7%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 505IU10%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 110mg11%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Potato
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally published January 6, 2014. Updated with expanded discussion and options. Photos have been refreshed, and a table of contents has been added to aid navigation.

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      Parmesan Baked Potatoes

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    1. rnowakowski@tiffinfranciscans.org

      April 25, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      You said that sour cream is basic but I don't have that ingredient. Please advise.
      Thanks.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        April 25, 2020 at 1:54 pm

        Welcome to the blog.

        You will see a lot of other types of recipes move between sour cream and plain yogurt or cream cheese. The yogurt might be ok but most people don't keep plain yogurt around. I do not think cream cheese is a good idea here.

        I would say, find a different recipe. I suggest https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/parmesan-garlic-baked-potatoes/ which is one of my personal favorite things to do to a russet potato.

        Dan

    2. Mrs Sharon Gosselin

      December 24, 2018 at 2:44 pm

      My husband has a allergy to sour cream can i use mayo instead of sour cream

      Reply
      • DrDan

        December 24, 2018 at 6:11 pm

        Hi Sharon,
        Welcome to the blog.
        Mayo or yogurt would be the commonly recommended substitutes. I have not tried it here and of course, there will be a taste difference.
        Thanks for the note and have a great holiday.
        Dan

    3. Alfred

      July 12, 2018 at 9:27 pm

      You explained the entire recipe EXCEPT the second baking process. This is a single baked potato with mixed guts.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        July 12, 2018 at 9:34 pm

        Hi Alfred,
        I was in the discussion above but didn't make it to the recipe card. Mixed and thanks for the proof-read.
        Dan

    4. Jim and Brenda Uren

      May 13, 2014 at 5:57 pm

      I'm sorry to say that we have been amiss in emailing and telling how we enjoy your site. In that we are Badger fans living in Memphis and you probably a Wolverine or Spartan fan might be the reason. Football aside, we have made dozens of your recipes. All have either been great or almost great! Now for our complaint.....how about coming out with a good pasty recipe? The rest of America could stand a little Cornish history and a good pasty recipe. Many thanks, Jim and Brenda Uren, Memphis

      Reply
      • DrDan

        May 13, 2014 at 8:24 pm

        I LOVE Memphis. I was at the Peabody last year for convention (the place with the ducks for your readers out there) and years ago got my Pediatric Oncology training at St. Judes. I'm an Iowa State guy and Michigan by marriage. The wife's family and my kids are true blue. I happen to be on MSU's clinical teaching staff. But football wise lean to the blue side.

        But Wisconsin football... do they ever graduate anybody because it seems to always be the same guys out there every year running the same running play. Huge huge lineman.

        Now for the complaint. Pasties... Not in my Iowa background and I have never though of trying to make one. I'll put it on the list and run it by the wife (the Michigander). The few I have had were in hospitals and I'm sure not good examples. I should be able to make a meat pie and if nothing else, I can make a great gravy to cover up my sins (is that allowed?).

        Thanks for the note and have some Marlowe's ribs for me.
        DrDan

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