Our Twice Baked Potatoes recipe is a popular side dish that’s delicious with all sorts of dinners. Crispy, salty potato skins stuffed with mashed potatoes & topped with cheese and goodies. What’s not to love? (Don’t miss all our favorite add-ins and toppings to try below!)
One of the first meals I had at Michael’s parents’ house after we got engaged included twice-baked potatoes. I’d never had them before, but I was INSTANTLY hooked!
Crispy potato skins stuffed with fluffy mashed potatoes and topped with cheese? COUNT ME ALL THE WAY IN!
Cheesy baked potatoes are basically the ultimate comfort food! They’re the perfect side dish for holidays or a special occasion. We’ve served them at Easter with Glazed Ham, Seasoned Green Beans and Deviled Eggs, on weeknights with BBQ chicken & Meatloaf, and Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with all the trimmings.
These twice-baked potatoes have become a family favorite over the years, and with so many ways to make and top them, we never run out of variations!
And the best part is, they start with simple ingredients. Let’s take a look…
Start With Simple Ingredients
Even though they’re a step up from regular baked potatoes, one great thing about this easy recipe is that the ingredients stay nice and simple. We’re talking…
- Russet Potatoes. I love red potatoes and yellow potatoes, but they’re not great for twice-baked potatoes. Stick with Russet potatoes, since they’ll hold their shape best and tend to be a good size and shape to stuff.
- Butter. Using butter makes the potato mash nice and luscious, but you can use dairy-free butter or olive oil. (If you’re using olive oil, consider using a little less oil and a bit more milk so the flavor doesn’t overpower your potatoes.)
- Milk. You can use whatever you drink–cow’s milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc. Just be sure to pick something unsweetened and unflavored. (i.e. no vanilla almond milk!)
- Salt & Pepper. Add plenty of kosher salt and black pepper to season the potatoes. It’ll make a big difference!
- Cheddar Cheese. Not 100000% necessary, but adding grated cheddar cheese is pretty classic. If you’re dairy-free, you can use dairy-free cheddar shreds (like Daiya cheddar), or just skip the cheese on top.
- Any Favorite Toppings Or Mix-Ins. (More on this in a minute!)
How To Make Twice Baked Potatoes, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Preheat the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Set out a large baking sheet (Feel free to line with aluminum foil, if desired, though I usually don’t.)
- Prep The Potatoes. Wash and dry the potatoes. Prick them several times with a fork (to allow steam to escape as they bake). Rub the potatoes lightly with oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake The Potatoes. Place potatoes on the sheet pan and bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. (A fork or sharp knife should easily pierce through the potatoes).
- Slice & Scoop. Let the potatoes cool just 5-10 minutes, then carefully slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop most of the flesh out of the potatoes. Leave a small border (about 1/4-inch) around the inside to help the potato skins hold their shape.
- Make The Mash. Working quickly, add the potato flesh to a large bowl along with 2 Tablespoons butter, 2 Tablespoons sour cream, and 4 Tablespoons of milk, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer or potato masher until well blended and creamy, adding more butter, sour cream, or milk as needed. (You don’t want the mash too runny)
- Fill Potato Skins. Spoon the mashed potato filling mixture back into the potato shells and place on a baking tray. Add cheese on top of each potato (along with bacon, if using). (Note: If making these ahead of time, you can transfer them to the fridge at this point).
- Bake Again! Bake potatoes for another 10-15 minutes in 400 degree F oven. (Add about 5-10 minutes more if you refrigerated the potatoes ahead of time.)
- Garnish. Sprinkle with green onions or any desired garnishes and serve. Store leftover twice-baked potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days.
Tasty Mix-Ins & Toppings To Try
Okay, now that you’ve got our basic twice baked potato recipe, it’s time to share ways to get creative! The classic will always be my favorite, but there are so many delicious variations you can try to jazz these up a bit.
- Add Bacon Bits. Some crispy crumbled bacon adds a salty, savory note that’s LOVELY. Twice-baked potatoes with bacon is probably my favorite variation!
- Fresh Chives Or Green Onions. Add a touch of freshness with some snipped chives, or sliced green onions/scallions. Mix them into the mash, sprinkle them on top, or both!
- Garlic. Turn up the garlic by mixing in plenty of fresh garlic, roasted garlic, or garlic powder into the mashed potato mixture.
- Different Cheese! Try Pepper Jack cheese for some kick, or Colby cheese. Or, you can stir some Parmesan into the mash for a two-cheese effect!
- Hot Sauce. Finish your twice-baked potatoes with a dash of hot sauce, like Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot. A little goes a long way, so just a drop or two or three will do! (You could even pair this with a blue cheese crumble and bacon bits!)
- Broccoli. Fold some steamed or roasted broccoli into the mashed potato filling mixture for some extra veggies.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Twice Baked Potatoes
Make-Ahead Twice-Baked Potatoes. Twice baked potatoes are definitely a little extra effort, so to save time around dinner, you can prep them in advance. To make twice-baked potatoes in advance, follow the steps of baking, scooping, and stuffing the potatoes. Then, cover and refrigerate them before baking the second time. (Through step 6 in our instructions.) Later, you can finish baking them, adding 5-10 extra minutes if you’re baking them from the refrigerator.
Are Twice-Baked Potatoes Gluten-Free? Yes! All the ingredients–potatoes, milk, butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, and cheese–are all naturally gluten-free.
Can You Freeze Twice-Baked Potatoes? YES! I LOVE this trick! It’s basically the same amount of work to make a big batch as a small batch, so whenever I make twice baked potatoes, I make a big batch. Then, I place them in a freezer bag in a single layer and freeze them up to 2 months. Reheat them by baking them frozen at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Do You Eat The Skins Of Twice-Baked Potatoes? Yes! They’re designed to be eaten entirely–fluffy mash, crispy skins, and all!
Reheat Them! If you have leftovers, you can warm them up in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, pop them in an air fryer for about 10 minutes, or simply warm them in the microwave!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Easy Twice Baked Potatoes recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Twice Baked Potatoes (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized Russet Potatoes about 2 pounds total
- 1/2-1 Tablespoon oil optional
- 2-3 Tablespoons butter
- 2-3 Tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 4-6 Tablespoons milk
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 -3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more, to taste
Optional Extras:
- 4 slices crisped crumbled bacon
- sliced chives or green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a sheet pan.
- Prep The Potatoes. Wash and dry the potatoes. Prick them several times with a fork (to allow steam to escape as they bake). Rub the potatoes lightly with oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake The Potatoes. Place the potatoes on the sheet pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. (A fork or sharp knife should easily pierce through the potatoes).
- Slice & Scoop. Let the potatoes cool just 5-10 minutes, then carefully slice them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop most of the flesh out of the potatoes. Leave a small border (about 1/4-inch) around the inside to help the potato skins hold their shape.
- Make The Mash. Working quickly, add the flesh to a large mixing bowl along with 2 Tablespoons butter, 2 Tablespoons sour cream, and 4 Tablespoons of milk, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy, adding more butter, sour cream, or milk as needed. (You don’t want the mash too runny)
- Fill Potato Skins. Spoon the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins and place on a baking sheet. Top the potatoes with cheese (and bacon, if using). (Note: If making these ahead of time, refrigerate at this point).
- Bake Again! Bake the potatoes for another 10-15 minutes. (Add about 5-10 minutes more if you refrigerated the potatoes ahead of time.)
- Garnish. Sprinkle with green onions or any desired garnishes and serve. Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Notes
- *Be sure to mix up the mashed potato mixture while the potatoes are very warm to avoid the filling getting gummy.
- Make-Ahead Twice-Baked Potatoes. Twice baked potatoes are definitely a little extra effort, so to save time around dinner, you can prep them in advance. To make twice-baked potatoes in advance, follow the steps of baking, scooping, and stuffing the potatoes. Then cover and refrigerate them before baking the second time. (Through step 6 in our instructions.) Later, you can finish baking them, adding 5-10 extra minutes if you’re baking them from the refrigerator.
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Freeze Twice-Baked Potatoes: It’s basically the same amount of work to make a big batch as a small batch, so whenever I make twice baked potatoes, I make a big batch. Then, I place them in a freezer bag in a single layer and freeze them up to 2 months. Reheat them by baking them frozen at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
- Reheat Them! If you have leftovers, you can warm them up in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or pop them in an air fryer for about 10 minutes (this crisps up the skin again!), or simply warm them in the microwave!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/twice-baked-potatoes/
Love making these,great flavors!❤️
Oh, I’m so glad! They’re one of my daughter’s FAVORITE recipes!
Really good!!!!
The first time I tried twice baked potatoes was this recipe, and it was everything you’d want in a twice baked potato. If you’re going to try them yourself, I recommend topping them with butter, sour cream, cheese, salt, and pepper. These are DELICIOUS!!!!!!
I couldn’t agree more! So glad you loved them.