Who could have guessed that baking potatoes twice would be the secret to making them perfect? Twice Baked Potato Skins has literally everything you could hope for in a potato: the exterior is crisp and crunchy, while the inside is fluffy and creamy. But then it goes for bonus points: tangy sour cream, succulent bacon, and melty cheese, both in the smooth mashed potato filling and on top! Twice Baked Potato Skins constantly make head-turning appearances at the local sports bars, but now they’ll be wowing you from the comfort of your own home!
Ingredients
For the potatoes:
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend, shredded
For the topping:
- 1 cup mozzarella and cheddar cheese bend, shredded
- 2 tablespoons bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3 –Brush the potatoes with the vegetable oil and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 4 –Bake the potatoes until just fork tender, about 1 hour.
Step 5 –Transfer the potatoes from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Step 6 –Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.
Step 7 –Scoop the flesh out of the potatoes and into a large bowl, leaving a thin layer in the skins to help them retain their shape.
Step 8 –Place the potato skins on the parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, hollow-side up.
Step 9 –To the bowl with the potato flesh, add the butter, the sour cream, the milk, the salt, the pepper, the onion powder, and the garlic powder.
Step 10 –Using a potato masher, mash the potato mixture until just combined.
Step 11 –Add 1/3 cup of the bacon and 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture to the mashed potato mixture, stirring to combine.
Step 12 –Scoop the mashed potato mixture into the potato skins.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the remaining cheese blend, the remaining bacon, and the green onions on top of the potatoes.
Step 14 –Bake until the cheese on top of the potatoes is melted and just starting to brown at the edges, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 15 –Serve hot.