Turns out, baked potatoes are better when you bake them twice. Creamy, buttery baked potatoes take a second turn in the oven and come out stuffed with melty Cheddar Cheese and bits of crispy bacon. Obsessively delicious Make-Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes are easy to make and perfect for entertaining!
Thanks to the cream cheese, these potatoes reheat like a dream, making them a stellar weeknight side dish. They're just as good reheated as they are hot out of the oven.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love These
When I need a make-ahead side dish everyone loves, I reach for this twice baked potato recipe. I've served these for years at family dinners and backyard cookouts. The skins act like little serving boats, holding heat and reheating beautifully.
All the prep happens in advance: bake, mix, assemble, and chill. When it's go time, all I have to do is pull them out and bake to serve.
Crispy Skin, Fluffy Filling | Crispy jackets and a fluffy potato filling packed with melty cheese, bacon, and more. It's flavor + texture heaven.
Company-Ready | Easy to plate, easier to portion, and feeds a crowd. If you're making them for Thanksgiving dinner or to feed a potluck crew, you're in luck; this recipe makes 12 halves of twice-baked potatoes. The abundance is most definitely not by accident.
Make-Ahead | Prep the day before and bake as company trickles in. Is there a better way to greet guests than with the intoxicating scent of bacon in the oven?
Do you always have Russet potatoes on hand? Then you'll want to add these easy, seriously delicious Cheesy Crock Pot Potatoes to your side dish repertoire!
What are Twice-Baked Potatoes?
Twice-Baked Potatoes are potatoes that are first baked in the oven whole. Once the baked potatoes have cooked through and are cool enough to handle, they are cut in half lengthwise.
The flesh of the potatoes gets spooned out and transferred to a bowl. The potatoes are mashed along with other ingredients, typically butter, milk, cheese, and bacon. The mashed mixture is spooned back into the potato skins and baked again.
What You'll Need
- Russet Potatoes | This is the spud you need on hand for making twice-baked potatoes. Russets = crispy skin + fluffy interior and sturdy shells for stuffing.
- Cream Cheese | The MVP for make-ahead twice baked potato filling. Cream cheese not only helps the filling to stay creamy but also helps the potatoes to stay moist. No cream cheese? Use full-fat sour cream, Greek yogurt, or even mascarpone cheese like we do in our mashed sweet potatoes.
- Butter | Add richness and steakhouse-worthy vibes to the mash.
- Milk | Loosens up the mash so other ingredients can work their way in. For a richer, thicker potato, use heavy cream or half-and-half. You could also use evaporated milk in a pinch.
- Cheddar Cheese | Grate cheddar fresh off the block for the smoothest melt and best flavor. No time for prep? Good quality pre-shredded cheese works.
- Bacon | Pan-fried, crispy pops of thick-cut bacon in every bite is the key to a loaded twice baked potato guests swoon over.
- Oil | This helps the seasoning stick to the potato skin and helps them to crisp up. You can use avocado, olive, or canola oil.
How to Make Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes
- Prep and Bake the Potatoes | Preheat oven to 400° and have ready a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over potatoes, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and rub in evenly on all sides. Place on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake for 1 hour.
- Halve the Potatoes and Scoop | Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon and place in a large mixing bowl. Take care not to break the skin and leave about an ⅛” rim of flesh around the potato.
- Mix Together Filling | Add the cream cheese, butter, milk, remaining 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and pepper to the potatoes. Using a handheld mixer on low, mix together until just combined. Do not overmix. Add about two-thirds of the bacon and half of the cheddar to the potato mixture. Stir to combine.
- Assemble | Scoop the filling back into the potatoes and place on a baking sheet, leaving at least one inch between each potato.
- Bake | Top the potatoes with the remaining cheese, sprinkle with bacon and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°.
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Refrigerate | After the potatoes have been stuffed, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours in advance.
- Remove the Chill, Top, and Bake | The next day, set the potatoes out 30-45 minutes before cooking. Remove the plastic wrap and top the potatoes with the remaining cheese, sprinkle with bacon and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°.
Storage and Reheating
Storage
Allow your potatoes to cool completely, then place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. If desired, you can wrap individually in plastic, followed by a layer of foil and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating
There are three different ways to reheat twice baked potatoes:
- In a preheated 350°F oven, covered with aluminum foil for 15 to 20 minutes.
- In an air fryer, at 325°F for 5 to 7 minutes.
- In the microwave at 45-second intervals, or until warmed through.
What to Serve with Twice Baked Potatoes
There's almost no wrong time to serve a twice baked potato! They go with all kinds of meats and side dishes. Serve with mains like roasted chicken, grilled steak, pork ribs, or even BBQ meatloaf.
They pair especially well with veggies like green beans, a simple house salad, and buttered corn.
Be sure to serve with lots of toppings on the side, like sour cream, chopped chives, and even a dash of hot sauce can do a little extra magic!
FAQ
Stuff twice baked potatoes and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Set out 30 to 45 minutes before baking to remove the chill. Then bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes as directed.
Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven and cover with aluminum foil, baking for about 15 minutes. You can also air fry at 325°F for 5 to 7 minutes.
Russet potatoes are best for twice baked potatoes. Their thicker make sturdy serving boats for the filling. If you'd like to make twice baked mashed potatoes instead, Yukon gold make for a fine substitute.
5 More Potato Recipes You'll Love
- Mini Twice Baked Potato Skins are the perfect party appetizer! Baby potatoes are baked and topped with bacon and cheese for a savory bite-sized starter!
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole features buttery mashed potatoes with cream cheese, crispy thick-cut, bacon, freshly grated Cheddar, and chopped green onions. The perfect make-ahead side dish casserole!
- Garlic-Parmesan Smashed Potatoes feature baby gold potatoes (or red potatoes) smashed and smeared with a garlic-Parmesan butter, then roasted to crispy perfection.
- Twice-Baked Potatoes with Havarti and Dill features a new take on twice-baked potatoes, with big flavor thanks to Havarti and Dill.
- Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes require no dressing and no packet! Just a little seasoning and you’ve got a perfect batch of crispy, oven-baked Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes.
Make-Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 medium-sized Russet potatoes (about 3 lbs), rinsed and scrubbed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, separated
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Sour cream and chopped chives for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° and have ready a rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle oil over potatoes, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and rub in evenly on all sides. Place on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake for 1 hour.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Take care not to break the skin and leave about a rim of flesh around the potato.
- Transfer the flesh of the potatoes to a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, butter, milk, remaining 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and pepper. Using a handheld mixer on low, mix together until just combined. Do not overmix. Add about two-thirds of the bacon and half of the cheddar to the potato mixture. Stir to combine.
- Scoop the filling back into the potatoes and place on baking sheet, leaving at least one inch between each potato. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours in advance. Be sure to refrigerate the extra Cheddar and bacon as well.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 350°, and set the potatoes out 30-45 minutes before cooking to remove the chill.
- Remove the plastic wrap and top potatoes with remaining cheese and sprinkle with bacon. Bake for 25-30 minutes. If desired, top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives, serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply