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Twice Baked Potatoes With Bacon And Cheese

The worlds best twice baked potato!!!

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 265 kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 baking potatoes – about 8 ounces each – washed and patted dry
  • 3 Tbs. unsalted butter-soft
  • 4 Tbs. milk – room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream – room temperature
  • 1 cup 4oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese – divided
  • 10 slices of bacon – cooked until crispy – follow my easy oven cooking method below if desired
  • 5 Tbs. Green onions Scallions – sliced thin – just the green part
  • Kosher salt or fine sea salt
  • Ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place the oven rack in the center position. Put the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for about 1 hour or until tender, when pierced in center with a fork. Remove potatoes from oven using an oven mitt or pot holder. Set aside to cool, while you cook the bacon. Keep the oven on.
  2. Cook bacon in the oven: Line a baking sheet with foil and then place a wire rack over top of the baking sheet. Lay the strips of bacon on the rack, about 1 inch apart. Bake on the center rack of the preheated 400 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, until crispy. Remove from rack to paper towels to drain. Do not turn the oven off. Replace the greasy foil with a new piece and set the baking sheet aside.
  3. Note: The bacon can be cooked before the potatoes or while the potatoes are in the oven.
  4. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a thin lengthwise slice in the shape of a canoe, into the top of each potato and then remove the thin piece of potato skin. Using a spoon, scoop out most of the potato flesh into a large mixing bowl, leaving about ¼ inch of flesh remaining inside the skin, so the potatoes hold their shape. Place the potato shells onto the foil lined baking sheet.
  5. Mash the potatoes by hand with a potato masher, until no lumps remain. Add the milk and mash until creamy. Add the softened butter and sour cream to the mashed potatoes and season with salt and ground pepper to taste. Using a hand mixer on medium low speed, combine the mixture just until creamy.
  6. Add about half of the shredded cheese to the potatoes, reserving the rest for topping. Crumble 8 slices of bacon into the potatoes and set the other 2 slices aside and crumble for topping. Add 4 tablespoons of the green onions, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and fold the ingredients into the potatoes to combine.
  7. Spoon the potatoes into the potato shells, allowing the mixture to mound above the potato skins. Top potatoes with remaining shredded cheese and remaining crumbled bacon.
  8. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are heated through and the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Top with some reserved sliced green onions, if desired. Enjoy!