Twice-Baked Potatoes

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Twice-baked potatoes are basically a way to eat mashed potatoes in a cute little potato boat. The first bake is roasting the potatoes so they are nice and tender. While the outside gets crispy, the inside gets creamy, making it the perfect foundation for our filling. The second bake involves mashing all of your cooked potatoes with butter, cheese, milk, and other mix-ins, then filling the potato skins back up, topping with more cheese, and baking until everything is warmed through. It's the most decadent baked potato, with the most delicious mashed potato filling—here's what you need to know:

How To Make Twice-Baked Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes: Russets work best here! Their starchiness makes them sturdy and will hold up to extra baking time; they’ll still get soft and creamy inside. That being said, I also love a twice-baked sweet potato.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite brand, or check out our list of the best (and worst!) olive oil brands.
• Butter, Milk & Sour Cream: This trio turns the cooked potato filling into a rich and creamy dream, à la mashed potatoes.
• Cheddar: Adding shredded cheddar not only to the filling but on top of the potato before baking again adds a golden, cheesy topping that will be delicious paired with the creamy filling after baking.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

While I’ll be showing you how to make twice-baked potatoes in the oven, if you’re looking for an air fryer version, refer to the instructions in the full recipe below. For the oven, first preheat it to 400°. Then, prep your potatoes by scrubbing them clean, then patting completely dry with paper towels. Grab a fork, and poke them all over to create holes. Cover them in olive oil, making sure you rub over every surface, then sprinkle with salt. Place the prepped potatoes directly on your oven racks, then bake until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Once done, place on a baking sheet and leave them to cool until you can safely handle them.

Once cool, cut a thin layer off the top of each potato. Don’t get rid of those tops though! Keep reading down below to learn how to utilize every part of the potato. Then, scoop out the insides of each potato into a large bowl. When scooping, make sure to leave around a ½” border.

Add butter, milk, and sour cream to the bowl with the potato filling, then mash until the butter is fully melted and there are only a few chunks. You’re looking for a pretty smooth texture. Add 1 cup of the cheddar and the scallions, then give everything a good mix to fully combine. Add some salt and pepper to taste, then adjust if you need more.

Fill each baked potato to the top with the filling mixture, then place spaced out on a large baking sheet. Top with the remaining cheddar, then bake.

Bake your potatoes until the cheese is melty and gooey and the outside is crispy. Once done, garnish with a few extra scallions if you so desire, then serve.

Full list of ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• The best fillings and toppings for a twice-baked potato. I kept these twice-baked potatoes simple so that you can take it where you want it. Anything and everything goes well mixed into a twice-baked potato. Bacon is a classic choice, but I also love horseradish, broccoli, or sriracha all mixed in. If you want to go the extra mile, add a scoop of hot homemade chili and a dollop of sour cream on top before serving for an all-out version!
• What should I do with the extra potato skins? This is my favorite part! Put them on the tray with the potatoes and bake them during the second bake. You can brush on a little bit more oil, make sure they're seasoned, and top with a sprinkle of cheddar. They will get extra crispy and be the best snack, or even function as an edible spoon!
• How do you reheat already cooked twice-baked potatoes? To reheat your twice-baked potatoes, you'll basically give them a third bake. Reheating them in the oven at 400° will re-crisp the potato skin while keeping the filling inside nice and creamy still. The potatoes will take about 15 to 20 minutes to reheat again. If you're in a rush, microwaving them is fine too, though parts of the potato might turn a little tough due to uneven heating.

Twice-Baked Potato Variations

• Twice-Baked Potato Casserole: If you want all the same flavors but made for a crowd, then this casserole is the best way to serve this cheesy dish.
• Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes: More of a sweet potato fan? These twice-baked sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetarian dinners.
• BBQ Chicken Twice-Baked Potatoes: We give sweet potatoes the twice-baked and BBQ chicken treatment in this recipe.

Make Ahead

I recommend baking the potatoes and preparing the filling as normal while the potatoes are still warm. Prep them up to the point of baking the second time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to bake for the second and final time. The potatoes will take a little bit longer in the oven than the recipe below indicates because they'll be cold from the fridge, but don't worry! Unless your cheese is burnt, there's no way to really overcook these. Just continue baking until everything looks perfectly golden and toasty.

Storage

Twice-baked potatoes will last for about 3 to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze them for longer storage, but the freezing process might alter the texture over time.