Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes are one of the ultimate side dish recipes! These are seriously comforting, extra cheesy, deliciously creamy, mashed potato loaded, hearty stuffed potato skins and they never disappoint! A family favorite recipe!

Twice Baked Potatoes

• Servings: 8 (or 6 large)
• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 (13 - 14 oz. each) large baker russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup half and half, then up to 1/4 cup more if needed (heavy cream can be substituted for a richer option)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp each paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
• 6 oz. freshly shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bacon, chopped small and cooked until crisp (optional)
• 2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and prep potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and rinse potatoes clean and pierce potatoes several times on each side with a fork.
2. Bake whole potatoes until softened through: Place potatoes in preheated oven and bake 75 - 80 minutes until fully cooked through (they should be fairly soft when squeezed). Remove potatoes from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
3. Scoop out flesh of potatoes: Slice potatoes into halves. Use an oven mitt to hold potato halves and scoop potato flesh into a large mixing bowl (while leaving about 1/6-inch potato intact with the peel). Transfer empty potato peels to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish or baking sheet (see note*).
4. Mash: Mash potatoes with a potato masher until no longer lumpy (or pass through a potato ricer or food mill into bowl for seriously smooth potatoes).
5. Add liquids and season, stir: Add in half and half, sour cream, butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend mixture together with a spoon (or with just briefly with an electric hand mixer) while adding more half and half as needed to thin.
6. Fill potato skins: Scoop mixture into potato peels. Sprinkle with cheddar.
7. Stir seasonings and sprinkle over potatoes: In a small bowl whisk together paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Sprinkle seasoning evenly over potatoes.
8. Bake to heat through and melt cheese: Bake in preheated oven until cheese has melted and potatoes are heated through, about 10 - 15 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and green onions and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

• *If you liked potatoes to be heaped full only use 6 skins and 1 1/4 cups cheddar, if you want to fill level use 8 skins and 1 1/2 cups cheddar.
• To cut calories you can use light sour cream, 2 Tbsp butter, low fat cheddar and omit the bacon. Nutrition estimate given based on 8 servings.

Possible Variations:

• Swap sour cream with cream cheese.
• Add sautéed or roasted garlic to the potatoes.
• Try with another cheese on top like Colby jack or even a Mexican blend if that's what you've got on hand, or use a blend of cheddar and another cheese like parmesan.
• Add a drizzle of ranch dressing on top after baking. So good!
• Substitute 2 Tbsp fresh minced chives for the green onions.