Twice Baked Potatoes

The finished potatoes arranged on a black board.

Twice baked potatoes start off as a plain baked potatoes then we transform them by making a creamy, cheesy, mashed potato filling and stuffing it back into the potato shell.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword potatoes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

let the potatoes cool 15

Total Time 2 5

Servings

Calories 235kcal

Author Elizabeth

Ingredients

4 medium-size Russet Potatoes about 2 pounds (Idaho potatoes/baking potatoes)
2 tablespoons Butter softened
¼ cup Sour Cream
¼ cup Milk use whole or reduced fat
½ teaspoon Ranch Seasoning
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
6 Bacon Strips divided - cooked crisp and chopped or crumbled (4 slices for the filling and 2 strips for garnish)
¾ cup Shredded Cheese divided - Colby jack, cheddar, Monterey jack or cheddar jack will work well (½ cup for the filling and about ¼ cup for garnish)
1 tablespoon Chives or Green Onions chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Bake the potatoes

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Scrub the potatoes thoroughly using a vegetable brush and pat dry.
Prick the potatoes a few times on all sides with the tip of a sharp knife.
Wrap each potato in a piece of aluminum foil (about 16 inches long) and fold in the ends.
Place them on a baking sheet or shallow pan.
Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a sharp knife slides in and out easily without offering any resistance. The cooking time is going to depend on the size of the potato.
If the potatoes are not done, rewrap and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes at a time and test again.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and carefully open the foil to vent. Allow them to cool enough to handle.

Make the potato filling

Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh leaving about a ¼ inch on the bottom and all the way around the skin. Place the scooped-out potato in a large bowl.
Mash the scooped-out potato with a fork until there are no large chunks and it is crumbly.
Add the butter while it is still warm, so it melts. Then add the milk, sour cream, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well while mashing until they are smooth and fluffy.
Next, stir in the shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon.
Spoon the mashed potato filling into the potato shells and arrange them on a baking sheet.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake them for 25 minutes until heated through. Top with shredded cheese and bacon and bake another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Garnish with chopped chives or green onions, serve and enjoy.

Notes

Choose potatoes that are roughly the same size, so they cook at the same rate.
The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. Always test the largest (fattest) potato to gauge the remaining cooking time.
Try to make the mash while it is still warm. Let the potatoes cool enough so you can handle them safely but don’t let them get cold.

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