Best Ever Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe (Loaded)!
Best Ever Twice-Baked Potatoes Recipe is a loaded potato side dish made with cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon, cream cheese, and green onions. It’s perfect for holiday gatherings, comfort food dinners, and make-ahead side dishes. The potato filling bakes up creamy and rich while the tops turn golden and bubbly in the oven.
Servings: 16
Calories: 441kcal
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Fork
- Knife
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 8 large Russet baking potatoes about 7–8 pounds total
- 1¼ cups sour cream
- 3½ to 4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded reserve 1 cup for topping
- 1 to 1½ cups milk warmed slightly
- 1 cup or 2 sticks butter softened
- ¾ pound thick-cut bacon cooked extra crispy and crumbled (reserve a bit for garnish)
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 to 4 green onions sliced (half mixed in, half for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Bacon grease or olive oil for rubbing potato skins
- 1 whole bulb garlic, roasted optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash and dry the potatoes. Pierce each one a few times with a fork and rub with bacon grease or olive oil.
- Optionally, slice the top off the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and place it in the oven alongside the potatoes.
- Bake both the potatoes and garlic for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are fork-tender and the garlic is soft.
- Let the potatoes cool slightly. Slice in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the insides, leaving a thin wall of potato in the skins. Place the potato flesh in a large mixing bowl.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl with the potatoes (if using). Add sour cream, 2½ to 3 cups shredded cheddar, 1 cup warm milk (add more if needed), softened butter, cream cheese, most of the bacon, half the green onions, seasoned salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Mash until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning or add a splash more milk if needed.
- Spoon the filling back into the potato skins and arrange on a foil-lined baking sheet. You should have 16 halves. Top with the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of the reserved bacon.
- Bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly with golden cheese on top. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions just before serving.
Video
Notes
Cooking Notes
Baking the potatoes until fully tender makes the filling easier to mash into a smooth texture. Warming the milk slightly helps it blend more evenly into the potato mixture without cooling it down.
Tips for Best Results:
- Rub the potato skins with bacon grease or oil for crispier skins.
- Leave a thin border inside the shells so they hold their shape.
- Mash the filling while the potatoes are still warm for the smoothest texture.
- Bake until the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 702IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg
