Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes are a must make side dish. Loaded with cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream they are perfect for your next Sunday dinner! 

If you like baked potatoes with all the fixings AND mashed potatoes, you’re going to fall head over heels in love with these loaded cheesy twice baked potatoes. They are chock-full of all kinds of goodies like crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions and sour cream. 

In addition to being delicious, you can make these babies in advance and refrigerate them until you’re ready to cook them. This makes them a great side dish for parties and holiday gatherings when you need to focus time elsewhere. 

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make them. 

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes Ingredients: 

You’ll notice that this recipe has all of the ingredients of mashed potatoes AND those of your favorite loaded baked potato. 

• LARGE BAKING POTATOES: For this recipe, I recommend using larger baking potatoes. They will make a more substantial side dish and will also be easier to cut, scoop and fill. 
• BACON: You can use pre-cooked bacon to make this recipe a little easier. Otherwise, just dice bacon into small pieces and cook. 
• BUTTER: Salted or unsalted. 
• MILK: I recommend using whole milk (or even half and half) for the creamiest filling. 
• SOUR CREAM: Adds a bit of tanginess and creaminess to the potatoes. 
• CHEDDAR CHEESE: I recommend grating the cheese yourself to get the best possible melt. 
• GREEN ONIONS: Will add a subtle onion flavor as well as a pop of color. 
• SALT: Keep in mind that cheddar cheese and bacon can be a bit salty so I highly recommend tasting the mixture before adding additional salt. 

Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

Making twice baked potatoes is a little more labor intensive than making mashed potatoes or a baked potato but not much! And the result is totally worth the extra effort. 

• STEP #1: Puncture the potatoes with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes or until done. Allow to cool completely. 
• STEP #2: Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat until browned. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. 
• STEP #3: Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Once potatoes have cooled, cut them in half lengthwise and gently scoop out the insides. Be careful not to puncture the skin. 
• STEP #4: Add the insides of the potatoes, 1 cup cheddar cheese,  bacon, green onions, butter and sour cream to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher until well combined. 
• STEP #5: Fill the potato skins with the mixture. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake. 

Storage and Leftovers:

Twice baked potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within a few days. Reheat in a warm oven until warmed through. A quick zap in the microwave will work too. 

Looking for more potato side dishes? Try these: 

You only need 3 ingredients for these Homemade Mashed Potatoes and you’ll never make them another way! 

Pesto Smashed Potatoes are a great summer side dish! 

Scalloped Potatoes are a holiday side dish classic! 

Note: Originally published in 2009. Updated in 2024 with new photos, step by step photos, nutrition information and a slightly modified recipe.

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes

Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes are a must make side dish. Loaded with cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream they are perfect for your next Sunday dinner! 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine American

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 323 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Ingredients:

• ▢ 3 large baking potatoes scrubbed and rinsed
• ▢ 4 slices thick cut bacon diced into 1 inch pieces
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup milk
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese divided
• ▢ 2 green onions diced about 2 tablespoons
• ▢ salt

Instructions

 

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Puncture potatoes with a fork about 6 times around the potato, this will allow steam to escape while they are cooking. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the skins are crispy but the potato is soft. You should be able to insert a fork and remove it easily.
• ▢
  While your potato is cooking cook your bacon until brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
• ▢
  Once your potatoes are baked, turn your oven down to 350 degrees.
• ▢
  Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise (Note: be careful they will retain a lot of the heat for awhile). Being careful not to puncture the skin, spoon out the insides, place them in a mixing bowl and set the skins aside.
• ▢
  To the potatoes add butter, milk and sour cream. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese and green onions. Mix well. Season to taste with salt.
• ▢
  Fill the potato skins with the mixture. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
• ▢
  Bake at 350 degrees in a baking dish until the cheese melts. Garnish with more green onions if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

These can be made, to the point of the second baking, up to 2 days in advance. 

Nutrition information for estimation purposes only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 11gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 341mgPotassium: 549mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 420IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 207mgIron: 1mg

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Keywords: bacon, baked potatoes, cheddar cheese, cheesy potatoes, green onions, mashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes