Loaded Baked Potato Skins (Printable version)

Crispy baked potato skins topped with cheese, bacon, and sour cream, perfect for parties or snacks.

# Ingredient List:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Filling

05 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
06 - 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
07 - 1/2 cup sour cream
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - Pierce each potato several times with a fork. Rub with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.
04 - Remove potatoes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
05 - Carefully scoop out the majority of the potato flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell. Reserve the scooped potato for another use.
06 - Raise oven temperature to 450°F. Place potato skins skin-side down on the baking sheet and lightly brush the insides with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes to crisp.
07 - Remove skins from the oven and evenly sprinkle the insides with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from the oven and top each potato skin with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped fresh chives. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy on the outside and impossibly creamy inside, with that salty bacon you can't stop eating.
  • You can prep them ahead and reheat when guests arrive, which means less time stressed in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the second baking at the higher temperature—that's where the skins go from soft to genuinely crispy, and it makes all the difference in texture.
  • If you scoop too close to the skin when hollowing them out, they'll collapse in the oven; a quarter-inch of flesh acts like an insurance policy.
03 -
  • Cook your bacon until it's just past limp but still flexible; this way it won't shatter when you crumble it and scatter it into the skins.
  • Save those scooped-out potato insides for mashed potatoes, hash browns, or potato soup—it feels like getting a bonus recipe out of the same effort.
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