These twice-baked potatoes with cheddar and bacon are the kind of creamy, cheesy comfort food that's actually worth the effort. Oven-baked to golden perfection, they make an irresistible Southern side dish-just as perfect for a cozy weeknight family dinner as they are for a special dinner party. Packed with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and a mashed potato-like filling, this classic recipe is one you'll reach for again and again.

a platter of twice bake potatoes with plates and forks behind it and a small bowl of bacon bits.

Listen y'all. Everyone loves a good potato recipe. Southern-style mashed potatoes with sour cream - gimme! Southern sweet potato souffle with brown sugar - I'll do a deep dive in it over the holidays. Oven baked scalloped sweet potatoes with heavy cream - all day err day!

But let me just go on record and say this, twice-baked potatoes may just be my most favorite potato dish of all time. Yep. There. It's in writing and officially official. I am obsessed. And being a good Southern cook like I am, this is one of the first recipes I learned how to make.

It does require a couple of steps but I promise it is so worth it! Let me show you exactly how I like to make them for my family and friends....and myself! 😉

A close up of a twice baked potato on a plate with a fork taking a bite out of it.

First Step - the FIRST potato bake

These are like an inside out mashed potatoes meets a baked potato situation. So, to begin you will need to just straight up bake some good ole regular potatoes.

A hand pricking potatoes with a fork on a baking sheet. — Start by placing some russet potatoes on a baking sheet and prick them all over with a fork (this helps the steam to escape while baking). Put them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

⭐️ Depending on how big your potatoes are determines the length of the first bake time. I usually make this recipe by taste and not with an actual recipe, but after making it multiple times to write a specific recipe, I tend to like a potato on the larger side (close to 1 pound each) so that there is plenty of filling to go around. This will take closer to 60 minutes to bake. You will know when they are finished when you can squeeze them with a towel and there is a some give to them - meaning the insides are soft.

Cutting baked potatoes in half on a cutting board. — Once they are finished baking, remove them from the oven and place them on a cutting board. Using a towel to hold them because they are very hot, cut them evenly in half, long ways.

A spoon scooping out the insides of a potato. — Use a spoon to scoop out the insides of the potato and place them in a large bowl. You will want about ¼"-ish around all the sides to help create a "sturdy bowl". Place these halves back on the baking sheet.

Potato and butter in a mixing bowl. — To the bowl add in your butter and start to mix together with a hand-held mixer.

A hand mixer mixing together potatoes and sour cream. — Once the potatoes start to break up a bit, add in your sour cream...

A hand mixer mixing together the filling for mashed potatoes. — ...then milk...

A hand mixer mixing together a potato filling. — ...then spices.

The filling for twice baked potatoes in a large mixing bowl. — Mix with the mixer until it is smooth and creamy.

Stirring together bacon and chives in a mixing bowl with potatoes. — Add in your chives and crispy bacon bits (which can be made while the potatoes are baking or ahead of time), and stir together with a spatula.

A spoon filling the insides of baked potatoes with a potato filling. — Using a spoon, fill each potato half evenly with the potato filling.

Twice baked potatoes on a baking sheet. — It will be enough that each potato will be a little mounded on top.

Shredding cheddar cheese with a cheese grater on a kitchen counter. — Grate your own cheddar from a block - trust me, it's way better than the preshredded kind and worth the effort...

Twice baked potatoes with cheese on top before going into the oven. — ...and add some to the top of each potato.

A platter of twice baked potatoes. — Place back into the oven at 350 degrees this time and bake for just 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted and the potato is warmed through. Remove and serve immediately, hot and fresh!

Recipe

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Cheddar and Bacon

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Author: Heather Bilyeu
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: 8 1x

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Description

These twice-baked potatoes with cheddar and bacon are the kind of creamy, cheesy comfort food that's actually worth the effort. Oven-baked to golden perfection, they make an irresistible Southern side dish-just as perfect for a cozy weeknight family dinner as they are for a special dinner party. Packed with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and a mashed potato filling, this classic recipe is one you'll reach for again and again.

Ingredients

Scale

4 Russet Potatoes - about 1 pound each
¼ Cup Sour Cream
¼ Cup Whole Milk
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
4-6 Pieces of Bacon - cooked then crumbled into bits
3-4 Ounces Cheddar Cheese - grated
2-3 Teaspoons Chives - finely minced

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean, then pierce each one a few times with a fork. Place directly on a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender and the skins are crisp.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°F for the second bake.
Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the insides, leaving about ¼ inch of potato around the edges to help the skins hold their shape. Place the potato skins back on the baking sheet. Place the scooped potato flesh into a large mixing bowl.
Add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, black pepper, and white pepper to the bowl. Mash until the mixture is smooth and creamy (a hand mixer or potato masher works great here). Fold in the crumbled bacon and chopped chives until everything is mixed well and creamy.
Spoon the filling back into the potato shells - distributing evenly, mounding it slightly. Top with the shredded cheese on each potato.
Return to the oven and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove and serve immediately while warm - enjoy!

Notes

The size of your potato will depend on the length of the first bake. If your potatoes are close to 1 pound each, then it will take closer to 1 hour for the first bake. Check at 45 minutes, then assess.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Cooking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 potato
Calories: 202
Sugar: 1.1 g
Sodium: 465.2 mg
Fat: 13.1 g
Carbohydrates: 15.1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 6.6 g
Cholesterol: 30.1 mg

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