Serve twice baked potatoes with cream cheese alongside your favorite grilled meat and get rave reviews. It's quite possible this will become your most requested form of potatoes!
Twice baked potatoes also make an awesome after-school snack for hungry and growing teenagers who want to grab something on the go and unwind with some Youtube. Leftovers can be quickly microwaved for an easy make-ahead lunch or snack.
Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and twice baked potatoes with cream cheese is an extra special treat perfect for game night, party Hors d'oeuvre, or as a side dish with any grilled meat or baked meat entree.
Twice baked potatoes can be made ahead to reduce time in the kitchen on the day of your big event. This takes one more thing off your plate on a busy days. You can also make them ahead for work lunches and microwave the potato at your office to finish cooking it.
First, you have to bake the potatoes thoroughly. Then you scoop out the insides and mix up the filling. Reload the potatoes and bake again until the cheese melts. Simple, straightforward, and delicious.
Ingredients for Twice Baked Potatoes with Cream Cheese
Russet Potatoes. This recipe is for four to five potatoes, but you can adjust the recipe up or down as needed.
Canola or Vegetable oil. Oil coats the potato skins and helps them crisp up perfectly so that they hold up to the twice-baking process.
Kosher salt. Coarse kosher salt is really lovely for this preparation and will make your twice-baked potatoes remind everyone of the kind served at restaurants. Only better. The coarse salt makes a great first impression.
Bacon. Cooked and chopped. Because everything is better with bacon.
Shredded cheddar cheese blend. Separated into two measurements per the recipe.
Sour cream. Try to avoid generics and look for added ingredients. Real sour cream does not need a thickening agent or a preservative. Generics often have extras.
Cream cheese. Again, try to avoid generics for best quality. There are certain generics I do not mind, but sour cream and cream cheese are non-starters. Buy quality.
Unsalted butter. Melted.
Paprika. Make sure you are using fresh paprika. Check the expiration date.
Salt and pepper. To taste.
Cream Cheese Baked Potato Step-By-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º degrees.
- Wash the potatoes.
- Add them to a bowl.
- Pour oil and kosher salt over them.
- Toss to coat.
- Lay potatoes in parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 60 mins.
- Remove from oven, reduce temp to 350, and slice potatoes in half (long ways).
- Remove the inside of the potatoes and add them to a bowl.
- Add in sour cream, cream cheese, melted butter, bacon, 1 ½ cup shredded cheese, paprika and salt & pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with cheese on top.
- Bake in a 350º oven for 10 mins or until cheese is fully melted.
FAQ
Can I use red potatoes for twice-baked potatoes?
Yes. Red potatoes have a softer skin and may ot hold their shape as well. In addition, red potatoes are not uniform in size and will look less pretty on a plate. But the taste is fine.
Can I bake the potatoes ahead of time for twice-baked potatoes?
Yes. Bake and refrigerate the potatoes the day before you want to serve twice baked. Scoop out the insides and mix on the day of serving. If you want, you can even go ahead and mix the filling the day before, and get the potatoes completely ready so that all you have to do is bake the potatoes one last time before serving. Add extra baking time until the (now chilled) potatoes are hot throughout.
How do I wash potatoes for twice-baked potatoes?
Russet potatoes always need washed before you can use them for a recipe. Use a stiff vegetable brush and scrub each potato all over under running water to remove any dirt and debris. This also helps remove residual pesticides.
How do I store leftover twice-baked potatoes with cream cheese?
You can keep leftovers in an airtight container or freezer quality zipper baggy in the refrigerator for three to five days and microwave them for about one minute with a little butter on top before eating. You can also freeze twice baked potatoes in zipper baggies for quick grab and go lunch box additions. They will keep in the freezer for about two months.
More Great Side Dishes
Twice Baked Potatoes with Cream Cheese
Equipment
- Parchment lined baking sheets
- Medium-Large sized bowl
- Wooden spoon or potato masher
Ingredients
- 4-5 Russet potatoes
- 3-5 tablespoon Canola or Vegetable oil
- 1-2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 cups bacon cooked and chopped
- 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese blend separated
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 4-5 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Wash the potatoes
- Add them to a bowl
- Pour oil and kosher salt over them.
- Toss to coat
- Lay potatoes in parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 60 mins.
- Remove from oven, reduce temp to 350, and slice potatoes in half (long ways).
- Remove the inside of the potatoes and add them to a bowl.
- Add in sour cream, cream cheese, melted butter, bacon, 1 ½ cup shredded cheese, paprika and
- salt & pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with cheese on top
- Bake on 350 degree oven for 10 mins or until cheese is fully melted.
Nutrition
If you are not yet subscribing to my CELEBRATE THE SEASON newsletter, you can subscribe here. I share easy recipes for the season and a few things that I don’t share here. I email you only once a week as I know how valuable your time is and respect that tremendously!
Tamara
Once baked, twice baked, count me IN. Hot, cheesy potatoes are ever my pregnancy craving, and I don't really even get cravings, but when I do.. they sneak up on me.
Allyssa
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!