Crispy baked potato skins (Print View)

Crispy baked potatoes filled with melted cheese, bacon, and creamy sour cream for a tasty appetizer.

# Components:

→ 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 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
07 - 1/2 cup sour cream
08 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

# Directions:

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 each potato with olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Arrange potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until soft when pierced with a fork.
04 - Remove potatoes from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
05 - Carefully scoop out most of the potato flesh from each half, leaving about a 1/4-inch thick shell intact. Reserve the flesh for another use.
06 - Raise oven temperature to 450°F. Place potato skins on the baking sheet skin side down and brush the inside lightly with olive oil.
07 - Bake the potato skins for 10 minutes to crisp the edges.
08 - Remove skins from oven and evenly distribute shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon inside each skin. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
09 - Remove from oven and top each potato skin with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped chives.
10 - Serve immediately while skins are hot and crispy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together faster than people expect, which means you can claim credit for something that tastes way more complicated than it actually is.
  • Everyone eats them, no matter their usual preferences—there's something about crispy skin, melted cheese, and bacon that speaks a universal language.
  • You can prep the potato shells ahead and finish them just before serving, which is genuinely helpful when you're managing other things.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, though honestly they usually disappear before that becomes a problem.
02 -
  • The space between baking the empty skins and adding the cheese is crucial—that extra ten minutes of heat is what separates soggy skins from genuinely crispy ones that make a sound when you bite.
  • Don't get stingy with the sour cream dollop; it's not just toppings, it's the cooling element that keeps the whole thing from feeling one-note and heavy.
  • Cold sour cream on hot potato creates texture contrast that makes people keep reaching for more, so resist the urge to warm it up.
03 -
  • Don't skip the initial bake where the empty skins get their second trip to higher heat—this is the technical difference between good and genuinely crispy.
  • Keep your sour cream cold right up until service so that temperature contrast hits when people bite into warm cheese and hot potato.
Return