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Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

Loaded twice baked potatoes with crispy edges and a creamy, cheesy center are made by baking russet potatoes twice at 400°F. The filling mixes butter, sour cream, milk, sharp cheddar, bacon, and green onions, then bakes again until the top is melted and lightly golden.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
cooling 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 570
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Russet potatoes
  • 4 russet potatoes
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 sour cream, for serving (optional) optional garnish
Whole milk
  • 0.25 cup whole milk
Sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1.5 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Bacon
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Green onions
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Fresh chives
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the potatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
  2. Bake at 400°F for 55–65 minutes until fork-tender. The skins should look drier and the center should yield easily.
  3. Let the potatoes cool for about 10 minutes. Aim for a warm-to-handle temperature so the flesh doesn’t tear.
Scoop and make the filling
  1. Slice each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop the flesh into a large bowl, leaving a thin shell intact. Keep the shells intact to support the filling.
  2. Mash the potato flesh with the butter, sour cream, whole milk, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until smooth and creamy. The mixture should look uniform with no large lumps.
Second bake
  1. Spoon the filling back into the potato skins, creating a generous mound on each half. Fill them all evenly so they bake at the same rate.
  2. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the tops. Spread it to the edges for maximum browning.
  3. Bake again at 400°F for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Look for bubbling at the center and golden spots on top.
Serve
  1. Garnish with chopped fresh chives and serve with extra sour cream if desired. Add it right before eating for best texture.

Notes

For extra crispy skins, keep the potato shells intact and avoid over-scooping; a thin shell helps them hold their structure. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through (microwave works but softens the edges). Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in the potatoes and dairy. To make it lighter, use reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat cheddar while keeping the baking times the same.