Today I’m sharing my regular recipe for loaded twice baked potatoes!

I make these all the time. I serve them with grilled steak, roasted chicken, on Christmas Eve with prime rib and wouldn’t these look mighty pretty next to your Easter ham? As of yesterday, I had one as is as my lunch with no regrets. Okay, two. But technically that’s like one potato right?

Genuinely though, there’s simply no bad time to have a loaded twice baked potato. Hello, cheddar and bacon!!

Preheat your oven to 400℉ (and 200℃).

Scrub 4 large russet potatoes. I rub about a tablespoon of olive oil into the skins, for flavor and moisture, and then bake them on the middle rack for about and hour, turning them halfway through. The potatoes are done when a knife pierces them easily, meeting zero resistance. If there still a bit firm, then simply throw them back in the oven for a few more minutes.

While the potatoes are baking in the oven, I’ll cook the bacon in a large skillet until crispy but not overly so. They’ll crisp up more when baked in the oven with the potatoes.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half down the length of the potato.

Reduce oven temperature to 350℉ (or 180℃).

Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the flesh of the potatoes, being careful not to tear the skins. If it happens, don’t worry it has happened to me several times:).

Line them on a rimmed baking sheet.

Mash the potatoes until smooth with a few lumps.

Next, measure and add in the sour cream (about 3/4 to 1 full cup — depending on how much potatoes you have), 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, the reserved tablespoon of bacon fat and add only the light green parts of the green onion (reserving the dark for later). Lastly, season with a few generous pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,

Then using a spatula mix until combined.

Load up the skins with the filling and top the remaining cheddar and chopped bacon.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Lastly, sprinkle with the last of the green onions and some minced parsley for a pop of green.

Ahhh… you genuinely should smell (and taste) these loaded twice baked potatoes!! So darn flavor-packed!

I’d like to point out that there’s no wrong way to eat these loaded twice baked potatoes. My daughters leave the skins. Pat eats both the skins with the filling using a knife and fork. I like to eat the filling first, then fold the skins in half and eat those last. I’d only admit that you, because it’s so quite ladylike.