These decadent Cheesy and Creamy Twice Baked Potatoes will transform your kitchen table into your new favorite steakhouse! Your family won’t be able to get enough of this comforting side dish!
This morning my wife was reading a book with my stepson before school. Being the involved parent that I am, I like to chime in with helpful tips to enhance the life lessons children’s books provide. So when he carefully read, “It is OK to make mistakes” I quickly chimed in, “Unless you are a heart surgeon, airport controller, or a chainsaw juggler.”
Truly words to live by.
I don’t know why I don’t write children’s books?
One mistake you can’t make is whipping up a batch of these Cheesy and Creamy Twice Baked Potatoes. If these are something you have only enjoyed in a steakhouse, it is time to craft them in your own kitchen. They really aren’t difficult, it is simply a combination of making baked potatoes and creamy mashed potatoes.
Plus, if you have extras they reheat very nicely in the oven.
Tip: Whenever you are baking potatoes it is important to pierce them a few times with a fork. This allows steam to escape as the potato bakes, preventing the skin from bursting open.
Did you know you can check the doneness of a baked potato with a digital thermometer? Potatoes will be light and fluffy upon reaching an internal temperature of 210 degrees. I’ve been using this Lavatools Digital Instant Read Thermometer to take out the guesswork from my cooking for a couple years, and I highly recommend them.
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Cheesy and Creamy Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 large baking potatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12 slices bacon
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tbsp chives, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, (Plus more for salting the potato skins)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Lightly coat each potato with vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt, and pierce a few times with a fork.
- Place potatoes in oven and let bake for 1 hour, or until potatoes are cooked completely through.
- While potatoes are baking cook bacon in a skillet, drain fat, and crumble.
- Remove potatoes from oven and let rest till cool enough to handle. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the interior, leaving just enough to prevent the potato skin from collapsing.
- In large bowl combine potato flesh, 1/2 cup of cheese, sour cream, 2 tbsp chives, butter, salt, and pepper. Add crumbled bacon, reserving some crumbs for topping.
- Mash potato mixture until smooth and slowly incorporate milk while mashing until you reach the desired texture. (Since potato size varies it is OK if you don't use the full 1/2 cup, or if you add a bit more)
- Spoon potato mixture back into the potato skins then top with remaining cheese, chives, and crumbled bacon.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve.
Notes
If you enjoyed reading my Cheesy and Creamy Twice Baked Potatoes recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
January 31, 2017 at 11:40 amI’ve been using the Thermapen for years – in fact, hubby broke mine testing his ribs and got too close to the heat. I like having it to test my bread for doneness and of course our standing rib roast. But, I’ve never used it to test potatoes. What a good idea rather than piercing the poor thing countless times with a fork. Love double baked potatoes! Have a great day.
Fox Valley Foodie says
January 31, 2017 at 11:43 amI don’t think there is one tool in your kitchen that can improve someone’s cooking more. I want to get one specifically designed for my grill/smoker too.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
January 31, 2017 at 3:47 pmGreat idea! As I said hubby went too close to the heat and the plastic had a meltdown! Not a pretty sight and a worse sight was sweet wife trying to hold on to her temper because that was HER thermometer that dear husband never wanted to purchase in the first place because it was too expensive. I got a good deal on it and was finally able to buy it. I treated it with kid gloves.