Crispy potato skins cheese bacon (Printable)

Golden, crispy potato skins packed with melted cheddar, smoky bacon, and fresh green onions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean

→ Fillings

02 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
03 - 4 strips bacon
04 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
05 - 2 tablespoons sour cream (optional, for serving)

→ Seasonings & Oil

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pierce potatoes several times with a fork. Place them directly on the oven rack and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until skins are crisp and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
03 - While potatoes bake, cook bacon over medium heat in a skillet until crispy. Drain on paper towels and crumble once cooled.
04 - Remove potatoes from oven and let cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the majority of the flesh, leaving approximately ¼ inch of potato attached to the skin. Reserve the scooped potato for another use.
05 - Brush both sides of the potato skins with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Arrange skins skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - Return potato skins to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through until edges are golden and crispy.
07 - Fill each potato skin with shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon. Bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven. Top with sliced green onions and a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to impress guests but come together faster than you'd expect, leaving you actually relaxed during the party.
  • The contrast between crispy skin and creamy cheese is genuinely addictive—you'll find yourself reaching for one more.
  • Bacon and cheese on a potato skin feels indulgent without being complicated, which somehow makes them taste even better.
02 -
  • Don't skip scooping out enough potato or your skins will collapse when they go back in the oven—I learned this the hard way when half my skins folded in on themselves like tiny boats sinking.
  • The green onions go on at the very end because they're there to taste fresh and sharp, not soft and cooked—add them too early and they disappear into the cheese.
  • Make sure your oven rack is positioned so the potatoes cook evenly underneath; if it's too high, the bottoms never get that initial crispness that makes these special.
03 -
  • Prep your potato skins up to the point of filling them earlier in the day, then just add cheese and bacon right before serving—this saves you from hovering over the oven during the party.
  • If you want to make these ahead completely, cool them after the final bake and reheat in a 180°C oven for about five minutes until warm through and the cheese gets soft again.

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