Crispy potato skins loaded with cheddar cheese and bacon are a crowd-pleaser everytime!
Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins are the appetizer every game day party needs! Crispy potato skins, gooey melted cheese and crispy bacon on top of fluffy potato make these the best ever baked potato skins!
Last Updated: 10 December 2019
Who doesn't love a good potato skin? I mean, what's not to love about the starchy, salty, cheesy combination? And they're just the ultimate snack food for watching football, of course.
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How to Make Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Scrub the potatoes and pat them dry. Rub the skins with olive oil. Bake the potatoes for about an hour.
- While the potatoes cook, dice the bacon and fry it until crisp. (I find that it gets crispiest when you're frying small pieces, rather than the slices). Remove the bacon pieces to a paper-towel-lined place and set aside.
- When the potatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and let them cool so that you're able t handle them. Cut them in half the long way, and scoop out all but about a quarter-inch of the potato.
- Arrange the potato halves on a broiler pan. Turn your oven up to 450-degrees and cook the skins for 20 minutes, turning the skins over halfway through.
- Now for the fun part - lightly salt the skins (to your taste), add the cheese and bacon and return to the oven to broil for about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with the scallions and serve with a side of sour cream.
Make-Ahead Method
If you are a regular reader, you know I love recipes I can make ahead, or prep ahead of time - especially when I have company. The potatoes can be cooked and the skins assembled 2-3 days in advance.
To make this recipe ahead of time, prepare the potatoes according to the directions above. However, once they are all assembled on the baking sheet or broiler pan, follow these steps:
- Cover the skins with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
- Set the oven to 350-degrees F and bake the potato skins for 5 minutes to get rid of the chill.
- After that, turn the temperature up to 450-degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown on the edges.
Can you freeze potato skins?
If you really want to be prepared, or you need to make an extra-large batch, consider making and freezing your appetizers ahead of time. Here's how:
- Once the potatoes are cooked and the skins are loaded up, place them on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet (uncovered) in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Remove the skins from the tray and place them into an airtight container or freezer bag and label before returning to the freezer.
- To cook, place the skins on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 450-degrees F and cook until the cheese is melted and starting to crisp and turn brown on the edges, about 20 minutes.
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Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins Recipe
Don't forget to pin this recipe for later, my friend. You're going to want to make these again and again!
Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins
Crispy potato skins loaded with cheddar cheese and bacon are a crowd-pleaser everytime!
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Servings: 8 potato skins
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Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 medium baking potatoes
- Olive oil
- 4 ounces of cheddar cheese I used white and yellow cheddar blend
- 4 slices bacon
- Sea Salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
- Sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Scrub the potatoes and pat them dry. Rub the skins with olive oil. Bake the potatoes for about an hour.
- While the potatoes cook, dice the bacon and fry it until crisp. (I find that it gets crispiest when you're frying small pieces, rather than the slices). Remove the bacon pieces to a paper-towel lined place and set aside.
- When the potatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and let them cool so that you're able t handle them. Cup them in half the long way, and scoop out all but about a quarter inch of the potato.
- Arrange the potato halves on a broiler pan. Turn your oven up to 450-degrees and cook the skins for 20 minutes, turning the skins over halfway through.
- Now for the fun part - lightly salt the skins (to your taste), add the cheese and bacon and return to the oven to broil for about 2 minutes.
- Garnish with the scallions and serve with a side of sour cream.
Notes
Make-Ahead Method
If you are a regular reader, you know I love recipes I can make ahead, or prep ahead of time - especially when I have company. To make this recipe ahead of time, prepare the potatoes according to the directions above. However, once they are all assembled on the baking sheet or broiler pan, follow these steps:- Cover the potatoes with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
- Place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
- Set the oven to 350-degrees F and bake the potato skins for 5 minutes to get rid of the chill.
- After that, turn the temperature up to 450-degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown on the edges.
How to Freeze Potato Skins
If you really want to be prepared, or you need to make an extra-large batch, consider making and freezing your appetizers ahead of time. Here's how:- Once the potatoes are cooked and the skins are loaded up, place them on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet (uncovered) in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Remove the skins from the tray and place them into an airtight container or freezer bag and label before returning to the freezer.
- To cook, place the skins on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Increase the heat to 450-degrees F and cook until the cheese is melted and starting to crisp and turn brown on the edges, about 20 minutes.
Please Note: I am not a registered dietician. Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and portion sizes.
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denise low says
This look good.. Potatoes are my favorite. And I love bacon.
Libby says
I made these and they came out awesome, everyone loved them!! I am definitely making them again!
Karen says
These came out SOOOOO good. It's going to be the next thing I bring something to a gathering. It will impress everyone. It impressed my husband! The only thing I would do differently is make twice as many!!!