This potato skins recipe is easy to make with crispy baked potatoes filled with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon topped with a dollop of sour cream. The perfect party appetizer.
I love to serve hot appetizers when entertaining guests! Other favorites include crockpot BBQ meatballs, 7-layer dip and pigs in a blanket.
Table of Contents
Easy Potato Skins
This homemade potato skins recipe is one of our favorite game day appetizers. They are super easy to make, crispy and always the first Super Bowl appetizers to go.
If I could eat potatoes for the rest of my life, I’d be in heaven. They are definitely one of my favorite foods! Loaded baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes, cheesy potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes … you name it. I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like. ;)
Why I Love These Baked Potato Skins
- Easy appetizer. Aside from scooping out the potatoes, this recipe is as simple as turning on the oven and sprinkling a few toppings.
- Crispy. Skip deep frying! This are oven-baked potato skins and turn out perfectly crispy! A hearty appetizer that will satisfy any appetite.
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Russet potatoes: The star of the show, but you can also use Yukon if you prefer.
- Olive oil: I use this to coat the potatoes before baking to ensure a really crispy skin.
- Butter: I use melted and unsalted, but you can use salted if you like.
- Salt & pepper: The classic seasoning to bring out all the other flavors. I also coat the outside of the potato with salt before baking.
- Cheddar cheese: This gives the potato skins their melty goodness. Use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, if you would like.
- Bacon: Use cooked and crumbled bacon or bacon bits to add a nice texture and bit of salt.
- Optional toppings: I love to add a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions to add a little extra flavor. Greek yogurt or chives could be used.
How to Make Potato Skins
Brush potatoes all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until soft and tender. Let cool until easy to handle. You can also make air fry baked potatoes.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp.
When potatoes are done, top the cut side with cheese and bacon. Continue baking until the cheese in nice and bubbly.
Top with a little sour cream and green onions, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Make sure to leave about 1/4-inch of potato in the potato shell. Otherwise it will tear.
- Add garlic powder and onion powder to the melted butter before brushing on top.
- Dip in ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for a really amazing appetizer.
- For a taco style, replace bacon with taco seasoned ground beef and top with pico de gallo and olives. Then dip in my favorite homemade salsa or guacamole.
- Make these pizza potato skins by adding cheese, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and some marinara sauce for dipping.
- Skip the bacon and add chili with sliced red onions, diced tomatoes and jalapenos.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Simply leave off or replace the bacon with a veggie or a plant-based protein.
Of course! This recipe works well for a large crowd and is easy to double. You can even bake the potatoes in advance to save time and then simply bake them with the topping as needed.
Potato skins are served great as an appetizer alongside crockpot meatballs and baked chicken wings. They also make a great side dish when serving steak in the oven, baked chicken or grilled salmon.
If you love the Air Fryer as much as I do, you’ll be pleased to know that you can make air fryer potato skins just as easily. Is there anything this trusty kitchen appliance can’t do?!
Looking for more party appetizers? Try easy homemade pretzel bites or ham and cheese sliders.
More Potato Recipes
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Potato Skins Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Toppings
- Sour cream , optional
- Sliced green onions , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Prep potatoes. Give 4 large potatoes a good scrub and dry completely with a paper towel.
- Bake potatoes. Place on baking sheet, and brush all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 1 hour, or until soft and tender. Let cool until easy to handle.
- Scoop out potato flesh. Turn oven to 450°F. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin. Brush the tops and bottom of potato halves with 2-3 Tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper. Return to the baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until edges are starting to crisp.
- Add cheese and bacon. Sprinkle each potato half with cheese and bacon. Return to oven 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
- Sprinkle in some garlic and onion powder with the melted butter before brushing on top.
- Use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese.
- They also taste great dipped in ranch dressing
- For more of a Mexican feel, replace bacon with taco seasoned ground beef and top with salsa and olives
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Mini appetizers, Super Bowl
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Just made this as an afternoon snack and it was delicious and oh so easy to make! Definitely on the husband-approved list :)
Just finished eating those skins best me and my wife have EVER had and i order them as an app at many resteraunts i will have to go with something else because they dont compare with yours great recipe thank you from one foodie to another
these are so good!!
Potato skins are awesome, plus with being Celiac I can eat them!!!
Your recipes are delicious. Looking forward to receiving more
Has anyone tried making these outdoors on the grill?
We made these tonight, and they were delicious! My husband was in heaven!
Great recipe, I made them with sweet potatoes and ate them plain and they were delicious. I added the cheese, but I did not care for the combination. On the plain slices, without cheese, I tried a little brown sugar and it was good, I then added crushed walnuts on top of the brown sugar and it is a keeper! As Maria posted, the sweet potato skins were a bit tough so I pulled them off too. Thanks
Sounds delicious!
Made these tonite – quick, easy and delicious!
brought these potatoe for the Superbowl. Everyone loved them!
Delicious! Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!!!
Well the sweet potatoes tasted awesome with the bacon however the skin around the sweet potatoes is much tougher to chew then your normal baking potato so I just pulled the skin off but it turned out great and tasted SOOO good! :-)
I am baking them now but I am using Sweet potatoes instead! Also I don’t bake/cook with tinfoil anymore after reading about the toxins that come from heated tinfoil so I just wiped my baking sheet down with olive oil – Great quick recipe! Thxs for sharing!
Mmm sweet potatoes would be delicious! Let us know how it goes! :)
Can I use olive oil in place of butter?
Definitely! :)
How about boiling the potato instead of baking? Much quicker. Maybe 3/4 of the way. Then bake the rest. Just a suggestion.
That would probably work great too Vikki. Thanks for the idea!
Has anyone made these yet?
This potato skins recipe is SO good!
These look Fab! I am over run with potatoes at the moment – wondering, do you think these would freeze well for later? Should I cook the potatoes half way? Any suggestions? I can’t wait to make these!!
Hi Melanie! I have never tried freezing these before. If you have frozen other potatoes, I assume it would work the same! :)