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.
What a great idea! I’m scaling WAY down for Thanksgiving this year, and have decided to forgo a potato side (I know, sacrilege!) These little bites should satisfy the need my husband and kids have for a potato dish, and could easily be scaled down for a pre-dinner snack for the 4 of us!
These would be perfect for scaling down! Such an easy and delicious potato dish! :)
Wow…great success. Easy to make potato skins reipe and taste great, what more can I say.
I’m so glad you liked them! They are always a favorite at parties!
I love this recipe! I have made it several times at home for myself and the hubby, and I wanted to take it as my dish to pass at my family reunion.
My question is, if I cook them in advance, do you think I could warm them up on tin foil on the grill at the party?
Hi Amanda! I would probably recommend doing the first step in advance and then adding the toppings to warm up on the grill. Should work great! :)
Hey, I’m making these for my wedding! Would they be okay if I cooked them one day and then severed them cold the next?
Hi Catie! That’s up to you – they will be delicious either way!
Yum. Whole family liked these potato skins. Good football food. Takes awhile to cook but so does all potato recipes.
Yay, I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it! :)
Easy and delicious!
Made these tonight…delish!
This looks utterly delicious! We are going to make some this weekend ♥
Sinea
These were awsome. My husband gobbled them up. I think these would be amazing as an great appetizer say on new years or a night when you have a bunch of people over and you are serving a bunch of appretizers.
Loved these! Has anyone tried to freeze these? My husband loves potato skins so I wanted to make a bunch and keep them in the freezer for him so he can warm them up when he wants. Then we can stop buying the boxes of frozen ones from the grocery store!
I haven’t tried, but I bet you could! The would be delicious reheated in the oven or toaster oven!
I just made these last night. Thanks for sharing; these are an EASY way to do potatoes, and it was a quick yummy meal!
Hello, may I know if I can use sea salt instead of kosher salt?
Definitely! Use the salt that you prefer. :)
Made these for Super Bowl today! Amazing, thanks for the great recipe!
Are these still good at room temperature or do you have to eat them warm?
These are still good at room temperature, and great for parties!
Thanks for the recipe! We made it on New Years Eve, and I’m talking about it on my blog today! I’m linking the recipe back to your page :)
Excellent! :)
These are so good ! Just made some and they are already gone . Gonna make some for Christmas party .
Hi – you mentioned you could make these ahead. Just wondering. Do you go ahead and bake the whole way through the recipe and just reheat? Or do you stop after you add the toppings and wait for the next day to melt them? Thanks
I would premake up to the toppings, but really both ways would work! :)
This was a great idea my aunt saw it on facebook and i came here to make it for my brother and myself. They came out great!! I used diffrent cheese and it still came out good.