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Twice Baked Crack Potatoes

Twice baked crack potatoes are russet potato skins filled with creamy ranch-cheddar mash, crisp bacon, and sour cream. Baked until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, they finish with a sprinkle of green onions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 47 minutes
Resting time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 17 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the potatoes
  • 4 russet potatoes medium, 8 to 10 ounces each, scrubbed and dried
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
For the filling and topping
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
  • 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided
  • 2 tbsp green onions thinly sliced

Equipment

  • 1 rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 12-inch skillet

Method
 

Bake the potatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  3. Prick the potatoes several times with a fork.
  4. Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and kosher salt.
  5. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the centers.
Cook the bacon and make the filling
  1. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp.
  2. Drain the bacon on paper towels, then crumble it.
  3. Let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Halve the potatoes lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato in each skin.
  5. Add the butter to the hot potato flesh and mash.
  6. Stir in the sour cream and ranch seasoning.
  7. Fold in 1 cup of the cheddar and half of the crumbled bacon.
Fill and bake
  1. Spoon the filling into the potato skins.
  2. Arrange the filled skins on the lined baking sheet.
  3. Top with the remaining cheddar and bacon.
  4. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
  5. Let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Sprinkle with the green onions.

Notes

For sturdy potato skins, leave about 1/4 inch of potato when scooping. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freeze the filled potatoes before the final bake for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free version, use ranch seasoning labeled gluten-free.