Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 4large russet potatoes
- 2tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
- Kosher salt
- ½cup whole milk
- ½cup sour cream
- ½cup grated Cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
- Black pepper
- 2tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
592 calories; 30 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 71 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 1085 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Position racks in the top and middle of the oven, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Take the butter out of the refrigerator to soften. Scrub the potatoes clean and pat them dry. Poke holes all over them with a fork. In a large bowl, toss them with the oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Place the potatoes directly on the top rack, and place a baking sheet or a piece of foil on the middle rack to catch drips. Bake for about 1 hour, until the skin is crisp and potatoes offer no resistance when a knife is inserted in their centers. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle.
- Step 2
Slice the top third lengthwise off the potatoes. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving ¼-inch border of potato on the skin, and transfer the flesh to a medium bowl. Scrape the potato tops of all flesh, and add the flesh to the bowl. Place the bottoms on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Snack on the tops — chef's treat — or discard.)
- Step 3
Mash the potato flesh with a fork or potato masher. Add the butter, and stir until smooth (try not to overwork). Add the milk, sour cream and cheese and stir to combine. (If you want the filling softer, add more milk.) Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the chives, if using.
- Step 4
Mound each potato skin with a quarter of the filling. Bake the potatoes until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Private Notes
Comments
The filled potatoes freeze very well. The trick is to not defrost them before baking, otherwise they get mushy. Bake the frozen, filled potatoes at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until you get the desired browning on the tops.
I make two halves of the whole potato and do not throw out either side.
My family called these "company baked potatoes" because my mother only made them when she had a dinner party. Like another reader, she cut in half, no waste for the child of the depression era and she didn't add cheese. They were finished in the broiler. I am making these for the first time, a year and a few weeks after she died at 101. Her technique of scooping got all the way down to the skin, but that was a lifetime skill. Merry Christmas
I added all the milk before I mixed it in, which was a mistake. I should have added just a bit at a time. They were pretty mushy, almost runny.
I mash these with a clove of minced or grated garlic, lots of unsalted butter and a splash of scalded milk. Use a ton of sharp cheese, but stir it in last so it still has streaks of cheese. Be careful not to overwork the potatoes, they can get gluey and the second bake won’t poof as satisfyingly. Season liberally with good black pepper but remember the cheese is salty so don’t go overboard with the salt. These freeze well!
I do thrice baked potato’s. Bake. Scoop out flesh. Mash as you like. put empty skins bake in oven generously brushed with butter. When crispy refill and bake again and until flesh is browned a bit. Delicious,