Classic Baked Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon – Party Appetizer Recipe
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These Classic Baked Potato Skins are the ultimate party appetizer. With just a few simple ingredients, turn average baked potatoes into something that tastes out of this world! The potato skins are filled with Cheddar and bacon, then topped with sour cream. So easy yet so delicious!
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Classic Baked Potato Skins
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions and ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Take a regular baked potato one step further and make classic baked potato skins with cheese & bacon! This is the perfect party appetizer recipe because everyone loves potatoes! You will be sure to please your guests when you serve up these easy-to-make, delicious treats.
Bacon, cheese, and potato in one appetizer? Yes, please! Hollowed-out halves of baked potato are filled with cheese and cooked bacon, then baked until the cheese is all melty. The skins are then topped with a dollop of sour cream if desired. Who could say no to such a yummy combination?
Since I’m sharing this during the spooky month of October, these baked potato skins would make awesome party food for Halloween gatherings! But looking ahead, they’d also be perfect for Christmas party buffets and Super Bowl Sunday.
The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog is filled with free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Halloween! You can check out Crafty October from 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for tons of awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It does not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Protein – Thick-Cut Bacon
- Fresh Produce – Baked Potatoes, Green Onions (Spring Onions/Scallions) Parsley
- Dairy – Sharp (Mature) Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Potatoes
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is potatoes, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Cuban Mojo Potatoes – A Delicious Side Dish with Chili, Garlic & Lime
- Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes
- Butter Parsley Baby Potatoes in the Instant Pot
More Party Appetizer Recipes
Looking for more party food to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Savory Puff Pastry Bites with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
- Sweet and Savory Spiced Pecans Recipe
- Brie and Cherry Appetizers with Phyllo Pastry Cups
Recipe Tips
- The appetizer is super easy to make but you need to allow time for preparing and baking the potatoes before you can turn them into baked potato skins.
- It is really best to bake the potatoes in the oven (rather than other quick methods like the microwave) as it’ll allow the skins to get nice and crispy. That task in itself can take a good 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potato
- You can bake the potatoes and store in the fridge for up to 2 days before turning into the potato skins. If you will not be using them within 2 days, see below on how to freeze them.
- As written, this recipe yields 12 baked potato skins, but it can be doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd, if desired.
- For a great boost of flavor and crispier results, brush the outside and rim of each potato skin with a little bacon grease right before placing back in the oven. Use olive oil for a healthier alternative or feel free to skip this step completely.
Can I Freeze Baked Potato Skins?
The short answer is yes. And it also means you can get a real headstart on your party appetizer plans.
- Bake the potatoes and when cool enough to handle, halve and hollow out as directed in the recipe card (steps 1-3).
- Place on a tray and cover tighly with foil, but not so tightly you squash the skins. Pop into the freezer.
- When frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to one month.
- When ready to turn into classic baked potato skins, remove from the freezer and allow to defrost in the fridge over night before continuing with the recipe card from step 4 (where you brush the skins with oil/bacon grease to make the skins crispy).
How Do I Make Classic Baked Potato Skins?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Classic Baked Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon
These Classic Baked Potato Skins are the ultimate party appetizer. With just a few simple ingredients, turn average baked potatoes into something that tastes out of this world!
Ingredients
- 6 large baking potatoes, cleaned and pierced several times with a fork
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or bacon grease (optional, see note below)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled*
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large green onions, sliced, green parts only
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Position the top oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7.
- Place the potatoes in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes until cooked through. Remove potatoes from the oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- Once cool, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the soft interior with a spoon, leaving a one-quarter inch margin around the skins. (Save the cooked potato filling for another recipe).
- Place the potato skins cut side down on a baking rack set over a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil or bacon grease (see notes) and place back in the hot oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip over the skins with tongs. Fill each skin with an equal amount of cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and top each potato skin with a dollop of sour cream, some sliced green onion, and a little fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- As written, this recipe yields 12 baked potato skins, but it can be doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd if desired.
- *For a great boost of flavor and crispier results, brush the outside and rim of each potato skin with a little bacon grease right before placing back in the oven. Use olive oil for a healthier alternative or feel free to skip this step completely.
- *If using the bacon grease to season the skins, cook the bacon in a skillet while the potatoes are baking. Reserve the grease for Step #5 above.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 293Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 250mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 11g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Halloween Dinner!
You’ve made the appetizer, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a Halloween dinner party!
- Soup: Slow Cooker Spicy Pumpkin and Butter Bean Soup
- Salad: Orange Pomegranate Salad with Goat Cheese, Avocado & Pecans
- Main Dish: Cast Iron Chicken Provençal with Tomatoes & Olives
- Side Dish: Butter Parsley Baby Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Beverage: Bourbon Apple Cider Maple Fizz Cocktail
- Dessert: Spiderweb Cheesecake
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.
The post is part of the Crafty October series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog. Check out Crafty October from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 for awesome Halloween ideas and inspiration; including recipes, printables, crafts, and more!