Crispy Baked Potato Skins

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These Crispy Baked Potato Skins are baked in the oven till golden brown and topped with melty cheese, crispy bacon, and sour cream!

Loaded potato skins are a PHENOMENAL side dish to impress, and they go fantastic with Garlic Herb Prime Rib or Garlic Mushroom Steak. Not to mention the BEST game day appetizer!

potato skins recipe filled with cheese, bacon and sour cream on metal tray.

One reason we love potato skins so much is because of the lovely crispy edges, they make the dish *chefs kiss* perfect. The cheese and bacon on top don’t hurt either!

These potato skins are a level up from my Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, if you’re looking for a dish that’s truly impressive.

Crispy Potato Skins Recipe

Potato skins are easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Loading them up with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions is a no-brainer, but the buttery parsley glaze is the secret to making them really delicious!

Ingredients Needed

Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need to make Crispy Baked Potato Skins. As always, you can find the full ingredient list in the printable recipe card below.

Small Baking Potatoes
Butter
Seasoned Salt
Garlic Powder
Cheddar Cheese
Bacon
Sour Cream
Green Onions

Ingredients for crispy baked potato skins on wooden cutting board.

How to Make Stuffed Potato Skins

Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 425℉ as you prepare the potatoes to bake!

Prepare Potatoes

Wash and dry the potatoes, then pierce them multiple times with a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the rack in your oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until fork tender.

PRO TIP: Piercing the potatoes prevents them from building pressure and exploding in the oven, while allowing them to evenly cook.

Piercing potato with fork on wooden surface.

Hollow Out Potatoes

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out the insides, leaving a 1/4-inch shell.

Scooped out potatoes with crispy bacon on the side.

Season Potatoes

Combine the melted butter, parsley, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper, and use a pastry brush to brush both sides of the potatoes.

brushing hallowed out potatoes with melted butter and seasonings.

Bake Until Crispy

Place potato skins cut side down on a baking sheet and continue to bake at 425℉ for another 15 minutes. Carefully flip the potato skins over and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Fill Crispy Baked Potato Skins

Remove the potato skins from the oven fill each with shredded cheese and bacon, then finish baking for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

cheese melted on crispy potatoes with bacon on top.

We could stop here with just bacon and cheese, but I love to add a bit of freshness with a sprinkle of green onion and a dollop of sour cream.

I dare you to try and keep your hands off of these cheesy potato skins!

Crispy potato skins with sour cream and bacon on top.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Whether you’re making these Crispy Baked Potato Skins or a classic Baked Potato, here are a few tips to help you achieve success.

Baking the potatoes uncovered directly on the oven rack will help get that crispy skin, so make sure you don’t cover them in foil after piercing.
If you don’t like onion, substitute with more fresh parsley.
Use a high heat oil like olive oil when baking the potatoes in the oven. Stay away from using extra virgin olive oil or butter, as the smoking point on these is lower and can cause smoke in your oven.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead: I suggest baking the potatoes ONCE, cutting in half and hollowing them out, and then refrigerating for up to 3 days until ready to glaze with butter and bake a second time and filling.

Refrigerate: Once cooked and cooled, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Once cooled, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Common Questions

Why aren’t my potato skins crispy?

You may not have enough butter on them. This recipe bakes directly on the rack at first to help ensure the skins are nice and crispy, then again after the butter glaze.

Why is my baked potato skin hard?

It may not have cooked all the way through on the first bake, especially if it is a larger potato. You can try baking it 5-10 minutes longer to soften it up.

What is the best temperature to bake potatoes?

This recipe bakes at 425 degrees F, to make sure the potatoes are baked through and the skins are beginning to crisp up. It can range fro 350-450 depending on how quickly you want the potatoes cooked and what texture they need to be.

Is it better to bake potatoes covered or uncovered?

It depends on the texture you want, for crispy potatoes it’s best to bake uncovered at a higher temperature, directly on the rack. For a softer more fluffy potato, covered in foil on a baking sheet is best.

More Amazing Potato Recipes

It’s not hard to see why we love potatoes. They’re so affordable and make a slew of delicious recipes. Here are a few of our favorite potato side dishes, make sure you try at least one!

I hope you love these crispy stuffed potato skins as much as we do! Make sure to let me know how it goes if you make them in the comments below.

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