Potato skins are one of my favorite appetizers, and if they’re on the menu, I’m ordering them.

This easy recipe bakes potatoes until crispy with a little garlic butter, cheese, and, of course, bacon bits!

This is my favorite version because it skips the deep fryer but you’d never know it.

Homemade Potato Skins with sour cream

These Are The Best Potato Skins Because…

  • They’re perfectly crispy without deep frying—you can use the oven or an air fryer.
  • Adding a little butter, garlic powder, and salt adds extra flavor.
  • They reheat well, and the inside flesh can be used for potato soup or mashed potatoes.

For extra deliciousness, serve them with horseradish sauce for dipping!

ingredients to make Crispy Oven Baked Potato Skins

Ingredients for Potato Skins

This potato skins recipe is a game day favorite and can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time.

  • Potatoes: Use Russet potatoes or baking potatoes as they hold up well in the oven and become nice and crispy. Sweet potato skins are also a great option.
  • Cheese: I use for cheddar cheese in this recipe, but try any cheese blend. Pre-shredded cheese works well in this recipe.
  • Bacon: Bacon adds a delicious smoky salty flavor. Use real bacon or bacon bits.
  • Onion: Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

How to Make Potato Skins

  1. Bake potatoes in the oven or air fryer and cool.
  2. Spoon out the flesh of the potato, leaving a shell.
  3. Brush the skins with butter and bake in the oven (recipe below).
  4. Fill each potato with cheese and crumbled bacon and bake until bubbly.

Top with green onion and serve with sour cream or ranch dressing for dipping.

platter of Crispy Oven Baked Potato Skins with sour cream

Our Fave Toppings

Cheddar cheese, bacon bits, sour cream, green onions or chives, jalapenos, or cilantro would taste great!

Add some ground beef with taco seasoning. Or add some pulled pork or even sloppy joe filling.

Tips for Great Potato Skins

  • Scoop out the potato flesh while the potatoes are still warm.
  • Leave a ¼-inch of potato shell, if it’s too thin, they will break or tear.
  • If you have it, use bacon grease instead of butter for extra flavor.
  • Try other variations to use up leftovers. Turn these into loaded potato skins or try leftover chili, pulled pork, or broccoli cheddar.

How to Prepare Ahead

  • Freeze the empty potato skins on a baking sheet. Once frozen, stack them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for several months in the freezer.
  • Bake these easy potato skins as directed right from frozen; no need to thaw them first!

Did your family love these Crispy Oven Baked Potato Skins? Leave a comment and a rating below.

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platter of Crispy Oven Baked Potato Skins with sour cream
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Crispy Oven Baked Potato Skins

Potato skins are brushed with garlic butter, filled with cheese and bacon, and baked until perfectly golden.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 6 small baking potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, or 3 tablespoons bacon bits
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions or chives
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • sour cream for serving

Instructions 

To Bake Potatoes

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Scrub the potatoes and poke each potato with a fork 5-6 times. Place them directly on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool until the potatoes are easy to handle.

To Prepare Potato Skins

  • Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out the flesh leaving a ¼-inch thick shell.
  • In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Brush the inside and outside of the potatoes with the butter mixture.
  • Place potatoes cut side down in a baking dish or 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Flip potatoes over and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until slightly browned and crisp.
  • Fill each potato with cheese and bacon. Return to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Remove from the oven, top with green onion and serve with sour cream.

Notes

Potatoes: The baking time for the whole potato is based on small potatoes. Larger potatoes can be used but will need extra baking time.
Microwave: Potatoes can be baked in the microwave if desired. The potato skins should be cooked in the oven or air fryer.
Air Fryer Instructions
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
  2. Bake the scrubbed and poked potatoes for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Scoop out the flesh as per the recipe above.
  3. Place the potato skins, brushed with butter mixture, cut side down in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 7-9 minutes or until crisp, flipping halfway.
  4. Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits over the potato skins. Return to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
4.98 from 175 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2potato skins | Calories: 264 | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 752mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 329IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Party Food, Snack
Cuisine American
Homemade Potato Skins with bacon and green onions and a title
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Homemade Potato Skins with crispy bacon
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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. For freezing, do you complete step 4 and then freeze? I wasn’t sure if the empty shells meant stopping after step 1 vs. 4. Sorry for the stupid question and thank you! :) Love this recipe!5 stars

    1. Great question! To freeze them, I stop after step 1 and do all of the baking when we’re ready to serve. They’re thin so there is no need to thaw them before baking.

  2. Tried this recipe for the first time yesterday and everyone said they were delicious. I will make them again as they were so easy to make and a crowd pleaser. The trick of baking the skins a second time to crisp them up is brilliant. I saved the cooked potato and will try your loaded bake potato soup recipe next!5 stars

  3. I have made potato skins before but these are by far my family’s favorite. Took the bacon grease suggestion. Definitely saving this recipe!5 stars

  4. Making your baked potato skins now for a party tomorrow night. I am going to crisp them up. Can I put them in the fridge overnight and add cheese and cooked bacon just before serving or are they better in the freezer.