This potato skins recipe is easy to make with crispy oven baked potatoes filled with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and a dollop of sour cream. The perfect party appetizer!

Cheesy potato skins topped with crispy bacon, sour cream, and fresh green onions.

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Easy Potato Skins

This easy homemade potato skins recipe is one of our favorite game day appetizers. They are super easy to make, crispy and always the first Super Bowl appetizers to go.

I love to serve hot appetizers when entertaining guests! Other favorites include crockpot BBQ meatballs, 7-layer dip and pigs in a blanket.

Why I Love These Baked Potato Skins

  • Easy appetizer. Aside from scooping out the potatoes, this recipe is as simple as turning on the oven and sprinkling a few toppings.
  • Crispy. Skip deep frying! This are oven-baked potato skins and turn out perfectly crispy! A hearty appetizer that will satisfy any appetite.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for potato skins including russet potatoes, cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, butter, oil, salt, and pepper.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Russet potatoes: The star of the show, but you can also use Yukon if you prefer.
  • Olive oil: I use this to coat the potatoes before baking to ensure a really crispy skin.
  • Butter: I use melted and unsalted, but you can use salted if you like.
  • Salt & pepper: The classic seasoning to bring out all the other flavors. I also coat the outside of the potato with salt before baking.
  • Cheddar cheese: This gives the potato skins their melty goodness. Use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, if you would like.
  • Bacon: Use cooked and crumbled bacon or bacon bits to add a nice texture and bit of salt.
  • Optional toppings: I love to add a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions to add a little extra flavor. Greek yogurt or chives could be used.

How to Make Potato Skins

Brush potatoes all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until soft and tender. Let cool until easy to handle.

Russet potatoes brushed with oil on a parchment-lined sheet pan, ready to bake.

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp.

When potatoes are done, top the cut side with cheese and bacon. Continue baking until the cheese in nice and bubbly.

Hollowed potato halves seasoned and baked until crisp on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Baked potato skins on a sheet pan filled with melted cheddar and bacon pieces.

Top with a little sour cream and green onions, if desired. Enjoy!

A hand holding a cheesy oven baked potato skin with bacon, sour cream, and green onions.

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure to leave about 1/4-inch of potato in the potato shell. Otherwise it will tear.
  • Add garlic powder and onion powder to the melted butter before brushing on top. 
  • Dip them in ranch dressing for a really amazing appetizer.
  • For a taco style, replace bacon with taco seasoned ground beef and top with pico de gallo and olives. Then dip in my favorite homemade salsa or guacamole.
  • Make these potato skins pizza-like by adding cheese, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and some marinara sauce for dipping.
  • Skip the bacon and add chili with sliced red onions, diced tomatoes and jalapenos.
Crispy potato skins topped with melted cheddar, bacon, sour cream, and sliced green onions.

Looking for more party appetizers? Try easy homemade pretzel bites, this Lil Smokies recipe or ham and cheese sliders.

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Cheesy potato skins topped with crispy bacon, sour cream, and fresh green onions.

Potato Skins Recipe

4.99 from 125 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Baked Potato: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8
This potato skins recipe is easy to make with crispy baked potatoes filled with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon topped with a dollop of sour cream. The perfect party appetizer.
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 4 large russet potatoes , washed (or 5 Yukon potatoes)
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
  • 1- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese , plus more as needed
  • 4-6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled (or 1/2 cup bacon bits)

Toppings

  • Sour cream , optional
  • Sliced green onions , optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Prep potatoes. Give 4 large potatoes a good scrub and dry completely with a paper towel. 
  • Bake potatoes. Place on baking sheet, and brush all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 1 hour, or until soft and tender. Let cool until easy to handle.
  • Scoop out potato flesh. Turn oven to 450°F. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin. Brush the tops and bottom of potato halves with 2-3 Tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper. Return to the baking sheet.
  • Bake 10 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until edges are starting to crisp.
  • Add cheese and bacon. Sprinkle each potato half with cheese and bacon. Return to oven 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions, if desired.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Variations:
  • Sprinkle in some garlic and onion powder with the melted butter before brushing on top. 
  • Use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. 
  • They also taste great dipped in ranch dressing
  • For more of a Mexican feel, replace bacon with taco seasoned ground beef and top with salsa and olives
Baked potato bites: Slice the potatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides and edges of the potatoes with olive and sprinkle with salt. Bake 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Flip potatoes half way through cooking, to brown the other side. Top with cheese and bacon and  3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
Air fryer: You can make Air Fryer potato skins just as easily.
Storage: These are best served warm and I wouldn’t really recommend keeping them after the first day. 

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 208mg, Potassium: 264mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 104mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this potato skins recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely! Simply leave off or replace the bacon with a veggie or a plant-based protein.

Can I double this recipe for a big party?

Of course! This recipe works well for a large crowd and is easy to double. You can even bake the potatoes in advance to save time and then simply bake them with the topping as needed.

What do you eat with potato skins?

Potato skins are great served as an appetizer alongside baked chicken wings. They also make a great side dish when serving steak in the oven, baked chicken or grilled salmon.

Can I make these in the air fryer?

If you love the Air Fryer as much as I do, you’ll be pleased to know that you can make air fryer potato skins just as easily. Is there anything this trusty kitchen appliance can’t do?!