Potato skins are a fall staple in my house. The flavors mix well with everything and they are a great addition to football, finger foods at parties or just to make for dinner. This iconic food is easier to make at home than you think.

Scroll through this post for a step by step tutorial or to the bottom where you can view the full recipe.

Ingredients

• 5 Pounds Russet Potatoes (12-15 small potatoes)
• 1/2 Cup + 1/4 Cup Avocado Oil
• 1 Teaspoon of Pink Sea Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 4 Cups Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup Real Bacon Pieces (Pre-cooked)
• 1/2 Cup Green Onions
• Sour Cream

Tools

• Paper Towels
• Stiff Bristled Vegetable Brush
• Parchment Paper
• Baking Sheet
• Mixing Bowls
• Sharp Knife
• Measuring Bowls and Spoons
• Basting Brush
• Serrated Knife

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.

The first thing we're going to start with is the potato. I usually choose a 5 pound bag of potatoes because of the smaller size. They're easier to handle and the perfect size for potato skins.

Prepare your baking sheet by placing a sheet of parchment on it. The parchment will protect the skins from sticking to the sheet and tearing during removal.

Rinse skins under cool water to remove any loose dirt.

A stiff bristled brush will help remove any additional debris.

Once clean, lay your potatoes on a paper towel to begin drying.

Once all potatoes have been washed, use a fresh paper towel to fully dry them.

Continue washing all of the potatoes.

Next, add 1/4 cup of olive oil to a bowl. Coat the potato fully in oil and place on the prepared baking tray.

Continue this process until your potatoes are complete.

Use a sharp pointed knife to poke small holes around each potato. This will allow any built up steam to be released while baking.

If you notice any potatoes that do not look good, remove them from the batch.

Bake approximately 60 minutes, or until a fork can be inserted gently to the center of the thickest potato.

While your potatoes are cooking, begin mixing up your oil.

In a small bowl, add avocado oil, salt and pepper. Mix until incorporated and set aside.

Once potatoes are cool enough to touch, use a serrated knife to cut in half lengthwise.

Wiggle the knife back and forth while cutting to avoid tearing the skin.

Each side should be evenly cut. Place skins back on the baking sheet and continue cutting.

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

Using a spoon, make indents all around the edges where you want to remove the flesh of the potato.

Carefully scoop through and remove the flesh.

Tip: Save your potatoes for another recipe. They make great mashed or breakfast potatoes.

Brush entire potato skin with oil mixture and place skin side down on the baking sheet.

It's okay if small pools of oil settle on the inside of the skin. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip each potato skin over so the skin side is facing up.

Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and flip again so that the skin side is facing down. Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Fill skins with shredded cheddar and bacon. 

Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Top with green onions and serve with sour cream.