Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes

These Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes are crispy on the outside, perfectly creamy and cheesy on the inside! Stuffed with bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and seasonings in an irresistibly crisp potato skin shell – faster than the oven!

What are the ingredients in these Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes?

If you’ve made Twice Baked Potatoes before, this ingredient list won’t surprise you. Baking potatoes, seasonings and filling ingredients! Here’s a detailed list with a little info on each ingredient:

• russet baking potatoes – You can use 2 larger baking potatoes, or 3 medium sized ones. This ensures we can keep it to one batch once each potato is cut in half. Be sure to scrub the potatoes well so you can enjoy the crispy cooked skin too!
• olive oil – I prefer to cover my baked potatoes in a thin layer of olive oil and salt to make the potato skins especially crispy and delicious!
• salt – In this recipe, I salt the outside of the potatoes before cooking (optional but recommended), as well as adding a bit of salt to the filling. The saltiness of the filling will also depend on the bacon you use.
• cheddar cheese – A solid amount of sharp cheddar cheese is essential for delicious twice baked potatoes. This recipe includes half mixed into the filling and half sprinkled on top.
• bacon bits – Either homemade or store-bought bacon bits will work. I’m always opt for homemade because I think they taste better!
• chives – Throwing in some chopped chives adds a touch of light onion flavor but also looks really nice on top of the potatoes.
• butter – Salted or unsalted both work here. A little butter helps make the filling nice and creamy.
• garlic powder – This is technically optional, but I love garlic and this adds a bit of flavor to the filling along with the paprika.
• paprika – Either smoked paprika or your regular paprika will work. If skipping the bacon, definitely used smoked paprika to add a more smoky note to the filling.
• sour cream – Vital for creamy filling! You can also use cream cheese in case of emergency. Feel free to add more on top of your twice baked potato if you want!

Equipment you’ll need to make this recipe:

You do need a couple different tools to make this recipe come out amazing. While you could always bake Twice Baked Potatoes (of course), this recipe was written for the air fryer. Here are my recommendations:

• air fryer – The air fryer I’m using and the one pictured in this post is the Cosori Turboblaze 6 Quart Air Fryer (affiliate link!). I just started using this model in 2024, and I’m loving how easy it is to clean. Plus it’s way quieter than my older model!
• tongs – Handling and moving the baked potatoes is best done with some tongs. I almost always use silicone tipped tongs, like these OXO 9-Inch Silicone Head Tongs (affiliate link!).
• sharp chef’s knife – You’ll need a sharp knife to chop the bacon bits and chives, as well as to get clean cuts when opening up the potatoes. I recommend this Misen Chef’s Knife (affiliate link!).

How to make Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:

If you’ve made baked potatoes before, you know the real constraint for making them is time. Baked potatoes take an hour in the oven, not to mention baking them for the *second* time.

But this version is quicker and maybe even better, with crisp outsides and creamy insides I personally cannot get over. Here are the detailed instructions on how to make these Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes.

The first thing to do is scrub the potatoes well – you WILL want to eat the skin! Next, cover the potatoes with olive oil and salt. Pierce the potatoes a few times with the tip of a sharp knife or fork before placing them into the air fryer basket.

Cook them in the air fryer at 400F for 40-50 minutes, until they’re fork tender. Do a little check and rotate halfway through to ensure they cook evenly.

While the potatoes cook, prepare the shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives. If you’re cooking bacon bits at home, you can do this on the stovetop or in the oven while your potatoes cook in the air fryer. Here’s my guide for both methods of homemade bacon bits. The bacon bits can also be cooked ahead of time, or store-bought. Whatever works for you!

Next, shred your cheese – home shredding recommended, it will have a more cheese-pully feel. But preshredded is a perfectly good option too! I use either one depending on the recipe and what I have at home.

Be sure the potatoes are fully cooked before letting them sit out to cool. Cut the potatoes in half lengthways, and scoop out most of the potato insides with a spoon into a bowl. Be sure to leave about 1/4 inch around the edge to help support the potato skin.

Add the butter to the bowl of potato insides and mash with a fork until it has melted and fully mixed in. Stir in the garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 cup of the grated cheese, the sour cream, most of the bacon and most of the chives. Mix it well and let the cheese melt as you stir. Give it a taste and season with remaining salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Divide the mixed filling between the four potato skins, and scatter the remaining cheese and bacon pieces on top. Use tongs or your hands to carefully return the filled potatoes to the air fryer basket. If you prefer to put them in the basket then add fillings, that works too.

Cook them again (the second bake!) for a further 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melty and golden and they look crispy to your liking. Serve with leftover chives sprinkled on top.

Best tips for making Twice Baked Potatoes in the air fryer:

Here are my best tips for making this Twice Baked Potato recipe in your own kitchen:

• Cook the potatoes all the way through. For the smoothest filling and best results, make sure you’ve cooked your potatoes all the way through on the first bake. Use a knife or fork to pierce the skin – it should go in easily! If there is any resistance, give the potatoes another 5 minutes cook time or so.
• Taste the filling before stuffing the potatoes! There’s nothing raw in here, so it’s okay to taste the mashed filling before stuffing the potatoes. It may need a little more salt, and now is a good time to add it.

What to serve with Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:

This side dish can go with lots of different main dish proteins and side veggies. For example: steak, salad, twice baked potatoes! Thin sliced stovetop chicken breast, roasted veggies, twice baked potatoes! Other dinner recipes that would go well with these Twice Baked Potatoes:

Ways to customize Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:

• Make it vegetarian: Skip the bacon; swap the paprika for smoked paprika and double it.
• Swap the cheese: gruyere, swiss, white cheddar, these options would all taste good depending on what you like. If there’s a certain cheese you prefer with baked potatoes, you do you!
• Add broccoli: Once I had a baked potato with broccoli, cheese, and bacon. It’s a perfect combo. You can add a couple florets of finely chopped broccoli to the filling mixture.

Why cook this recipe in the air fryer vs. in the oven?

Both the oven and air fryer can be used to make baked potatoes and twice baked potatoes. But there might be cases where you need to use the air fryer – your oven is broken; your oven is in use for something else; or maybe you don’t have an oven.

Baking potatoes in the oven can take around an hour, depending on the size of the potatoes, plus preheat time. For baking potatoes in the air fryer, the cook time is closer to 40 minutes total (at least 20 minutes less than the oven!).

Ways to meal prep this recipe:

There are a couple ways to save time by preparing all or part of this recipe ahead of time. Here are some options:

1. Partial prep & cook later: You can bake the potatoes up to 3 days ahead of time and store in the fridge. You can go a few steps further and stuff the potatoes up to 3 days ahead of time so they’re ready for the second bake as needed at mealtime.
2. Partial prep & freeze: Make the recipes through step 4 for stuffed potatoes which can be frozen for up to 1 month. Freeze them on a baking tray until solid, then carefully wrap in food wrap before storing in a suitable container. Allow to thaw completely before finishing in the air fryer.
3. Enjoy now & later: You can make this recipe as directed, enjoy some now, and then save leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How to store Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

How to freeze Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:

Stuffed potatoes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Freeze them on a baking tray until solid, then carefully wrap in food wrap before storing in a freezer-safe container. Allow to thaw completely before finishing in the air fryer.

How to reheat Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:

Reheat the twice baked potatoes in the air fryer at 300F for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe developed by Rachel Phipps.